Repeater using optical cables for radio paging system

• US 5,689,355 A
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd., NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Tadashi, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Norichika, Michio, Suganuma, Jun, Yokote, Takashi, Okubo, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/674,213
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 359/145, 359/152, 359/167, 359/174, 359/179, 379/56, 455/33.1
• US Class Current: 398/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25759 Details of the reception of RF signal or the optical conversion before the optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A repeater which is installed as measures for silent zones, which automatically compensates for a variation in a light loss caused by a difference in length among optical cables interconnecting a master device and a plurality of slave devices which are allocated and installed in an underground shopping center or the like. The master device and the slaves devices both have current detectors for detecting current values of O/E transducers which transduce received lights to electric signals. Based on the detected current values, gain control signals are applied to variable gain amplifiers to change their amplification factors so that the levels of output RF signals for transmission to a radio base station and a portable station have a prescribed value, thereby compensating for the variation in the light loss of the optical cables. The present invention greatly facilitates the installation of the repeater and additional installation of slave devices.

Claims

1. A repeater for repeating RF electric waves between a radio base station and portable stations comprising:

a master device for transducing, by a first electro-optic transducer, one of said RF electric waves received via a down link from said radio base station into a light intensity-modulated signal, for branching and outputting branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal to a plurality of output terminals, and for transducing a plurality of light intensity-modulated signals of up links, received via a plurality of input terminals providing one to one correspondence to a plurality of said output terminals, into RF electric signals by first opto-electric transducers, respectively, to combine said RF electric signals into a composite RF electric signal to be sent out to said radio base station;

a plurality of pairs of optical cables, each pair of said optical cables comprising one of down-link optical cables connected respectively, at one end thereof, to a plurality of said output terminals of said master device and corresponding one of up-link optical cables connected respectively, at one end thereof, to a plurality of said input terminals of said master device; and

a plurality of slave devices each connected to other ends of one pair of a plurality of pairs of said optical cables, for transducing one of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal, received via said one of said down-link optical cables, into an RF electric signal by a second opto-electric transducer to be sent out to at least one of said portable stations and each for transducing, by a second electro-optic transducer, an RF electric signal received from said at least one of said portable stations into a light intensity-modulated signal to be provided onto said corresponding one of said up-link optical cables;

said master device comprising;

a plurality of first current detectors for detecting respectively direct-current values of said first opto-electric transducers;

a plurality of first variable gain amplifiers for amplifying respectively output electric signals from said first opto-electric transducers; and

a first control circuit for comparing, respectively, first detected values from a plurality of said first current detectors with first preset reference values and for applying first control signals to corresponding ones of said first of said first variable gain amplifiers to change an amplification factor thereof to reduce a corresponding first difference between a corresponding one of the first detected values and a corresponding one of the first preset reference values to zero;

a plurality of said slave devices each comprising;

a second current detector for detecting the direct-current value of said second opto-electric transducer;

a second variable gain amplifier for amplifying the output signal from said second opto-electric transducer; and

a second control circuit for comparing a second detected value from said second current detectors with a second preset reference value and for applying a second control signal to said second variable gain amplifier to change a gain thereof to reduce a second difference between the second detected value and the second preset reference value to zero; and

the levels of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signals for transmission from said master device to said slave devices being constant regardless of the lengths of a plurality of pairs of said optical cables respectively interconnecting said master device and said slave device.

4. A repeater according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lengths of said plurality of optical cables are in the range of 1 m to 20 km.

2. A repeater for repeating RF electric waves transmitted between a radio base station and portable stations comprising:

a master device for transducing, by a first electro-optic transducer, one of said RF electric waves received via a down link from said radio basic station into a light intensity-modulated signal, for branching and outputting branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal to a plurality of output terminals, and for transducing a plurality of light intensity-modulated signals of up links, received via a plurality of input terminals providing one to one correspondence to a plurality of said output terminals, into RF electric signals by first opto-electric transducers, to combine said RF electric signals into a composite RF electric signal for transmission to said radio base station;

a plurality of pairs of optical cables, each pair of said optical cables comprising one of down-link optical cables connected respectively, at one end thereof, to a plurality of said output terminals of said master device and corresponding one of up-link optical cables connected respectively, at one end thereof, to a plurality of said input terminals of said master device; and

a plurality of slave devices each connected to other ends of one pair of a plurality of pairs of said optical cables, for transducing one of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal, received via said one of said down-link optical cables, into an RF electric signal by a second opto-electric transducer to be sent out to at least one of said portable stations and each transducing, by a second electro-optic transducer, an RF electric signal received from said at least one of said portable stations into a light intensity-modulated signal to be provided onto said corresponding one of said up-link optical cables;

said master device comprising;

a plurality of first variable gain amplifiers for amplifying output signals from said first opto-electric transducers;

a first modem for monitored data, for extracting control data added to said monitored data included in said composite RF electric signal; and

a first control circuit responsive to said extracted control data to apply one of first control signals to a corresponding one of said first variable gain amplifiers to change an amplification factor thereof;

a plurality of said slave devices each comprising;

a current detector for detecting a direct-current value of said second opto-electric transducer;

a second variable gain amplifier for amplifying the output electric signal from said second opto-electric transducer; and

a second control circuit for comparing a detected direct-current value from said current detector with a second preset reference value and for applying a second control signal indicative of a compensation value to said second variable gain amplifier to change an amplification factor thereof to reduce a difference between the detected direct-current value and the second preset reference value to zero;

a second modem for monitored data responsive to said second control signal from said second control circuit for deriving, from said second control signal, said monitored data composed of an identification number of said slave device concerned and said compensation value; and

means for superimposing said monitored data on said RF electric signal for transmission to said light-intensity modulated signal transmitted on said corresponding one of said up-link optical cables;

levels of said RF electric waves being stably maintained at respective transmission ends of the slave station to the portable stations, where levels of branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signals for transmission from said master device to said slave devices being constant regardless of the lengths of a plurality of pairs of said optical cables interconnecting said master device and said slave devices.

3. A repeater for repeating RF electric waves between a radio base station and portable stations in a radio paging system, comprising:

a master device for receiving one of said RF electric waves from said radio base station, superimposing said received one of said RF electric waves on a light wave of a fixed level, branching said light wave by a branching circuit to a plurality of branched optical signals for sending out to a plurality of optical outputs from a branching circuit;

a plurality of optical cables connected at one end to branched outputs of said branching circuit of said master device to transmit a plurality of said optical outputs; and

a plurality of slave devices connected to other ends of a plurality of said optical cables, each slave device comprising a lightwave receiver for receiving on of said optical outputs from said master device via the optical cable connected to said slave device and amplifying, by a variable gain amplifier, said RF electric signal extracted by an opto-electric transducer and outputting said extracted RF electric signal at a prescribed level, and an antenna for transmitting said extracted RF signal;

said lightwave receiver of each slave device comprising;

a current detector for detecting a direct-current value of said opto-electric transducer; and

a control circuit for applying to said variable gain amplifier a gain control signal based on the detected value from said current detector so that said RF electric signal has said prescribed level;

said RF electric signal for transmission from said antenna of said slave device having said prescribed level regardless of the lengths of said optical cables interconnecting respective ones of said slave devices and said master device.

5. A repeater for repeating RF electric waves between a radio basic station and portable stations comprising:

a master device;

a plurality of slave devices;

a plurality of pairs of optical cables connected between said master device and each of said slave devices, each pair of said optical cables comprising a down-link optical cable and an up-link optical cable;

said master device comprising a first radio frequency stage having a first antenna for receiving one of said RF electric waves from said radio base station and for transmitting one of said RF electric waves to said radio base station, a first electro-optic transducer for transducing one of said RF electric waves received via said first radio frequency stage into a light intensity-modulated signal, a branching circuit for branching said light intensity-modulated signal into a plurality of branched optical outputs, a plurality of first output terminals each connected to one end of said down-link optical cable to send out therethrough one of said branched optical outputs to a corresponding one of said slave devices, a plurality of first input terminals providing one to one correspondence to a plurality of said first output terminals and each connected to one end of said up-link optical cable to receive up-link optical signals respectively transmitted from corresponding ones of said slave devices, a plurality of first opto-electric transducers connected respectively to said first input terminals for transducing respectively said up-link optical signals into up-link electric signals, a plurality of first variable-gain amplifiers for amplifying respectively said up-link electric signals, a plurality of first current detectors for detecting respectively direct-current values of said first opto-electric transducers, a first control circuit for comparing, respectively, first detected values from a plurality of said first current detectors with first preset references values and for applying each of first control signals to corresponding one of said first variable gain amplifiers to change an amplification factor thereof to reduce a corresponding first difference between a corresponding one of the first detected values to zero, a signal combiner for combining said up-link electric signals amplified into a composite RF electric signal to said first radio frequency stage to transmit one of said RF electric waves to said radio base station;

said slave device comprising a second input terminal connected to another end of said down-link optical cable of said one pair of said optical cables, a second opto-electric transducer connected to said second input terminal for transducing one of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal transmitted via said down-link optical cable into a down-link RF electric signal, a second current detector for detecting a direct-current value of said second opto-electric transducer, a second variable gain amplifier for amplifying said down-link RF electric signal from said second opto-electric transducer, a second control circuit for comparing a second detected value from said second current detectors with a second preset reference value and for applying and second control signal to said second variable gain amplifier to change a gain thereof to reduce a second difference between the second detected value and the second preset reference value to zero, a second radio frequency stage including said second variable gain amplifier and having a second antenna for transmitting one of said RF electric waves to said portable stations and for receiving one of said R electric waves from at least one of said portable stations to provide an up-link RF electric signal, a second electro-optic transducer for transducing said up-link RF electric signal into an up-link light intensity-modulated signal, and a second output terminal connected to another end of said up-link optical cable to send out said up-link light intensity-modulated signal to said master device;

the levels of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signals for transmission from said master device to said slave devices being constant regardless of the lengths of a plurality of pairs said optical cables respectively interconnecting said master device and said slave devices.

6. A repeater for repeating RF electric waves between a radio basic station and portable stations comprising:

a master device;

a plurality of slave devices;

a plurality of pairs of optical cables provided between said master device and each of said slave devices, each pair of said optical cables comprising a down-link optical cable and an up-link optical cable;

said master device comprising a first radio frequency stage having a first antenna for receiving one of said RF electric waves from said radio base station and for transmitting one of said RF electric waves to said radio base station, a first electro-optic transducer transducing one of said RF electric waves received via said first radio frequency stage into a light intensity-modulated signal, a branching circuit for branching said light intensity-modulated signal into a plurality of branched optical outputs, a plurality of first output terminals each connected to one end of said down-link optical cable to send out therethrough one of said branched optical outputs to a corresponding one of said slave devices, a plurality of first input terminals providing one to one correspondence to a plurality of said first output terminals and each connected to one end of said up-link optical cable to receive up-link optical signals respectively transmitted from corresponding ones of said slave devices, a plurality of first opto-electric transducers connected respectively to said first input terminals for transducing respectively said up-link optical signals into up-link electric signals, a plurality of first variable-gain amplifiers for amplifying respectively said up-link electric signals, a signal combiner for combining said up-link electric signals amplified into a composite RF electric signal, a first modem for monitored data, for extracting control data added to said monitored data included in said composite RF electric signal, and a first control circuit responsive to said extracted control data to apply one of first control signals to corresponding one of said first variable gain amplifiers to change an amplification factor thereof;

said slave device comprising a second input terminal connected to another end of said down-link optical cable of said one pair of said optical cables, a second opto-electric transducer connected to said second input terminal for transducing one of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signal transmitted via said down-link optical cable into a down-link RF electric signal, a current detector for detecting a direct-current value of said second opto-electric transducer, a second variable gain amplifier for amplifying said down-link RF electric signal from said second opto-electric transducer, a second control circuit for comparing a second detected value from said second current detectors with a second preset reference value and for applying a second control signal indicative of a compensation value to said second variable gain amplifier to change a gain thereof to reduce a second difference between the second detected value and the second preset reference value to zero, a second radio frequency stage including said second variable gain amplifier and having a second antenna for transmitting one of said RF electric waves to said portable stations and for receiving one of said RF electric waves from at least one of said portable stations to provide an up-link RF electric signal, a second electro-optic transducer for transducing said up-link RF electric signal into an up-link light intensity-modulated signal, a second output terminal connected to the other end of said up-link optical cable to send out said up-link light intensity-modulated signal to said master device, a second modem for monitored data responsive to said second control signal from said second control circuit for deriving, from said second control signal, said monitored data composed of an identification number of said slave device concerned and said compensation value, and means for superimposing said monitored data on said RF electric signal for transmission to said light-intensity modulated signal transmitted on said corresponding one of said up-link optical cables;

the levels of said branched outputs of said light intensity-modulated signals for transmission from said master device to said slave devices being constant regardless of the lengths of a plurality of pairs of said optical cables respectively interconnecting said master device and said slave devices.