Relay system

• US 6,359,714 B1
• Filed: 11/27/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Imajo, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US09/200,708
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 359/145, 359/179, 359/177
• US Class Current: 398/178
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25755 Ring network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/29 Repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a relay system capable of covering a wide silent zone, repeating various kinds of signals with a simple configuration, and facilitating the system management. In such a relay system, a fixed central station converts into a radio-frequency signal a signal input from a public telecommunication network through a radio modulator, and transduces the radio-frequency signal into an optical signal for output to a plurality of fixed relay stations distributed in a silent zone. On the other hand, each of the fixed relay stations transduces the optical signal into a radio-frequency signal for radiation into the silent zone through a leakage coaxial cable.

Claims

1. A relay system comprising a fixed central station, installed outside of silent zones, which transduces a radio-frequency signal into an optical signal to output the optical signal for repeating the radio-frequency signal, and transduces into a radio-frequency signal an optical signal input from a silent zone through optical fiber;

and a plurality of fixed relay stations, distributed in the silent zone, each of which transduces into a radio-frequency signal the optical signal input from said fixed central station through optical fiber for radiation into the silent zone through a leakage coaxial cable laid across the silent zone, and transduces into an optical signal a radio-frequency signal received through the leakage coaxial cable from a mobile station existing in the silent zone for output to said fixed central station, wherein

each of said fixed relay stations includes an opto-electric transducer for transducing the optical signal from said fixed central station into a radio-frequency signal, a distributor for distributing the radio-frequency signal to two branches, a demodulator for demodulating a control signal from the radio-frequency signal distributed to one branch for control of the fixed relay station, a control unit for controlling each part of the fixed relay station in accordance with the control signal, a multiplexer for outputting the radio-frequency signal distributed to the other branch to the leakage coaxial cable and outputting an incoming radio-frequency signal from the leakage coaxial cable, and an electro-optic transducer for transducing the radio-frequency signal from said multiplexer into an optical signal for output to said fixed central station.

2. A relay system comprising a fixed central station, installed outside of silent zones, which transduces a radio-frequency signal into an optical signal to output the optical signal for repeating the radio-frequency signal, and transduces into a radio-frequency signal an optical signal input from a silent zone through optical fiber;

and a plurality of fixed relay stations, distributed in the silent zone, each of which transduces into a radio-frequency signal the optical signal input from said fixed central station through optical fiber for radiation into the silent zone through a leakage coaxial cable laid across the silent zone, and transduces into an optical signal a radio-frequency signal received through the leakage coaxial cable from a mobile station existing in the silent zone for output to said fixed central station, wherein

each of said fixed relay stations includes an opto-electric transducer for transducing the optical signal from said fixed central station into a radio-frequency signal, a multiplexer for outputting the radio-frequency signal to the leakage coaxial cable and outputting an incoming radio-frequency signal from the leakage coaxial cable, a control unit for monitoring the operation status of each part of the fixed relay station to output a supervisory signal, a modulator for modulating the supervisory signal into a radio-frequency signal, a synthesizer for combining the radio-frequency signal modulated by said modulator and the radio-frequency signal input from said multiplexer, and an electro-optic transducer for transducing the radio-frequency signal from said synthesizer into an optical signal for output to said fixed central station.

3. A relay system comprising a fixed central station, installed outside of silent zones, which transduces a radio-frequency signal into an optical signal to output the optical signal for repeating the radio-frequency signal, and transduces into a radio-frequency signal an optical signal input from a silent zone through optical fiber;

and a plurality of fixed relay stations, distributed in the silent zone, each of which transduces into a radio-frequency signal the optical signal input from said fixed central station through optical fiber for radiation into the silent zone through a leakage coaxial cable laid across the silent zone, and transduces into an optical signal a radio-frequency signal received through the leakage coaxial cable from a mobile station existing in the silent zone for output to said fixed central station, wherein

each of said fixed relay stations includes an opto-electric transducer for transducing the optical signal from said fixed central station into a radio-frequency signal, a distributor for distributing the radio-frequency signal to two branches, a demodulator for demodulating a control signal from the radio-frequency signal distributed to one branch for control of the fixed relay station, a control unit for controlling each part of the fixed relay station in accordance with the control signal and monitoring the operation status of each part of the fixed relay station to output a supervisory signal, a multiplexer for outputting the radio-frequency signal distributed to the other branch to the leakage coaxial cable and outputting an incoming radio-frequency signal from the leakage coaxial cable, a modulator for modulating the supervisory signal into a radio-frequency signal, a synthesizer for combining the radio-frequency signal modulated by said modulator and the radio-frequency signal input from said multiplexer, and an electro-optic transducer for transducing the radio-frequency signal from said synthesizer into an optical signal for output to said fixed central station.

4. A fixed central station installed outside of silent zones, comprising an antenna, a radio part, a wired part and a control unit, which transduces a radio-frequency signal into an optical signal for repeating the radio-frequency signal to output the optical signal through optical fiber to fixed relay stations installed in a silent zone, and transduces into a radio-frequency signal an optical signal input from each fixed relay station through optical fiber, wherein

said radio part outputs an incoming signal from said antenna as a radio-frequency signal and takes in a radio-frequency signal to radiate the input radio-frequency signal from said antenna to the outside,

said wired part includes plural radio modulators for modulating individually specified carrier frequencies with various kinds of signals input from the outside or said control unit through cables to obtain radio-frequency signals, a synthesizer for combining the radio-frequency signal from said radio part with the radio-frequency signals from said plural radio modulators to output a combined radio-frequency signal, an electro-optic transducer for transducing the combined radio-frequency signal into an optical signal for output to said fixed relay stations, an opto-electric transducer for transducing into radio-frequency signals the optical signals input from said fixed relay stations, a first distributor for distributing the radio-frequency signals input from said opto-electric transducer into a radio-frequency signal to be radiated from said antenna of said radio part and radio-frequency signals to be output to the outside through cables, a second distributor for distributing the radio-frequency signals input from said first distributor for output to the outside through the cables, and plural radio demodulators for demodulating various kinds of signals from the radio-frequency signals respectively input from said second distributor, and

said control unit, connected to one of said radio modulators and one of said radio demodulators, recognizes the operation status of each fixed relay station based on a supervisory signal input from the fixed relay station through the radio demodulator to output a control signal to the radio modulator for control of the fixed relay station in accordance with the operation status.

5. A fixed central station according to claim 4, wherein said control unit outputs a signal indicative of the operation status of each fixed relay station to an upper monitor station located outside, and outputs a control signal to the radio modulator for control of the fixed relay station in accordance with an instruction signal from the upper monitor station.

6. A relay system comprising said fixed central station accordingly to claim 5.

7. A fixed central station according to claim 4, wherein said control unit outputs to the modulator such a control signal as to normalize a fixed relay station based on the supervisory signal from the fixed relay station when said fixed central station recognizes occurrence of abnormality in the fixed relay station.

8. A relay system comprising said fixed central station accordingly to claim 7.

9. A relay system comprising said fixed central station accordingly to claim 4.