Wireless communication system

• US 7,460,829 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasai, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Hiroaki, Nakaso, Mariko, Masuda, Kouichi, Utsumi, Kuniaki, Niiho, Tsutomu, Tanaka, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tu X
• Application Number:
  US10/530,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/33.1, 455/443, 455/206, 455/18, 455/242.1, 455/242.2, 455/41.2, 455/500, 455/506, 455/507, 455/501, 455/13.1, 455/11.1
• US Class Current: 455/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A wireless communication system capable of keeping a level of a wireless signal received by a relay apparatus within a predetermined dynamic range. In a control apparatus, a transmitting section converts a downstream electric signal into a downstream optical signal and transmits the downstream optical signal to the relay apparatus via an optical transmission path. The relay apparatus converts the received downstream optical signal into a downstream electric signal and transmits the downstream electric signal as a wireless signal to a wireless communication terminal from a transmitting/receiving antenna section. In the relay apparatus, a level adjustment section adjusts the level of the wireless signal transmitted by the relay apparatus such that the receiving level of the wireless signal received by the relay apparatus is kept within a predetermined range.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a control apparatus;

at least one relay apparatus connected with said control apparatus via an optical transmission path; and

a plurality of wireless communication terminals communicating wirelessly with said at least one relay apparatus, wherein;

said control apparatus comprises;

a first optical transmitting section for converting a downstream electric signal into a downstream optical signal and transmitting the downstream optical signal to said at least one relay apparatus via the optical transmission path; and

a first optical receiving section for converting an upstream optical signal transmitted from said at least one relay apparatus via the optical transmission path into an upstream electric signal,

said at least one relay apparatus comprises;

a second optical receiving section for converting the downstream optical signal transmitted from said control apparatus via the optical transmission path into the downstream electric signal;

a level control section for attenuating a level of the downstream electric signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus and to allow a level of a wireless signal transmitted by one of said wireless communication terminals existing in the communicable area to be within a predetermined range;

wherein when said wireless communication terminals use a respective channel, the predetermined range is smaller than a difference between (a) a leakage ratio which is a ratio of a level of a wireless signal using the respective channel with respect to a level of a frequency component leaking to another channel different from the respective channel, and (b) a signal to noise ratio which is a ratio of a level of a leakage signal from a wireless communication terminal using another channel different from the respective channel with respect to the level of the wireless signal using the respective channel;

a transmitting/receiving antenna section for transmitting the downstream electric signal converted by said second optical receiving section to said one wireless communication terminal as a wireless signal, and receiving a wireless signal transmitted from said one wireless communication terminal as the upstream electric signal; and

a second optical transmitting section for converting the upstream electric signal received by said transmitting/receiving antenna section into the upstream optical signal and transmitting the upstream optical signal to said control apparatus via the optical transmission path.

2. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said control apparatus further comprises:

a plurality of said first optical transmitting sections; and

a signal dividing section for dividing the downstream electric signal, said signal dividing section divides the downstream electric signal and thus attenuates a level of the downstream electric signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range, where

said first optical transmitting sections convert downstream electric signals divided by said signal dividing section into downstream optical signals.

3. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

a pilot signal generation section, provided in the control apparatus, is for generating a pilot signal to be transmitted while being superposed on the downstream electric signal;

said first optical transmitting section converts the downstream electric signal having the pilot signal superposed thereon into a downstream optical signal;

said at least one relay apparatus further comprises;

a pilot signal detection section for detecting a level of the pilot signal superposed on the downstream electric signal converted by said second optical receiving section, wherein said level control section controls a level of the wireless signal such that the level of the pilot signal detected by said pilot signal detection section is constant; and

said pilot signal generation section increases the level of the generated pilot signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

4. A wireless communication system according to claim 1,

wherein a wireless signal level restriction means is provided in said control apparatus, and comprises:

a monitoring section for monitoring whether or not a quality of the upstream electric signal converted by said first optical receiving section fulfills a predetermined condition, wherein when said monitoring section determines that the quality of the upstream electric signal does not fulfill the predetermined condition, said level control section lowers the level of the downstream electric signal which is to be input to said first optical transmitting section so as to reduce an optical modulation index, and by reducing the optical modulation index said level control section attenuates the power of the downstream optical signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

5. A wireless communication system according to claim 1,

wherein a wireless signal level restriction means is provided in said control apparatus and comprises:

a monitoring section for monitoring whether or not a quality of the upstream electric signal converted by said first optical receiving section fulfills a predetermined condition, wherein when said monitoring section determines that a quality of the upstream electric signal does not fulfill the predetermined condition, said level control section lowers a level of a bias current which is set by said first optical transmitting section so as to reduce an optical modulation index, and by reducing the optical modulation index said level control section attenuates the power of the downstream optical signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

6. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said control apparatus includes a wireless signal level restriction means that includes a level attenuation section for attenuating wireless signals to such a level that the upstream optical signal converted by said second optical transmitting section is not distorted.

7. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

communicable areas of adjacent relay apparatuses partially overlap each other;

said relay apparatuses each comprise level adjustment means for controlling a gain by adjusting the level of the wireless signal transmitted to, and received from, said one wireless communication terminal; and

said level adjustment means adjusts the level of the wireless signal, such that a difference between (a) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via each of said adjacent relay apparatuses onto a wireless communication terminal existing in a region where the communicable areas overlap each other, and (b) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via a relay apparatus adjacent to said adjacent relay apparatuses onto said wireless communication terminal existing in the region where the communicable areas overlap each other, is within a predetermined time period.

8. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein two relay apparatuses adjacent to each other constitute one set, and one set of adjacent relay apparatuses communicate using a frequency which is different from a frequency used by another set of adjacent relay apparatuses.

9. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting/receiving antenna section has a directivity toward one of two adjacent relay apparatuses, said one relay apparatus being connected with said control apparatus via a longer optical transmission path than the optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and said at least one relay apparatus including said transmitting/receiving antenna section.

10. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, further comprising an optical splitting/coupling section for splitting the optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and each of said relay apparatuses, wherein one end of the split optical transmission path is connected to said at least one relay apparatus and the other end is connected to another optical splitting/coupling section.

11. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, further comprising an optical splitting/coupling section for splitting the optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and each of said relay apparatuses, wherein said optical splitting/coupling section splits one optical fiber connected to the control apparatus into at least a predetermined number of optical fibers, and each of the split optical fibers is connected to one of said relay apparatuses.

12. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein said level adjustment means adjusts the level of the wireless signal such that the delay times are each a maximum delay time tolerated by said wireless communication system.

13. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

communicable areas of adjacent relay apparatuses partially overlap each other;

said relay apparatuses each comprise optical signal control means for controlling a delay time of the optical signal transmitted to, and received from, said control apparatus; and

said optical signal control means controls the delay time of the optical signal, such that a difference between (a) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via each of said adjacent relay apparatuses onto a wireless communication terminal existing in a region where the communicable areas overlap each other, and (b) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via a relay apparatus adjacent to said adjacent relay apparatuses onto the wireless communication terminal existing in the region where the communicable areas overlap each other, is within a predetermined time period.

14. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein wireless signals used by each of said plurality of wireless communication terminals have at least two different frequencies.

15. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a control apparatus;

at least one relay apparatus connected with said control apparatus via an optical transmission path; and

a plurality of wireless communication terminals communicating wirelessly with said at least one relay apparatus, wherein;

said control apparatus comprises;

a first optical transmitter operable to convert a downstream electric signal into a downstream optical signal and transmit the downstream optical signal to said at least one relay apparatus via the optical transmission path; and

a first optical receiver operable to convert an upstream optical signal transmitted from said at least one relay apparatus via the optical transmission path into an upstream electric signal,

said at least one relay apparatus comprises;

a second optical receiver operable to convert the downstream optical signal transmitted from said control apparatus via the optical transmission path into the downstream electric signal;

a level controller operable to attenuate a level of the downstream electric signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus and to allow a level of a wireless signal transmitted by one of said wireless communication terminals existing in the communicable area to be within a predetermined range;

wherein when said wireless communication terminals use a respective channel, the predetermined range is smaller than a difference between (a) a leakage ratio which is a ratio of a level of a wireless signal using the respective channel with respect to a level of a frequency component leaking to another channel different from the respective channel, and (b) a signal to noise ratio which is a ratio of a level of a leakage signal from a wireless communication terminal using another channel different from the respective channel with respect to the level of the wireless signal using the respective channel;

a transmitting/receiving antenna section operable to transmit the downstream electric signal converted by said second optical receiver to said one wireless communication terminal as a wireless signal, and receive a wireless signal transmitted from said one wireless communication terminal as the upstream electric signal; and

a second optical transmitter operable to convert the upstream electric signal received by said transmitting/receiving antenna section into the upstream optical signal and transmit the upstream optical signal to said control apparatus via the optical transmission path.

16. A wireless communication system according to claim 15,

wherein said control apparatus further comprises:

a plurality of said first optical transmitters; and

a signal divider operable to divide the downstream electric signal, said signal divider divides the downstream electric signal and thus attenuates a level of the downstream electric signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range, wherein said first optical transmitters convert downstream electric signals divided by said signal divider into downstream optical signals.

17. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

a pilot signal generator, provided in said control apparatus, is operable to generate a pilot signal to be transmitted while being superposed on the downstream electric signal;

said first optical transmitter converts the downstream electric signal having the pilot signal superposed thereon into a downstream optical signal;

said at least one relay apparatus further comprises;

a pilot signal detector operable to detect a level of the pilot signal superposed on the downstream electric signal converted by said second optical receiver, wherein said level controller is further operable to control a level of the wireless signal such that the level of the pilot signal detected by said pilot signal detector is constant; and

said pilot signal generator increases the level of the generated pilot signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one a wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

18. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

a wireless signal level restrictor is provided in said control apparatus and comprises;

a monitor operable to monitor whether or not a quality of the upstream electric signal converted by said first optical receiver fulfills a predetermined condition, wherein when said monitor determines that the quality of the upstream electric signal does not fulfill the predetermined condition, said level controller is operable to lower the level of the downstream electric signal which is to be input to said first optical transmitter so as to reduce an optical modulation index, and by reducing the optical modulation index said level controller attenuates the power of the downstream optical signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

19. A wireless communication system according to claim 15,

wherein a wireless signal level restrictor is provided in said control apparatus and comprises:

a monitor operable to monitor whether or not a quality of the upstream electric signal converted by said first optical receiver fulfills a predetermined condition, wherein when said monitor determines that a quality of the upstream electric signal does not fulfill the predetermined condition, said level controller is operable to lower a level of a bias current which is set by said first optical transmitter so as to reduce an optical modulation index, and by reducing the optical modulation index said level controller attenuates the power of the downstream optical signal so as to narrow a communicable area of said at least one relay apparatus, and thus allows the level of the wireless signal transmitted by said one wireless communication terminal existing in the communicable area to be within the predetermined range.

20. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein said control apparatus includes a wireless signal level restrictor that includes a level attenuator operable to attenuate wireless signals to such a level that the upstream optical signal converted by said second optical transmitter is not distorted.

21. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

communicable areas of adjacent relay apparatuses partially overlap each other;

said relay apparatuses each comprise a level adjuster operable to control a gain by adjusting the level of the wireless signal transmitted to, and received from, said one wireless communication terminal; and

said level adjuster adjusts the level of the wireless signal, such that a difference between (a) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via each of said adjacent relay apparatuses onto a wireless communication terminal existing in a region where the communicable areas overlap each other, and (b) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via a relay apparatus adjacent to said adjacent relay apparatuses onto said wireless communication terminal existing in the region where the communicable areas overlap each other, is within a predetermined time period.

22. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, wherein two relay apparatuses adjacent to each other constitute one set, and one set of adjacent relay apparatuses communicate using a frequency which is different from a frequency used by another set of adjacent relay apparatuses.

23. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, wherein said transmitting/receiving antenna section has a directivity toward one of the two adjacent relay apparatuses, said one relay apparatus being connected with said control apparatus via a longer optical transmission path than an optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and said relay apparatus including said at least one transmitting/receiving antenna section.

24. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, further comprising an optical coupler operable to split the optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and each of said relay apparatuses, wherein one end of the split optical fiber is connected to said at least one relay apparatus and the other end is connected to another optical coupler.

25. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, further comprising an optical coupler operable to split the optical transmission path which connects said control apparatus and each of said relay apparatuses, wherein said optical coupler splits one optical fiber connected to said control apparatus into at least a predetermined number of optical fibers, and each of the split optical fibers is connected to one of said relay apparatuses.

26. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, wherein said level adjuster adjusts the level of the wireless signal such that the delay times are each a maximum delay time tolerated by said wireless communication system.

27. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

communicable areas of adjacent relay apparatuses partially overlap each other;

said relay apparatuses each comprise an optical signal controller operable to control a delay time of the optical signal transmitted to, and received from, said control apparatus; and

said optical signal controller controls the delay time of the optical signal, such that a difference between (a) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via each of said adjacent relay apparatuses onto a wireless communication terminal existing in a region where the communicable areas overlap each other, and (b) a delay time required for a signal transmitted from said control apparatus to be transmitted via a relay apparatus adjacent to said adjacent relay apparatuses onto the wireless communication terminal existing in the region where the communicable areas overlap each other, is within a predetermined time period.

28. A wireless communication system according to claim 15, wherein wireless signals used by each of said plurality of wireless communication terminals have at least two different frequencies.