Repeater amplifier apparatus

• US 6,704,298 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumiya, Satoru, Haraguchi, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMOS FELICIANO, ELISEO
• Application Number:
  US09/393,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/529, 370/527, 370/816, 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/15-25, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/88, 359/145, 359/157, 359/159, 359/179
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium

Abstract

A repeater amplifier apparatus is provided in which an operator is able to change an operation program of a slave station device without actually visiting to an installation site of the slave station device, thus enabling the operation program to be changed in an efficient manner. The repeater amplifier apparatus includes a master station device for communicating with a base station device, and a slave station device connected to the master station and adapted to communicate with a mobile station device. The master station device comprises a first down repeater for receiving a signal from the base station device to amplify and send it to the slave station device, a first up repeater for receiving a signal from the slave station device and amplify and send it to the base station device, and a first control unit for controlling the master station device. The slave station device comprises a second down repeater for receiving a signal from the master station device to amplify and send it to the mobile station device, a second up repeater for receiving a signal from the mobile station device and amplify and send it to the master station device, and a second control unit for controlling the slave station device. The repeater amplifier apparatus further includes a slave station operation program changing means for changing an operation program of the slave station device through the control unit of the master station device when the master and slave station devices are in normal operation.

Claims

1. A repeater amplifier apparatus comprising:

a master station device for communicating with a base station device;

a slave station device connected to said master station device and adapted to communicate with a mobile station device in accordance with a first operation program; and

slave station operation program changing means for changing from said first operation program for said slave station device to a second operation program for said slave station device received from said master station device while said slave station device operates based upon said first operation program,

wherein said master station device comprises;

a down repeater for receiving a signal from said base station device to amplify and send said signal to said slave station device;

an up repeater for receiving a signal from said slave station device and amplifying and sending said signal to said base station device; and

a control unit for controlling said master station device.

2. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said master station device further comprises:

an antenna for radio communication with said base station device;

a shared unit connected to said antenna and having an input connected to said up repeater and an output connected to said down repeater; and

a power supply for supplying electric power to said up and down repeaters, said control unit and said shared unit.

3. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said down repeater comprises:

a down amplifier having an input connected to an output of said shared unit;

an electro-optical transducer having an input connected to an output of said down amplifier and an output side of said control unit; and

an optical distributor having an input connected to an output of said electro-optical transducer and an output connected to said slave station device through an optical cable.

4. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first up repeater comprises:

an opto-electrica transducer connected to an output side of said slave station device;

a synthesizer having an input connected to an output side of said opto-electrical transducer and an output connected to said control unit; and

an up amplifier having an input connected to the output of said synthesizer and an output connected to the input of said shared unit.

5. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit of said master station device comprises:

a CPU;

a ROM connected to said CPU for storing a program for controlling said master station device;

a RAM connected with said CPU for temporarily storing data;

an external interface connected to said CPU and adapted to be connected with a computer for changing or rewriting said first operation program with said second operation program stored therein; and

a modem connected to said CPU for communication with said slave station device and having an input connected to said up repeater and an output connected to said down repeater.

6. A repeater amplifier apparatus comprising:

a master station device for communicating with a base station device;

a slave station device connected to said master station device and adapted to communicate with a mobile station device in accordance with a first operation program; and

slave station operation program changing means for changing from said first operation program for said slave station device to a second operation program for said slave station device received from said master station device while said slave station device operates based upon said first operation program,

wherein said slave station device comprises;

a down repeater for receiving a signal from said master station device to amplify and send it to said mobile station device;

an up repeater for receiving a signal from said mobile station device and amplifying and sending said signal to said master station device; and

a control unit for controlling said slave station device,

wherein said slave station operation program changing means changes the operation program of said slave station device through a control unit unit of said master station device when said master and slave station devices are in normal operation.

7. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said slave station device further comprises:

a shared unit connected to an output side of said down repeater;

an antenna provided on said shared unit for radio communication with said mobile station device; and

a power supply for supplying electric power to said up and down repeaters, said control unit and said shared unit.

8. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said down repeater comprises:

an opto-electrical transducer having an input connected to an output side of said master station device through an optical cable and an output connected to said control unit; and

a down amplifier having an input to an output of said opto-electrical transducer and an output connected to a shared unit.

9. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said up repeater comprises:

an up amplifier having an input connected to an output side of a shared unit and an output connected to said control unit; and

an electro-optical transducer having an input connected to the output of said up amplifier and an output connected to an input side of said master station device through an optical cable.

10. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control unit of said slave station device comprises:

a CPU;

a readable and rewriteable ROM connected to said CPU for storing said slave station operation program;

a RAM connected with said CPU for temporarily storing data; and

a modem connected to said CPU for communication with said master station device and having an input connected to said up repeater and an output connected to said down repeater.

11. The repeater amplifier apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ROM of said control unit has an address configuration comprising:

a vector area in which there are stored an initialization program for initializing the respective components of said slave station device and a rewrite-processing program for rewriting said slave station operation program;

a first application area for storing said slave station operation program; and

a second application area usable for temporarily storing said slave station operation program which is moved thereto from the first application area prior to rewriting a new operation program thereinto.

12. A repeater amplifier apparatus comprising:

a master station device for communicating with a base station device;

a slave station device connected to said master station device and adapted to communicate with a mobile station device in accordance with a first operation program; and

slave station operation program changing means for changing from said first operation program for said slave station device to a second operation program for said slave station device received from said master station device while said slave station device operates based upon said first operation program,

wherein operation program data is transmitted from said master station device to a control unit of said slave station device in such a manner as to be superimposed on an RF signal indicative of transmission information.

13. A repeater amplifier apparatus comprising:

a master station device for communicating with a base station device;

a slave station device connected to said master station device and adapted to communicate with a mobile station device in accordance with a first operation program; and

slave station operation program changing means for changing from said first operation program for said slave station device to a second operation program for said slave station device received from said master station device while said slave station device operates based upon said first operation program,

wherein the operation program of said slave station device, after having been changed, is restorable to the previous state without retransmitting the first operation program.