JP2004235690A - Master / slave identification method for wireless base station and wireless base station - Google Patents

Abstract

A conventional wireless base station has a problem that a real area and a cost are redundant. However, the present invention can efficiently and flexibly add / remove wireless base stations by cascade connection. A master / slave identification method for a wireless base station and a wireless base station capable of performing master / slave identification of each wireless base station by simple processing.
A maintenance monitoring control unit of a wireless base station transmits an inquiry for master / slave identification to a higher-level device, and when not receiving a response, identifies itself as a master wireless base station and transmits a response. When receiving, it is a master / slave identification method and a wireless base station of the wireless base station that identifies itself as a slave wireless base station.
[Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for identifying a master / slave of a radio base station and a radio base station in a mobile communication system for connecting a radio network controller and a radio base station using ATM transmission, and more particularly to cascading a plurality of radio base stations. The present invention relates to a master / slave identification method for a wireless base station and a wireless base station capable of performing master / slave identification by simple software processing when connecting.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A general mobile communication system includes a mobile station 1, a radio base station 2 that performs radio communication with the mobile station 1, a radio network control device 3 that controls line connection between the plurality of radio base stations 2, It comprises a network controller 3 and an exchange 4 for controlling the exchange of the network 5.
[0003]
Conventionally, a method of connecting a new wireless base station 2 to the wireless network control device 3 has generally been used for adding the wireless base station 2.
In particular, as a technique for connecting the plurality of radio base stations 2 and the radio network controller 3 in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-527368 published on Dec. 25, 2001 is available. There is a “platform of asynchronous transfer mode for mobile communication” (applicant: Telephon Acti Boraget Elm Ericsson, inventor: Petersen et al.) (See Patent Document 1).
[0004]
A signal for connecting two wireless base stations to an exchange via a digital public line or the like, using one as a master and the other as a slave, connecting a master-slave with a cable, and synchronizing from the master to the slave. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-87558 “Digital Cordless Telephone System” (Applicant: NEC Corporation, Inventor: Tatsu Nakahara) published on March 31, 1995 discloses a technique for synchronizing the two. Patent Document 2).
[0005]
In addition, two wireless base stations are connected to a circuit network by a connection line, and one of the wireless base stations is used as a master and the other as a slave, and the master transmits an offset time between a network synchronization clock extracted from the network and an arbitrary own station wireless frame timing. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-78643, published on March 14, 2000, discloses a technique in which a slave generates and synchronizes timing based on a network synchronization clock extracted from a network and a received offset time so as to synchronize with a master. No. "Digital cordless telephone system" (applicant: Kyocera Corporation, inventor: Kazutaka Iimuro) (see Patent Document 3).
[0006]
Also, instead of connecting a new radio base station 2 to the radio network controller 3 and expanding it, instead of connecting a small radio base station to a conventional radio base station by a dedicated line to extend the service area, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-200839, entitled “Small Wireless Base Station” published on July 31, 1997 (applicant: NTT Mobile) Communication Network Corporation, inventor: Shinya Tanaka et al.) (See Patent Document 4).
[0007]
When the above techniques are combined, as shown in FIG. 11, one radio base station 2 is connected to a radio network controller 3 connected to a network 5 via an exchange 4 by an ATM line, and furthermore, the radio base station 2 A conceivable method is to add another wireless base station 2 by performing a cascade connection for connecting another wireless base station 2 via an ATM line. FIG. 11 is a system configuration diagram showing a mobile communication system in which wireless base stations 2 are connected by cascade connection.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 11, when the wireless base stations 2 are added by the cascade connection method, the wireless base stations 2 are directly connected to each other using an ATM line.
Hereinafter, the radio base station 2 directly connected to the radio network controller 3 using the ATM line is referred to as a master radio base station 2M, and the radio base station 2 directly connected to the master radio base station 2M is referred to as a slave radio base station. 2S.
[0009]
When connecting a conventional wireless base station by a cascade connection method, it is determined in advance whether to operate the wireless base station 2 as a master or a slave at an installation stage or a stage before the start of operation, A hardware setting such as DIP-SW is performed, or master / slave information or the like is set in a storage area by software. Or, it was identified by checking the software setting contents.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-527368 A
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-7-87558
[Patent Document 3]
JP 2000-78643 A
[Patent Document 4]
JP-A-9-200839
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional radio base station, it is necessary to register the master / slave in each radio base station 2 in advance, so that it is difficult to maintain and manage the system. There is a problem that there is a possibility of lowering the performance.
Further, since a means for identifying the DIP-SW and the master / slave is required, there is a problem that redundancy is generated from the viewpoint of mounting area and cost.
[0012]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to efficiently add / remove wireless base stations by cascade connection flexibly and flexibly, and to identify the master / slave of each wireless base station by simple processing. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of identifying a master / slave of a wireless base station and a wireless base station that can perform the method.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example is a master / slave identification method for each wireless base station in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of wireless base stations are connected in a multistage manner to a wireless network control device via a transmission line. hand,
The radio base station has a function of transmitting a response to the lower radio base station when receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from the lower radio base station,
When an arbitrary wireless base station transmits an inquiry for master / slave identification to a device connected to a higher order at the time of startup and does not receive a response, it identifies itself as a master wireless base station and receives a response Identifies itself as a slave radio base station,
Addition / removal of wireless base stations by multi-stage connection can be performed efficiently and flexibly, and master / slave identification of each wireless base station can be performed by simple processing.
[0014]
The present invention for solving the problems of the above conventional example,
A first transmission path interface unit as connection means for a higher-level device connected via the transmission path;
A transmission line signal switching function unit that separates and multiplexes the signals in the device and routes them according to the type of signal;
A maintenance monitoring control unit that performs maintenance monitoring control;
In a wireless base station including a lower-level device and a second transmission path interface unit for connecting via a transmission path,
An inquiry for master / slave identification is routed to the transmission line signal switching function unit from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the first transmission line interface unit or from the second transmission line interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit. A function of performing master / slave identification routing for routing a response from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the second transmission path interface unit or from the first transmission path interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit;
The maintenance monitoring control unit has a function of outputting a response for master / slave identification when receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from the transmission line signal switching function unit. Outputs an inquiry for slave / slave identification, identifies itself as a master wireless base station if it does not receive a response to the inquiry from the transmission path signal switching function unit, and identifies itself as a slave wireless base station when it receives a response It is provided with a function to
Addition / removal of wireless base stations by multi-stage connection can be performed efficiently and flexibly, and master / slave identification of each wireless base station can be performed by simple processing.
[0015]
The present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example, in the radio base station,
A first transmission line interface unit that extracts a clock from the transmission line and outputs the clock to the second transmission line interface unit;
Since the second transmission line interface generates the transmission line transmission clock based on the input clock,
A plurality of wireless base stations connected in multiple stages can be operated in synchronization with the clock of a higher-level device.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The function realizing means described below may be any circuit or device as long as the function can be realized, and some or all of the functions may be realized by software. is there. Further, the function realizing means may be realized by a plurality of circuits, or the plurality of function realizing means may be realized by a single circuit.
[0017]
The master / slave identification method for a wireless base station according to the present invention is characterized in that when a plurality of wireless base stations are connected in multiple stages to a wireless network control device via a transmission line, a master from a lower wireless base station is assigned to the wireless base station. A function for transmitting a response to a lower-level radio base station upon receiving an inquiry for identification of a slave / slave, and transmitting an inquiry for master / slave identification to a device connected to a higher level when an arbitrary radio base station starts up. If no response is received, the base station identifies itself as the master base station. If a response is received, the base station identifies itself as the slave base station. It can be performed flexibly and can identify the master / slave of each wireless base station by simple processing.
[0018]
In the wireless base station according to the present invention, when the second transmission path interface unit receives an inquiry for master / slave identification from a lower-level device, the transmission path signal switching function unit routes to the maintenance monitoring control unit, The monitoring control unit outputs a response for master / slave discrimination, the transmission path signal switching function unit transmits the response to the lower-level device via the second transmission path interface unit, and the maintenance monitoring control unit When an inquiry for identification is output to the transmission line signal switching function unit, the transmission line signal switching function unit routes the signal to the first transmission line interface unit and transmits it to the higher-level device. If a response for master / slave identification is received from a higher-level device, the first transmission line interface unit identifies itself as a master wireless base station. If the signal is received and routed by the transmission line signal switching function unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit, it identifies itself as a slave wireless base station, so that the expansion / removal of wireless base stations by multi-stage connection can be performed efficiently and flexibly. The master / slave identification of each wireless base station can be performed by simple processing.
[0019]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the correspondence between each unit and each unit in FIG. 1 is as follows. The first transmission line interface unit corresponds to the transmission line interface unit 21, and the transmission line signal switching function unit is the transmission line signal switching function. The maintenance monitoring control unit corresponds to the maintenance monitoring control unit 23, and the second transmission path interface unit corresponds to the wireless base station interface unit 24.
[0020]
A communication system that realizes the master / slave identification method for a wireless base station according to the present invention, as in the related art, is a wireless base station that performs wireless communication between the mobile station 1 and the mobile station 1 as described with reference to FIG. 2, a radio network controller 3 that controls line connection between the plurality of radio base stations 2, and an exchange 4 that controls exchange between the radio network controller 3 and the network 5.
[0021]
Then, one wireless base station 2 is connected to the wireless network control device 3 by an ATM line, and another wireless base station 2 is connected to the wireless base station 2 by an ATM line by a cascade (multistage) connection. A master radio base station 2M for controlling the radio base station 2 connected directly to the control device 3 using the ATM line, and the radio base station 2 directly connected to the master radio base station 2M is controlled. Of the slave radio base station 2S.
[0022]
Next, the internal configuration of the wireless base station 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the wireless base station 2 of the present invention.
What is important here is that the internal configuration of the master radio base station 2M and the internal configuration of the slave radio base station 2S are completely the same, and that each unit constituting each radio base station 2 becomes a master when the apparatus is powered on. This is a point of determining whether the device is a slave or a slave, and performing an operation for each master / slave in each unit according to the determination result.
[0023]
A feature of the present invention is a master / slave identification method in which each wireless base station 2 determines whether it is a master or a slave when the apparatus is powered on.
[0024]
First, the internal configuration of the radio base station 2 will be described. In FIG. 1, the radio base station 2 shown in the upper part is a master radio base station 2M directly connected to the radio network controller 3 and the radio base station shown in the lower part Reference numeral 2 denotes a slave radio base station 2S, which is indicated by adding M or S to the code of each unit.
[0025]
In the specific description of each unit, the functions common to the master and the slave will be described with reference numerals excluding M and S, and the respective characteristic functions will be described with reference numerals with M and S. . The comparison between the master and the slave in each section is shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a function comparison list of the master wireless base station 2M and the slave wireless base station 2S of the present invention.
[0026]
The radio base station 2 of the present invention includes a transmission line interface unit 21, a call processing control unit 22, a maintenance monitoring control unit 23, a radio base station interface unit 24, a transmission line signal switching function unit 25, a radio transmission / reception unit 26, a wireless amplification unit 27, a storage unit 28, and an antenna 29.
[0027]
The transmission line interface unit 21 is a communication means for connection with a device located at a higher level. In the present invention, the transmission line interface unit 21 has an interface function of exchanging a control signal and a user signal with a higher level device using an ATM transmission line which is a transmission line. Realize.
Actually, the transmission line interface unit 21M in the master radio base station 2M performs connection communication with the radio network controller 3, transmits and receives a call processing control signal and a maintenance monitoring control signal from the radio network controller 3, The transmission line interface unit 21S in the slave radio base station 2S transmits and receives a call processing control signal and a maintenance monitoring control signal from the master radio base station 2M.
[0028]
The call processing control unit 22 controls the call processing in the mobile communication system. The call processing control unit 22 substantially has only the function of the call processing control unit 22M in the master radio base station 2M, and the call processing control of the slave radio base station 2S. It is not used in the unit 22S.
The call processing control unit 22M in the master radio base station 2M performs transmission / reception of a call processing control signal from the radio network control device 3, management and setting / release control of a radio line, and performs call processing monitoring and call control. Perform various measurements on them.
[0029]
The maintenance monitoring control unit 23 performs the maintenance monitoring control of the radio base station 2. Specifically, immediately after the power of the device is turned on, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 determines whether it is the master radio base station 2M or the slave. A master / slave identification process for determining whether or not the base station is the radio base station 2S is performed, a device setting process is performed in accordance with the identification result, and then a normal operation state is entered. It sends and receives maintenance monitoring control signals to and from the device, and performs its own status management and status control.
[0030]
As a feature of the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 of the present invention, a "master / slave request" is transmitted as a master / slave identification process, and a "master / slave response" is returned when the "master / slave request" is received. It has become.
[0031]
In particular, in the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M in the master radio base station 2M, in the device setting process, the system parameters, which are initial parameters at the time of operation, and the device configuration information, which is device-specific information, are transmitted to other functional units. In addition to the distribution, it performs distribution control of system parameters and distribution control of device configuration information to the lower slave radio base station 2S.
[0032]
After the transition to the operation state, in particular, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M in the master wireless base station 2M transmits and receives the maintenance monitoring control signal from the wireless network control device 3, and the master wireless base station 2M performs its own operation. And state control of the lower slave radio base station 2S. A specific processing flow will be described later.
[0033]
The maintenance monitoring control unit 23S in the slave wireless base station 2S receives system parameters and device configuration information distributed from the master wireless base station 2M and distributes them to other functional units during the device setting process.
Further, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23S transmits and receives a maintenance monitoring control signal from the master wireless base station 2M after transitioning to the operation state, and performs its own state management and state control as the slave wireless base station 2S. . A specific processing flow will be described later.
[0034]
The radio base station interface unit 24 is a communication means for connection with the lower radio base station 2. In the present invention, a control signal and a user signal are transmitted between the radio base station 2 and the lower radio base station 2 by using an ATM transmission path which is a transmission path. Implement the interface function to exchange data. The wireless base station interface unit 24 has substantially only the function of the wireless base station interface unit 24M in the master wireless base station 2M, and is not used in the wireless base station interface unit 24S of the slave wireless base station 2S.
The wireless base station interface unit 24M in the master wireless base station 2M transmits and receives a call processing control signal and a maintenance monitoring control signal from the slave wireless base station 2S.
[0035]
The transmission line signal switching function unit 25 is a unit that separates and multiplexes the signals in the device, and is usually configured by an ATM switch. In accordance with the routing setting set by the maintenance monitoring control unit 23, the signal from each interface unit and each control unit are controlled. The signal from the section is routed according to the type of the signal.
[0036]
As a specific example of general routing in the transmission line signal switching function unit 25, for example, a downlink ATM cell taken out by the transmission line interface unit 21 is a call control signal such as a radio base station control signal such as a call control signal. It is routed to the processing control unit 22, and if it is a wireless base station control signal such as a maintenance monitoring signal, it is routed to the maintenance monitoring control unit 23, and if it is user data, it is routed to the wireless transmitting / receiving unit 26.
The upstream ATM cells multiplex ATM cells transmitted from each block and route the ATM cells to the transmission line interface unit 21.
[0037]
Further, the transmission path signal switching function unit 25 switches (routes) a control signal limited in the apparatus, such as from the call processing control unit 22 or the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 to the wireless transmission / reception unit 26 or vice versa. Is also possible.
[0038]
As a feature of the transmission path signal switching function unit 25 for performing the cascade connection of the wireless base stations 2 as in the present invention, the wireless base station interface unit 24 for connecting to the slave wireless base station 2S located at a lower level. I / O ports for slave wireless base stations.
[0039]
A special feature of the present invention is that a master / slave request signal and a master / slave response signal for exchanging a master / slave request signal for determining whether the self is the master radio base station 2M or the slave radio base station 2S are exchanged. Routing settings for master / slave identification are provided.
In addition, different routing settings are required depending on whether the wireless communication device is the master wireless base station 2M or the slave wireless base station 2S.
[0040]
Here, specific examples of the routing setting in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25 are, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a virtual path identifier (VPI) and a virtual channel identifier (Virtual Channel Identifier) in an ATM, respectively. VCI). FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting for a master / slave request of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting for a master / slave response of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting at the time of operation of the master radio base station 2M of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting at the time of operation of the slave radio base station 2S of the present invention.
[0041]
The wireless transmission / reception unit 26 is a general means for connecting to the mobile station 1 via a wireless interface, and performs signal disassembly / assembly into ATM cells for signal transmission using wireless communication, and encodes transmission / reception data. / Decoding and modulation / demodulation, and the wireless amplifier 27 transmits and receives signals as analog signals.
[0042]
The wireless amplifying unit 27 is a general amplifying unit that amplifies a signal from the wireless transmitting / receiving unit 26 and transmits the amplified signal to the antenna 29, and also receives and amplifies a signal from the antenna 29 and sends the amplified signal to the wireless transmitting / receiving unit 26.
The antenna 29 is a general wireless antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio wave.
[0043]
The storage unit 28 has a fixed storage that previously holds a routing setting and execution program program for the master radio base station 2M, a routing setting and execution program program for the slave radio base station 2S, device configuration information, and system parameters. And a temporary storage for temporarily holding an identification result (identification information) as to whether it is the master wireless base station 2M or the slave wireless base station 2S, device configuration information, and system parameters. .
Note that the system parameter is an initial parameter at the time of operation in each wireless base station 2, and the device configuration information is device-specific information such as a manufacturer name and a model number of the device.
[0044]
In the master radio base station 2M, the device configuration information and system parameters previously stored in the fixed storage are temporarily stored in the temporary storage and used in the operation stage. The distributed device configuration information and system parameters are temporarily stored in the storage and used in the operation stage.
[0045]
Next, a specific processing operation example of the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process of the maintenance monitoring controller 23 of the present invention.
The maintenance monitoring control unit 23 of the present invention is activated when the power supply of the radio base station 2 is turned on, and is the minimum necessary for the operation of identifying itself as the master radio base station 2M or the slave radio base station 2S. Initialization is performed (100).
[0046]
Here, as the initialization processing, the initialization of the transmission line interface unit 21 and the routing setting for “master / slave request” and “master / slave response” are performed on the transmission line signal switching function unit 25.
[0047]
Next, as a master / slave identification process, the maintenance / monitoring control unit 23 transmits an ATM cell of “master / slave request” to the transmission line interface unit 21 (102) and receives a “master / slave response”. (104), and if no “master / slave response” is received (No), it is determined that it is the master radio base station 2M, and the identification information of the master is stored in the storage unit 28 (110). Then, the device setting process (master device setting process) as the master wireless base station 2M is performed (115), and the state transits to the operation state.
[0048]
Here, in the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M of the master radio base station 2M, when transitioning to the operation state, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M enters the state of waiting for the maintenance monitoring control signal from the radio network controller 3 and at the same time, the self (master radio base station 2M) and The status monitoring of the slave radio base station 2S is started.
When a state change is detected in the state monitoring of the slave radio base station 2S, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23S of the slave radio base station 2S transmits the ATM data as ATM data from the maintenance monitoring control unit 23S of the master radio base station 2M via the transmission line interface unit 21S. 23M is notified and state management and control are performed.
[0049]
On the other hand, when the “master / slave response” is received in the process 104 (Yes), it is determined that the self is the slave wireless base station 2S, and the identification information of the slave is stored in the storage unit 28 (120). The device setting process (slave device setting process) as the slave wireless base station 2S is performed (125), and the state transits to the operation state.
[0050]
Although not shown in FIG. 7, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 transmits a “master / slave response” to the wireless base station interface unit 24 upon receiving the “master / slave request” in an interrupted manner. Since the wireless network control device 3 does not have a function of returning a “master / slave response” to the “master / slave request”, only the slave wireless base station 2S sends the “master / slave response”. It will be able to receive.
[0051]
Next, a specific processing example of the master device setting processing of the processing 115 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the master device setting process of the maintenance monitoring controller 23 of the present invention.
In the master device setting process of the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 of the present invention, each processing unit such as the call processing control unit 22M and the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M is initialized as hardware initialization processing of the master radio base station 2M. (200).
[0052]
Next, it is determined whether or not downloading is necessary because the version of the master program to be executed is not a legitimate one due to fraud or the like (202). If it is not necessary (No), the process directly proceeds to step 210. (Yes), after downloading the correct program from the storage unit 28M (204), the process proceeds to the process 210.
[0053]
Then, the system parameters are read out from the storage unit 28M and distributed to other functional units (210), and it is determined whether the system is in the cascade connection state (212). In the case of connection (Yes), the read system parameters are distributed to the slave wireless base station 2S (214), and the process proceeds to processing 220.
[0054]
Then, the device configuration information is read out from the storage unit 28M and distributed to other functional units (220), and it is determined whether or not the device is currently in a cascade connection state (222). In the case of cascade connection (Yes), the read device configuration information is distributed to the slave wireless base station 2S (224), and the master device setting process ends.
[0055]
Next, a specific processing example of the slave device setting processing of the processing 125 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the slave device setting process of the maintenance monitoring controller 23 of the present invention.
In the slave device setting process of the maintenance monitoring control unit 23 of the present invention, other processing units except the radio base station interface unit 24 are initialized as hardware initialization process of the slave radio base station 2S (300).
[0056]
Next, it is determined whether or not downloading is necessary because the version of the slave program to be executed is not a legitimate one due to fraud or the like (302). If it is not necessary (No), the process proceeds to processing 310 as it is. (Yes), after downloading the correct program from the storage unit 28S (304), proceeds to the process 310.
[0057]
Then, it is determined whether or not the system parameters distributed from the master wireless base station 2M have been received (310), and 310 is repeated until the system parameters are received. If the system parameters are received (Yes), the received system parameters are transmitted to the maintenance monitoring controller 23S. (312), it is determined whether or not the device configuration information distributed from the master wireless base station 2M has been received (320). The process is repeated until the device configuration information is received (320). The device configuration information is held in the maintenance monitoring controller 23S (322), and the slave device setting process ends.
[0058]
Next, a specific processing operation example of the call processing control unit 22 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of the call processing control unit 22 of the present invention.
The call processing control unit 22 of the present invention is activated by the maintenance monitoring control unit 23, and performs the necessary minimum initialization that is not related to whether it is the master wireless base station 2M or the slave wireless base station 2S (400), Master / slave identification information is read from the storage unit 28 (402), and it is determined whether or not it is a master (404). If it is determined that it is not the master wireless base station 2M (No), that is, it is determined that it is the slave wireless base station 2S, In order to initialize the hardware for the slave, the routing setting information for the slave is read from the storage unit 28 and set in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25 (406), and the system enters a sleep state.
[0059]
Here, in the slave radio base station 2S, the call processing control performed by the normal call processing control unit 22 is controlled / managed by the call processing control unit 22M on the master radio base station 2M side. 22S is in a sleep state.
[0060]
On the other hand, in the process 404, when it is determined that the own device is the master wireless base station 2M (Yes), as the hardware initialization process of the master wireless base station 2M, the routing setting information for the master is stored in the storage unit 28. It is read out and set in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25 (410).
[0061]
Next, it is determined whether or not the download is necessary because the version of the master program to be executed is not a legitimate one due to illegality or the like (412). (Yes), after downloading the correct program from the storage unit 28M (414), read out the system parameters from the storage unit 28M and hold it internally (420), transit to the operation state, and It waits for a call processing control signal.
[0062]
Next, the operation of the radio base station 2 (master radio base station 2M, slave radio base station 2S) for realizing the master / slave identification method of the radio base station according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. I will explain using.
In the present invention, in the system configuration shown in FIG. 11, the master radio base station 2M and the slave radio base station 2S are the radio base stations 2 having exactly the same configuration. However, there is no difference in the role of the internal configuration between the two before the power-on of the device.
[0063]
Then, the power is turned on to the two radio base stations 2, and in the mutual exchange, the radio base station 2 connected directly to the radio network controller 3 using the ATM line is identified as the master radio base station 2 </ b> M. The wireless base station 2 directly connected to the master wireless base station 2M is identified as the slave wireless base station 2S, and starts operating in the identified roles.
[0064]
Specifically, the power is first turned on at the radio base station 2 (master radio base station 2M) connected directly to the radio network controller 3 using the ATM line, and the transmission is performed by the operation of the maintenance monitoring controller 23M. The routing setting for master / slave identification is made in the transmission line signal switching function unit 25M, a “master / slave request” is output, and the transmission line signal switching function unit 25M routes the data from the transmission line interface unit 21M via the ATM line. It is transmitted to the network control device 3.
[0065]
The radio network controller 3 is ignored since the process for the “master / slave request” is not realized, and the maintenance / monitoring control unit 23M of the master radio base station 2M does not receive the “master / slave response” Is determined to be the master wireless base station 2M, the identification information of the master is stored in the storage unit 28M, the device setting process as the master wireless base station 2M is performed, and the state transits to the operation state.
[0066]
At this time, the master routing setting shown in FIG. 5 is made in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M of the master radio base station 2M, and the call processing control unit 22M also performs call processing control with the radio network controller 3. Is performed, and the wireless base station interface unit 24M is also activated, and communication with the slave wireless base station 2S becomes possible.
[0067]
Then, in a state in which the master wireless base station 2M has started operation as a master, or at least in a state in which the routing setting for master / slave identification has been made in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M, the power supply of the slave wireless base station 2S is turned off. When turned on, the operation of the maintenance monitoring control unit 23S sets the routing for master / slave identification to the transmission path signal switching function unit 25S, outputs a “master / slave request”, and outputs the transmission path signal switching function unit 25S. Is transmitted from the transmission line interface unit 21S to the master wireless base station 2M via the ATM line.
[0068]
In the master radio base station 2M, the radio base station interface unit 24M receives the “master / slave request” and outputs the “master / slave request” to the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M. Is received, and a “master / slave response” to the “master / slave request” is output to the transmission path signal switching function section 25M, and the routing of the transmission path signal switching function section 25M causes the wireless base station interface section 24M to transmit the signal via the ATM line. It is transmitted to the slave radio base station 2S.
[0069]
Then, in the slave radio base station 2S, the "master / slave response" is output from the transmission line interface unit 21S to the transmission line signal switching function unit 25S, and the maintenance monitoring control unit 23S is routed by the transmission line signal switching function unit 25S. Upon receipt, it is determined that the slave wireless base station 2S is the slave wireless base station 2S. The identification information of the slave wireless base station 2S is stored in the storage unit 28S, the device setting process as the slave wireless base station 2S is performed, and the state transits to the operation state.
[0070]
At this time, the routing setting for the slave shown in FIG. 6 is made in the transmission line signal switching function unit 25S of the slave wireless base station 2S, and the call processing control unit 22S and the wireless base station interface unit 24S basically do not operate. .
[0071]
Next, the routing operation in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M and the transmission path signal switching function unit 25S when the master radio base station 2M and the slave radio base station 2S enter a normal operation state will be briefly described.
[0072]
In the transmission line signal switching function unit 25M of the master radio base station 2M, when receiving the ATM cell with “VPI = 0, VCI = 20” from the transmission line interface unit 21M of the master radio base station 2M, the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M sends the “ The ATM cell is transmitted with "VPI = 0, VCI = 20".
Conversely, similarly, when an ATM cell is received from the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M with “VPI = 1, VCI = 20”, the ATM cell is transmitted to the transmission line interface unit 21M with “VPI = 1, VCI = 20”.
[0073]
In addition, in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M of the master radio base station 2M, when receiving the ATM cell with “VPI = 0, VCI = 20” from the transmission path interface unit 21M, the transmission path signal switching function unit 25M transmits “VPI = 0” to the radio base station interface unit 24M. , VCI = 20 ".
[0074]
This cell is received as an ATM cell of "VPI = 0, VCI = 20" by the transmission line interface unit 21S of the slave radio base station 2S via the cascade-connected ATM line, and the radio transmission / reception unit 26S of the slave radio base station 2S is received. The ATM cell is transmitted with “VPI = 0, VCI = 20”.
[0075]
Conversely, similarly, when an ATM cell is received from the wireless transmission / reception unit 26S of the slave wireless base station 2S at "VPI = 1, VCI = 20", the ATM is transmitted to the transmission line interface unit 21S at "VPI = 1, VCI = 20". Send the cell.
This cell is received by the radio base station interface unit 24M of the master radio base station 2M as an ATM cell of "VPI = 1, VCI = 20" via the ATM line. Then, the ATM cell is transmitted to the transmission line interface unit 21M of the master wireless base station 2M with "VPI = 1, VCI = 20".
[0076]
The call processing control unit 22M in the master radio base station 2M performs call control, and the maintenance monitoring control unit 23M supervises the status inside the device, and the associated functional blocks of the master radio base station 2M and the slave radio base station 2S. Control and signal transmission / reception with the wireless network control device 3.
[0077]
The call control signal and user data are transparently routed as ATM cells to the cascade-connected slave radio base stations 2S as described above. There is no.
[0078]
Next, a control method for a case where the system clock of each radio line base station 2 needs to be synchronized with the system clock of the radio network controller 3 will be described. When it is necessary to synchronize the system clock of each radio line base station 2 with the system clock of the radio network controller 3, the transmission line interface unit of the conventional radio base station usually uses a clock (for example, There is a PLL circuit that extracts a frequency of 8 kHz) and has a function of synchronizing the system clock of its own station (wireless base station) with the wireless network control device 3 as an upper-level connection device.
[0079]
Therefore, also in the radio base station 2 of the present invention, the clock extracted from the transmission path in the transmission path interface section 21M of the master radio base station 2M is transmitted to the radio base station interface section 24M as shown by the dotted arrow in FIG. A path is provided, and the wireless base station interface unit 24M has a structure in which a transmission path transmission clock is generated based on the clock and data is transmitted to the slave wireless base station 2S using the clock.
[0080]
Then, a clock is extracted from the transmission path reception signal in the transmission path interface unit 21S of the slave radio base station 2S, and the system clock of the own station (radio base station 2S) is synchronized with the clock of the master radio base station 2M as the higher-level connection device. As a result, it is possible to synchronize with the system clock in the wireless network control device 3.
[0081]
The method of generating the transmission path transmission clock based on a certain clock can be easily realized by a commercially available device, and thus the description is omitted.
Thereby, even if the cascade connection is performed as shown in FIG. 1, a system can be constructed in which the master wireless base station 2M and the slave wireless base station 2S can perform dependent synchronization on the wireless network control device 3.
[0082]
According to the radio base station 2 of the embodiment of the present invention, the basic configuration is the same whether the master radio base station 2M or the slave radio base station 2S is used. Then, during the mutual exchange, the radio base station 2 connected directly to the radio network controller 3 using the ATM line is identified as the master radio base station 2M, and is directly connected to the master radio base station 2M. Since the wireless base station 2 is identified as the slave wireless base station 2S and starts to operate in the identified roles, there is an effect that the device can be easily and flexibly added according to the operation situation. .
[0083]
That is, when one radio base station 2 of the present invention is connected to the radio network controller 3 and operation is started, the operation is naturally started as the master radio base station 2M, and the number of users increases and the radio channel to be used increases. Is needed, a second wireless base station 2 is connected to the existing wireless base station 2 and is identified as a slave wireless base station 2S when the power is turned on. The operation is started in the cascade connection state, and the system configuration can be easily increased without the need to change the configuration or setting of the master radio base station 2M in operating the slave radio base station 2S. Has the effect.
[0084]
Conversely, when the number of users decreases and the operation of the slave radio base station 2S is stopped, there is no need to change the configuration or setting of the master radio base station 2M, and it is possible to easily reduce the system configuration. It has the effect of making it possible.
[0085]
Further, for example, even if the role of the master radio base station 2M and the role of the slave radio base station 2S are temporarily changed, the role can be easily changed only by changing the connection state to the radio network controller 3. There is an effect that can be changed.
[0086]
Therefore, unlike the related art, it is possible to overcome the decrease in the resource efficiency of the wireless network control device 3 caused by connecting the wireless base station 2 to be added to the wireless network control device 3, and to easily reduce the resource efficiency without adding the wireless network control device 3. Has the effect of providing a system capable of expanding the number of wireless base stations.
[0087]
In addition, especially when an extension is provided near the existing radio base station 2, if the distance between the radio base station 2 and the radio network controller 3 is a long distance, conventionally, a long-distance ATM to the radio network controller 3 is conventionally used. The transmission path must be drawn in, and in the case of the present invention, the ATM transmission path can be short in distance, and there is an effect that the cost can be further reduced.
[0088]
Further, in the case of the radio base station 2 that realizes the master / slave discrimination method of the radio base station of the present invention, the control of the master / slave discrimination is performed by the master / slave discrimination routing setting in the transmission path signal switching function unit 25, and This is realized by a software function of transmission / reception control of a “master / slave request” and a “master / slave response” to the request by the maintenance monitoring control unit 23. Since a hardware configuration such as a SW or a fixed setting in a storage area and the implementation of a function realizing unit of a master / slave identification unit can be omitted, the effect of reducing the mounting area and improving the cost can be achieved. There is.
[0089]
Further, even when it is necessary to synchronize the system clock of each radio line base station 2 with the system clock of the radio network controller 3, the transmission line interface 21M of the master radio base station 2M operates according to the clock extracted from the transmission line. Further, a path for transmitting the clock to the radio base station interface unit 24M is provided, and the radio base station interface unit 24M generates a transmission path transmission clock to the slave radio base station 2S based on the clock. Then, by adopting a similar configuration in the slave radio base station 2S, it is possible to synchronize with the clock of the master radio base station 2M, and as a result, it is possible to synchronize with the system clock of the radio network controller 3.
[0090]
In addition, since it can be handled and activated without being aware of the master / slave wireless base station, there is an effect that the system maintainability of the wireless base station 2 can be improved.
[0091]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for identifying a master / slave of each wireless base station in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of wireless base stations are connected to a wireless network control device via a transmission path in a multi-stage manner. When receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from a wireless base station, the system has a function of transmitting a response to a lower wireless base station. If a response is received and no response is received, it identifies itself as a master wireless base station, and if it receives a response, it identifies itself as a slave wireless base station. Can be added and removed efficiently and flexibly, and the master / slave identification of each wireless base station can be performed by simple processing.
[0092]
According to the present invention, a higher-level device connected via a transmission path is connected to a first transmission path interface unit, and a transmission path signal switching function unit separates and multiplexes signals in the apparatus, and according to the type of signal, Routing is performed, the maintenance monitoring control unit performs maintenance monitoring control, and in the wireless base station connected to the lower-level device via the transmission path by the second transmission path interface unit, the transmission path signal switching function unit includes An inquiry for slave identification is routed from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the first transmission line interface unit or from the second transmission line interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit, and a response to the inquiry is sent from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the second transmission line interface unit. A function is provided for performing routing for master / slave identification for routing to the transmission line interface unit or from the first transmission line interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit. The maintenance monitoring control unit has a function of outputting a response for master / slave identification when receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from the transmission line signal switching function unit. Outputs an inquiry for slave / slave identification, identifies itself as a master wireless base station if it does not receive a response to the inquiry from the transmission path signal switching function unit, and identifies itself as a slave wireless base station when it receives a response Wireless base station provided with a function to perform the operation, the wireless base station can be efficiently added / removed by multi-stage connection flexibly and flexibly, and the master / slave identification of each wireless base station can be performed by a simple process. There are effects that can be.
[0093]
According to the present invention, the first transmission line interface unit extracts a clock from the transmission line and outputs it to the second transmission line interface unit, and the second transmission line interface unit uses the input clock as a reference. Since the wireless base station generates the transmission line transmission clock, the plurality of wireless base stations connected in multiple stages can be operated in synchronization with the clock of the higher-level device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a wireless base station according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a function comparison list of a master radio base station and a slave radio base station of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting for a master / slave request according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a routing setting for a master / slave response according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of routing settings at the time of operation of a master radio base station according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of routing settings at the time of operation of a slave wireless base station according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of a maintenance monitoring control unit of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a master device setting process of the maintenance monitoring control unit of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a slave device setting process of the maintenance monitoring control unit of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of a call processing control unit of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a system configuration diagram showing a mobile communication system in which wireless base stations are connected by cascade connection.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mobile station, 2 ... Radio base station, 2M ... Master radio base station, 2S ... Slave radio base station, 3 ... Radio network controller, 4 ... Switching equipment, 5 ... Network, 21, 21M, 21S ... Transmission line interface part , 22, 22M, 22S: Call processing control unit, 23, 23M, 23S: Maintenance monitoring control unit, 24, 24M, 24S: Wireless base station interface unit, 25, 25M, 25S: Transmission path signal switching function unit, 26, 26M, 26S: wireless transmission / reception unit, 2727M, 27S: wireless amplification unit, 28, 28M, 28S: storage unit, 29, 29M, 29S: antenna

Claims (3)

A master / slave identification method for each wireless base station in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of wireless base stations are connected in multiple stages to a wireless network controller via a transmission path,
The radio base station has a function of transmitting a response to the lower radio base station when receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from a lower radio base station,
When an arbitrary wireless base station transmits an inquiry for master / slave identification to a device connected to a higher order at the time of startup and does not receive a response, it identifies itself as a master wireless base station and receives a response Is a master / slave identification method for a wireless base station, characterized in that it identifies itself as a slave wireless base station. A first transmission path interface unit as connection means for a higher-level device connected via the transmission path;
A transmission line signal switching function unit that separates and multiplexes the signals in the device and routes them according to the type of signal;
A maintenance monitoring control unit that performs maintenance monitoring control;
In a wireless base station including a lower-level device and a second transmission path interface unit for connecting via a transmission path,
An inquiry for the master / slave identification to the transmission line signal switching function unit from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the first transmission line interface unit, or from the second transmission line interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit. A routing for master / slave identification for routing a response to the inquiry from the maintenance monitoring control unit to the second transmission line interface unit or for routing the response to the inquiry from the first transmission line interface unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit. Function to perform,
A function of outputting a response for master / slave identification when receiving an inquiry for master / slave identification from the transmission line signal switching function unit to the maintenance monitoring control unit; Output a query for master / slave discrimination to the unit, identify the self as a master radio base station if it does not receive a response to the query from the transmission path signal switching function unit, and when it receives a response, identify itself as a slave. A radio base station provided with a function of identifying the radio base station. A first transmission line interface unit that extracts a clock from a transmission line and outputs the clock to the second transmission line interface unit;
The radio base station according to claim 2, wherein the second transmission path interface unit generates a transmission path transmission clock based on the input clock.

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