System and method for remote monitoring of RF units in base station of wireless communication network

• US 6,188,876 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FINEDIGITAL Inc.
• Original Assignee: FINEDIGITAL Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong-Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jama, Isaak R.
• Application Number:
  US09/014,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 379/10, 379/15, 379/24, 379/29, 379/1, 370/241, 370/249, 370/252, 455/424, 455/67.1, 455/9, 455/67.4
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units in a wireless communication network, and, more particularly, system and method for remotely monitoring and controlling the functional status of RF signal processing units of numerous base stations in a wireless communication network by extracting the spectrum feature of high frequency that is processed by the RF signal processing unit and represents the functional status of the RF unit in each base station, and then comparing the extracted spectrum with the predetermined spectrum curve in the remote site.

Claims

1. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling the RF signal processing units in a base station of a wireless communication network, comprising:

a means for choosing a point among the numerous checking points of the RF signal processing unit;

a means for converting down the RF signal detected from the chosen point into a IF signal;

a means for measuring the power spectrum of the converted analog IF signal;

a means for digitizing the measured power spectrum;

a means for transmitting the digitized data through a communication link; and

a remote monitoring unit for evaluating the functional status of the RF signal processing unit based on comparison of the received digitized data representing a power spectrum through the communication link with a pre-stored standard spectrum data.

2. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units according to claim 1, further comprising a control command processor for processing the control command received from a controller through the communication link.

3. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units according to claim 2, in which said remote monitoring unit comprises:

a means for evaluating the functional status of the RF signal processing unit based on digitized data representing the power spectrum received through said communication link; and

said controller for sending an appropriate control command associated with the evaluation to said control command processor through the communication link.

4. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units in a base station of a wireless communication network, comprising:

a means for choosing a point among numerous checking points of the RF signal processing unit;

a means for converting down the RF signal detected from the chosen point into an IF signal whose frequency is low enough to be digitized;

a means for digitizing the converted signal;

a means for storing the digital signal;

a means for transmitting the digital signal stored in said storing means through a communication link; and

a means for evaluating the functional status of the RF signal processing unit based on comparison of said computed power spectrum with a pre-stored standard spectrum data.

5. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units according to claim 4, further comprising a control command processor for processing the control command received from a controller through the communication link.

6. A system for remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units according to claim 5, in which said controller sends an appropriate control command associated with said evaluation to said control command processor through the communication link.

7. A method of remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units at base stations in a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

choosing a point among numerous checking points of an RF signal processing unit;

converting down the RF signal detected at the chosen point into an IF signal;

measuring the power spectrum of the IF signal as a curve on the frequency band;

converting said power spectrum curve into a digital signal;

transmitting said digital signal; and

evaluating the functional status of the RF signal processing unit based on said digital signal representing the frequency spectrum.

8. A method of remotely monitoring and controlling RF signal processing units at base stations in a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

choosing a point among numerous checking points of an RF signal processing unit;

converting down the RF signal detected at the chosen point into an IF signal whose frequency is low enough to be digitized;

converting and storing the IF signal into a digital signal;

transmitting the stored digital signal at a transmission rate lower than a digitizing rate at said converting step;

computing the power spectrum by digital signal processing the transmitted digital signal representing part of the real time signal; and

evaluating the functional status of said RF signal processing unit based on the computed power spectrum.