JPH01136434A - Supervision system for satellite communication earth station - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent production of a wait time by providing plural supervision station data transfer means to a supervision station and calling other supervision station data transfer means according to the predetermined priority when a busy state of one called supervision station data transfer means is detected. CONSTITUTION:When each base band terminal equipment of small sized satellite communication earth stations 10, 20 reaches an alarm state nearly simultaneously, both the earth stations read a dial #1 to call the data transfer circuit 132 of the supervision station 30. As a result, one of both the earth stations is successful for the call and the other is failed. The earth station recognizing the call failure reads a dial number #2 from the dial memory 1222, and sends it to a network control circuit 1242 to call the data of the supervision station 30 to the transfer circuit 133. As a result, the call is successful and the collection of monitor information and the completion processing are applied.

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 bag W241. 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 bag R322 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. It is to make it possible.

(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 install a dedicated device in each slave station to send the monitoring information to the satellite line, and to install a dedicated device in the main station to receive the monitoring information, which is uneconomical because each station becomes involved in an expensive dispute. 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 the earth station, if the processing takes a long time, there is a risk that the fault information will be lost. Therefore, it is important to be able to process quickly without waiting time.

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 plurality of monitoring station data transfer means for transmitting and receiving signals with corresponding small satellite communication earth stations via a public communication network; a monitoring control means for managing each satellite communication earth station; and, in the small satellite communication earth station, a status monitoring means for monitoring the operating state of its own satellite communication device; and a data transfer means for each of the plurality of monitoring stations. storage means for storing the dial number of; earth station data transfer means for controlling the public communication network and transmitting and receiving signals with one of the plurality of monitoring station data transfer means via the public communication network; status monitoring means In order to transmit the output signal to the monitoring station, the earth station data transfer means controls the public communication network using one dial number read from the storage means, and as a result, the called monitoring station data is transferred. The present invention is characterized by comprising: control means for reading out another dial number from the storage means in accordance with a predetermined priority order if the means is busy;

(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 status monitoring means, and the results of the monitoring are transmitted to a 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, if there is only one monitoring station data transfer means, only one station will succeed in calling the monitoring station, but the second and subsequent stations will be unable to monitor because the monitoring station data transfer means will be busy. The result is that the control means is forced to wait until it finishes checking the status of the first station, and there is a risk that information about failures in the second and subsequent stations that occur during this waiting period will be lost.

Therefore, in the present invention, the monitoring station is provided with a plurality of monitoring station data transfer means, and each small satellite communication earth station receives a predetermined priority when one monitoring station data transfer means called by the control means is detected to be busy. Another monitoring station data transfer means is called according to the order of ranking, thereby preventing the occurrence of waiting time.

As explained above, according to the satellite communication earth station monitoring system of the present invention, the operating 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 for some reason have hardly been monitored and controlled, and it is possible to improve the reliability and maintainability of so-called in-house closed satellite communication systems. Further, in the present invention, a plurality of monitoring station data transfer means are provided in the monitoring station, and when one called monitoring station data transfer means is busy in each small satellite communication earth station, another monitoring station data transfer means is provided. Since the system can be called, even if a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations transmit monitoring information to the monitoring station at almost the same time, the monitoring station can collect the plurality of monitoring information without waiting time. 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 monitoring station 30, the small satellite communication earth station 10, and the public communication #140
subscriber lines are drawn in, and the monitoring station 30 is connected to the small satellite communications earth station 10. This is a system that collectively manages the 20th grade.

The monitoring station 30 includes a data transfer circuit 131 and two data transfer circuits 132 and 13 serving as monitoring station data transfer means.
3 and a central monitoring control bag W134.

The data transfer circuits 131 to 133 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 134. output signal from each small satellite communication earth station (1
0,20> and each small satellite communication earth station (10,
20) to the central monitoring and control device 134. These data transfer circuits 131 to 13
3 each have a unique dialing number.

Note that the data transfer circuit 132. The data transfer circuit 133 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. .

The central monitoring control circuit 134 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 dial memory 1222, and a data transmission/reception circuit 1224. In addition, the data transfer circuit 123 (the same 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.

Under the control of the control circuit 1221, the dial memory 1222 stores dial numbers #1, . #2 is set respectively. 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 setter for the terminal address of its own station, a register for setting monitoring items, etc.
1 (same as 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 134 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 send the dial number (#1, #2) of the data transfer circuit 132 and the same 133 to a predetermined number. The control information consisting of the monitoring items is sent to the public communication network 40 with the terminal address of the control circuit 1221 attached thereto.

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. The control information input via the data transmitting/receiving circuit 1224 is processed, that is, it is confirmed that the terminal address attached to the control information matches, and the monitoring items are stored in the register as dial number #1. #2 is dial memory 12
22 respectively.

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, as failure detection, for example, the small satellite communication earth station 1
If baseband terminals 0 and 20 go into an alarm state (for example, a momentary interruption of the baseband signal) almost simultaneously, this change in state is detected by the state monitoring circuit 1223 and notified to the monitoring circuit 1221. Now, at both earth stations, the priority between dial numbers #1 and #2 is #1. Assuming that the order of #2 is determined, the control circuits 1221 of both earth stations read dial number #1 from the dial memory 1222, send it to the network control circuit 1242, and call the data transfer circuit 132 of the monitoring station 30. . As a result, one of the earth stations will successfully make the call and 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 control device 134.
In response to the interrupt signal, the central monitoring control device 134 sends a command to the data transfer circuit 13 indicating permission to send monitoring result information.
2 to public communication 11140. This command is sent to the data modem 1241 and the data transmitting/receiving circuit 122.
4 to the control circuit 1221 to know whether the call was successful.

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 134. In this way, the central monitoring device 134 can know which small satellite communication earth station has changed to what state.

When the central monitoring and control device 134 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 1-32 of the monitoring station 30 is called using dial number #1, if the data transfer circuit 132 is busy, the busy tone is detected by the network control circuit 1242, and the control circuit 1242 detects the busy tone. 1221 will be notified. Therefore,
The control circuit 1221 of the earth station learned of the call failure.
First, the network control circuit 1242 is controlled to stop the call operation so far and temporarily open the public communication network, and then the dial number #2, which has the next priority after the dial number #1, is read out from the dial memory 1222 and Network control circuit 124
2 to call the data transfer circuit 133 of the monitoring station 30. As a result, the call is successful, and the monitoring information collection operation and termination processing operation are performed as described above.

As described above, as a result of providing a plurality of monitoring station data transfer means (data transfer circuits 132 and 133) in the monitoring station 30, even if a failure occurs at almost the same time in multiple small satellite communication earth stations, all of them can be The monitoring station 30 can quickly perform the collection process without incurring any waiting time. The nature of the failure may be temporary, such as a momentary power outage, and there is a risk that this type of information will be lost when waiting time occurs, so it is important to be able to prevent the occurrence of waiting time.

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 monitoring station data transfer means 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, a plurality of monitoring station data transfer means are provided in the monitoring station, and when one called monitoring station data transfer means is busy in each small satellite communication earth station, another monitoring station data transfer means is provided. Since the system can be called, even if a plurality of small satellite communication earth stations transmit monitoring information to the monitoring station at almost the same time, the monitoring station can collect the plurality of monitoring information without waiting time. 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, 111.112...Communication device, 1
21.122...Monitoring circuit, 123,124
, 131, 132. 133... Data transfer circuit, 134... Central supervisory control device, 1221
... Control circuit, 1222 ... Dial memory, 1223 ... Condition monitoring circuit, 1
224...Data transmission/reception circuit, 1241...
...Data modem, 1242...Network control circuit. Agent Patent Attorney Yoshihiro Hachiman

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 plurality of monitoring station data transfer means for transmitting and receiving signals; a monitoring control means for managing, for each small satellite communication earth station, an output signal related to transmission from a small satellite communication earth station that the monitoring station data transfer means retrieves from a public communication network; and a small satellite communication earth station, comprising: status monitoring means for monitoring the operating status of its own satellite communication device; storage means for storing dial numbers of each of the plurality of monitoring station data transfer means; Earth station data transfer means that controls the network and sends and receives signals to one of the plurality of monitoring station data transfer means via the public communication network; receives the output signal of the status monitoring means and transmits it to the monitoring station; The earth station data transfer means controls the public communication network using one dial number read from the storage means, and if the called monitoring station data transfer means is busy, another dial number is read out from the storage means according to a predetermined priority order. A satellite communication earth station monitoring system, comprising: control means for reading out the dial number of from the storage means; and;