JPH01170126A - Satellite communication earth station supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the loss of trouble information by providing a storing means to each small-sized satellite communication earth station, storing the trouble information, stopping a call when a called supervisory station data transferring means is busy, and re-calling it after a prescribed time. CONSTITUTION:A satellite communication earth station supervisory system is composed by connecting a supervisory station 30 and plural small-sized satellite communication earth stations 10 and 20 through a public communication network 40. The supervisory station 30 is equipped with a data transferring circuit 131, a data transferring circuit 132 as the supervisory station data transferring means and a central supervisory control device 133. When the transferring circuit 132 of the data of the supervisory station 30 is busy, the busy sound is detected, the earth station opens the public communication network once since the call fails, and simultaneously, the station waits until the prescribed time passes. Thereafter, a calling action is executed again. As a result, the earth station can transmit the contents of a condition memory to the supervisory station 30, and the collecting action of supervisory information and the action of a completion processing are executed by the supervisory station 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a satellite communication earth station monitoring system that centrally monitors the operating status of a small satellite communication earth station via a public communication network.

(Prior Art) As is well known, in a satellite communication system, for example, a relay path between exchanges in a terrestrial communication line is configured with a satellite line.
Earth stations are generally constructed to enable long-distance transmission, and therefore each earth station is typically constructed on a large scale.

Conventionally, the earth station monitoring system has been as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, for example.

That is, in FIG. 3, the earth station includes communication devices 211 to 2.
13, antenna 231, and communication devices 211 to 213
It basically consists of a transmitting/receiving device 221 that connects between the earth station and the antenna 231, but each earth station is provided with its own monitoring device 241, and the failure status of the communication devices 211 to 213 and the transmitting/receiving device 221 is displayed on the monitoring device 241. etc., and maintenance personnel take appropriate action based on this.

In addition, in FIG. 4, 301.302 is an earth station connected to the satellite line via the satellite 300, and the earth station 3
01 serves as a master station and monitors a plurality of earth stations 302, which are slave stations.

That is, each earth station has a monitoring control device 341. The earth station 302, which is a slave station, uses the communication devices 314 to 316. Same 35
2 and the transmitting/receiving device 322, displaying the monitoring results, etc. The signal is transmitted from the antenna 332 via the transmitting/receiving device 322 to the satellite line toward the earth station 301, which is the main station. On the other hand, the earth station 301, which is the main station, uses the communication devices 311 to 313. 351 and transmitting/receiving device 3
21 and displays the monitoring results, and also displays the monitoring results of the earth station 302, which is a slave station, which is input via the antenna 331, the transmitting/receiving device 321, and the communication device 351, on the monitoring control device 341. Let it happen.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In recent years, attention has been focused on the characteristics of satellite communication, and so-called in-house closed satellite communication systems have been constructed. ) consists of small satellite communication earth stations such as narrowband communication stations and reception-only stations, but these stations are usually configured with emphasis on economic efficiency, so it is difficult to decide which monitoring method to use. The problem is how to configure it.

In other words, installing a monitoring device independently for each earth station as in the past would mean monitoring by manned personnel, which would be uneconomical, and if a centralized monitoring system using satellite links was adopted as in the past. In order to do this, it is necessary to provide each slave station with a dedicated device for sending the monitoring information to the satellite line, and to provide a dedicated device for receiving it in the main station, which makes each station expensive and uneconomical. In addition, reception-only stations have problems such as requiring manned monitoring, and conventional monitoring methods cannot be adopted, so the development of new monitoring methods is desired. When developing a new monitoring method, the following points should be kept in mind. For example, some types of faults have short durations of state changes, such as instantaneous power outages, so it may be difficult to communicate with multiple small satellites at approximately the same time. When a fault is detected at an earth station, it is important to be able to process it without losing fault information.

The present invention was devised in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a satellite communication earth station monitoring system that can economically monitor small satellite communication earth stations.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention is a system in which a monitoring station and a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations are connected via a public communication network: The monitoring station controls the public communication network. A monitoring station data transfer means that sends and receives signals to and from the corresponding small satellite communication earth station via a public communication network; This monitoring station data transfer means transmits output signals related to transmission from the small satellite communication earth station taken in from the public communication network to the small satellite. A small satellite communication earth station is equipped with: monitoring control means for managing each communication earth station; and a status monitoring means for monitoring the operating status of its own satellite communication equipment; storage means for storing; earth station data transfer means for controlling a public communication network and transmitting and receiving signals with the monitoring station data transfer means via the public communication network; and transmitting the state change information to the monitoring station. In order to do so, the earth station data transfer means performs network control of the public communication network, and if the calling monitoring station data transfer means is busy, the calling operation is temporarily stopped and the calling operation is performed again after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. It is characterized by comprising: a control means; and;

(Function) Next, the function of the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention configured as described above will be explained.

In a small satellite communication earth station, the operating state of its own satellite communication device is monitored by a state monitoring means, and the monitoring result (state change information) is transmitted to the monitoring station via a public communication network by an earth station data transfer means. . As a result, the monitoring station can display and centrally manage monitoring results for each small satellite communication earth station. By the way, it is conceivable that failures may occur at approximately the same time in a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations. At this time, only one station succeeds in calling the monitoring station, but for the second and subsequent stations, the monitoring station data transfer means is busy, so the monitoring control means cannot control the status of the first station. This results in a wait until the end of the waiting period, and there is a risk that information on failures in the second and subsequent stations that occur during this waiting period will be lost.

Therefore, in the present invention, a storage means is provided in the small satellite communication earth station to store failure information, and when it is detected that the called monitoring station data transfer means is busy, the calling is canceled and restarted after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. The monitoring station data transfer means is called to prevent failure information from being lost.

As explained above, according to the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention, the operational status of the earth station can be intensively monitored using the public communication network where communication can be easily performed. It is possible to monitor and control small satellite communication earth stations, which have not been subject to much monitoring and control since then, and it is possible to improve the reliability and maintainability of so-called in-house closed satellite communication systems. Further, in the present invention, the small satellite communication earth station is provided with a storage means to store failure information, and when the called monitoring station data transfer means is busy, the monitoring station data transfer means is restarted after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. Since the system can be called up, even if multiple small satellite communication earth stations transmit their monitoring information to the monitoring station at almost the same time, the monitoring station can reliably collect the multiple pieces of monitoring information. Further, according to the present invention, since the system can be operated centrally at the monitoring station, only a small number of full-time operators are required, and the system is economical in terms of operation.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a satellite communication earth station monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This monitoring system includes a monitoring station 30 and a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations 10. 20 and public communication network 40
This is a system connected via . That is, the subscriber line of the public communication network 40 is connected to the monitoring station 30 and the small satellite communication earth stations 10 and 20, and the monitoring station 30 connects to the small satellite communication earth station using a communication form similar to normal telephone communication or facsimile communication. Station 10. This is a system that collectively manages the 20th grade.

The monitoring station 30 basically includes a data transfer circuit 131, a data transfer circuit 132 as monitoring station data transfer means, and a central monitoring control device 133.

The data transfer circuits 131 and 132 have a network control function that establishes and releases a telephone line with each small satellite communication earth station (10, 20) via the public communication network 40, and a central monitoring and control unit 133. output signal from each small satellite communication earth station (1
0, 20) and each small satellite communications earth station (10, 20).
20) to the central monitoring and control device 133. This data transfer circuit 131 and the same 13
2 each have a unique dial number.

The data transfer circuit 132 is for collecting monitoring information from each small satellite communication earth station, and the data transfer circuit 131 is for sending commands to each small satellite communication earth station to set monitoring items, etc. belongs to.

The central monitoring control circuit 133 plays a central role in the monitoring system, and includes a ROM in which the dial number and terminal address of each small satellite communication earth station, the terminal address of its own station, etc. Basically, it has functions such as setting monitoring items for the earth station, sending commands to set it in a pseudo-failure state, and controlling the display of the sent monitoring information.

The small satellite communication earth station 10 (20) is a communication device 111
This is an earth station that basically comprises an antenna 101 (112) and an antenna 101 (102), and constitutes a so-called in-house closed satellite communication system connected by a satellite line via the satellite 100. In such an earth station 10 (20), the present invention includes a monitoring circuit 121 (122) and a data transfer circuit 1.
23 (same as 124). Monitoring circuit 121 (same as 1
22) and the data transfer circuit 123 (124) are configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example, in this embodiment.

In FIG. 2, the monitoring circuit 121 (also referred to as 122) basically includes a status monitoring circuit 1223, a control circuit 1221, a status memory 1222, and a data transmission/reception circuit 1224. The data transfer circuit 123 (124) basically includes a data modem 1241 that implements the communication function, and a network control circuit 1242 that implements the network control function.

In the monitoring circuit 121 (same as 122), the status monitoring circuit 1
223 monitors the operating state of the communication device 111 (112) of its own station and matters related thereto based on the monitoring items presented by the control circuit 1221, and transmits the information to the control circuit 1221 when there is a change in the state. Mainly used for outputting.

The state memory 1222 stores state change information detected by the state monitoring circuit 1223 under the control of the control circuit 1221. The data transmission/reception circuit 1224 is an interface circuit between the control circuit 1221 and the data modem 1241. Finally, the control circuit 1221 has a device for setting the terminal address of its own station, a register for setting monitoring items, a random number generator, etc., and realizes various functions of the monitoring circuit 121 (122). .

Next, the operation of the monitoring system of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the monitoring station 30 sets monitoring items for each small satellite communication earth station, and this is performed as part of the initial setting. The central supervisory control device 133 is the data transfer circuit 1
31 to transmit, for example, the dial number of the data transfer circuit 123 of the small satellite communication earth station 10 to the public communication network 40, and then control information consisting of the dial number of the data transfer circuit 132 and predetermined monitoring items to the control circuit. 1221 and sends it to the public communication network 40.

On the other hand, in the small satellite communication earth station 10, a ringing signal based on the dial number sent to the public communication network 40 is detected by the network control circuit 1242, and the control circuit 1222 detects a ringing signal based on the dial number sent to the public communication network 40.
be informed. The control circuit 1221 is a network control circuit 1242
Issue a line connection command to the data transfer circuit 131 and 12
3, and then connect the data modem 124.
1. Process the control information input via the data transmitting/receiving circuit 1224, that is, confirm that the terminal address attached to the control information matches, and set monitoring items in the register.

When the initial settings are completed in this way, the control circuit 122
1 outputs the contents of the monitoring items set in the register to the status monitoring circuit 1223, and causes the status monitoring circuit 1223 to perform a monitoring operation.

Here, the monitoring items include, for example, transmission 0N10FF, reception synchronization/out of synchronization, the state of the baseband terminal connected to the communication device 111 (same 112), and the alarm state of each circuit. These monitoring items are determined for each small satellite communications earth station, so in order to prevent incorrect setting control, the terminal address is set and confirmation is made that it matches.The setting operations explained above are as follows: This is done for all small satellite communication earth stations.

Next, upon receiving the state change information detected by the state monitoring circuit 1223, the control circuit 1221 stores the state change information in the state memory 1222, and also stores the state change information in the network control circuit 12.
42 to transmit the dial number of the data transfer circuit 132 of the monitoring station 30 to the public communication network 40. Here, for example, if the small satellite communication earth station 10 and each baseband terminal of the small satellite communication earth station 20 go into an alarm state (for example, a momentary interruption of the baseband signal) at almost the same time, one of the two earth stations will succeed in calling, The other will fail.

The cases of success and failure will be explained below. In the monitoring station 30, the detection of an incoming call by the data transfer circuit 132 serves as an interrupt signal to the central monitoring and control device 133, so the central monitoring and control device 133 responds to the interrupt signal and grants permission to send out the monitoring result information. The data transfer circuit 132
The data is transmitted to the public communication network 40 via the public communication network 40. The corresponding earth station learns of the success of the call by inputting this command to the control circuit 1221 via the data modem 1241 and data transmitting/receiving circuit 1224.

Therefore, the control circuit 1221 of the earth station that was successfully called
Then, the terminal address of the own station is attached to the monitoring result information outputted by the status monitoring circuit 1223, and the information is sent to the data transmitting/receiving circuit 1224.
, can be sent to the public communication network 40 via the data modem 1241 and reported to the central supervisory control device 133. In this way, the central monitoring device 133 can know which small satellite communication earth station has changed to what state.

When the central monitoring and control device 133 finishes collecting the necessary information, it sends a termination command from the data transfer circuit 132 to the other earth station, and responds to an interrupt (call) from another earth station via the data transfer circuit 132. ) in preparation for the opening of the line.

The control circuit 1221 of the partner earth station receives this termination command and controls the network control circuit 1242 to release the line connection with the monitoring station 30.

On the other hand, when the data transfer circuit 132 of the monitoring station 30 was called using the dial number, the data transfer circuit 132
2 is busy, the busy sound is detected by the network control port 61242 and notified to the control circuit 1221. Therefore, when the control circuit 1221 of the earth station learns of the call failure, it first controls the network control circuit 1242 to stop the previous call operation and temporarily open the public communication network, and also activates the random number generator and performs the specified A random number is generated and a predetermined waiting time determined by the specified random number is waited for.

Note that if a new state change is detected within this waiting time, it will be stored in the state memory 1222, so there is no risk of it being lost.Also, if the fault is a temporary one such as a momentary interruption of the baseband, it will be stored in the state memory 1222. There is no danger of loss even if
After this predetermined waiting time has elapsed, the network control circuit 1
As a result, since the time until this re-call is random, failures occur in multiple earth stations at the same time, resulting in competing calls. Even if the call is made successfully, the probability of re-call conflict is low. The earth station thus stores state memory 1222.
The contents can be transmitted to the monitoring station 30, and the monitoring station 30 performs the monitoring information collection operation and the termination processing operation as described above.

Next, the monitoring station 30 can change and set the transmission channel and reception channel of the small satellite communication earth station as one aspect of monitoring control. This is done by sending the corresponding command from the data transfer circuit 131 using the same procedure as for setting the monitoring items, and causing the control circuit 1221 to perform the required operation. Further, it is possible to confirm the normal operation of the monitoring system. In this case, the data transfer circuit 131 sends and sets pseudo failure information to each small satellite communication earth station using the same procedure as for setting the monitoring items, and based on this, each small satellite communication earth station performs a failure detection operation. In this way, the data transfer circuit 132 of the monitoring station 30 is operated in a pseudo manner.

Note that the reliability and confidentiality of the monitoring control can be improved by applying measures such as passwords and scrambling to the data transferred between the monitoring station 30 and each small satellite communication earth station.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention, the operational status of the earth station can be intensively monitored using the public communication network that allows easy communication. It is now possible to monitor and control small satellite communication earth stations, which have not been subject to monitoring and control due to economic reasons, and improve the reliability and maintainability of so-called in-house closed satellite communication systems. Further, in the present invention, each small satellite communication earth station is provided with a storage means to store failure information, and when the called monitoring station data transfer means is busy, the monitoring station data transfer means is restarted after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. , so even if multiple small satellite communication earth stations transmit their monitoring information to the monitoring station at almost the same time, the monitoring station can reliably collect the multiple pieces of monitoring information.

Further, according to the present invention, since the system can be operated centrally at the monitoring station, only a small number of full-time operators are required, and the system is economical in terms of operation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of a satellite communication earth station monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of a small satellite communication earth station according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional earth station monitoring system. 10.20...Small satellite communication earth station, 30...
...Monitoring station, 40...Public communication network, 10
0... Satellite, 101.102... Antenna, 11, 1, 112... Communication device, 1
21.122...Monitoring circuit, 123,124
, 131, 132, ...... data transfer circuit, 1
33...Central monitoring and control device, 1221...
...control circuit, 1222...state memory,
1223... Status monitoring circuit, 1224...
...Data transmission/reception circuit, 1241...Data modem, 1242...Network control circuit. Agent Patent Attorney Yoshihiro Hachiman Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A system in which a monitoring station and a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations are connected via a public communication network; the monitoring station controls the public communication network and communicates with the corresponding small satellite communication earth station via the public communication network. A monitoring station data transfer means for transmitting and receiving signals; a monitoring control means for managing output signals related to transmission from a small satellite communication earth station, which the monitoring station data transfer means retrieves from a public communication network, for each small satellite communication earth station; In preparation, the small satellite communication earth station has a status monitoring means for monitoring the operating status of its own satellite communication device; a storage means for storing status change information monitored and output by the status monitoring means; and a network control of the public communication network. earth station data transfer means for transmitting and receiving signals with the monitoring station data transfer means via the public communication network; A control means for performing control and, if the called monitoring station data transfer means is busy, temporarily suspends the calling operation and causes the calling operation to be performed again after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. Satellite communication earth station monitoring system.