Relay device and auxiliary relay device

A relay device that relays a signal in which a plurality of signals having respectively different frequencies are multiplexed between a first communication device on a transmission side and a second communication device on a reception side. The relay device includes: a demultiplexing unit; a relay-method decision unit; a signal regeneration unit; and a multiplexing unit. The demultiplexing unit demultiplexes a signal received from the first communication device to a plurality of frequencies. The relay-method decision unit decides which relay method is performed on a signal having been demultiplexed by the demultiplexing unit. The signal regeneration unit performs demodulation, decoding, coding, and modulation on a signal decided to undergo regenerative relay by the relay-method decision unit. The multiplexing unit multiplexes a signal decided to undergo transparent relay by the relay-method decision unit and a signal regenerated by the signal regeneration unit.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a relay device and an auxiliary relay device that is connected to a relay device in a wireless communication system via a relay device.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, there has been introduced a satellite communication system in which communication between two points, such as communication between a ship and an aircraft on the earth, is performed by using a satellite that operates on an earth orbit in the outer space. Such a satellite communication system is realized by receiving a signal transmitted from a communication apparatus on the earth by a relay incorporated in a satellite and transmitting (relaying) the signal to other communication apparatuses on the earth. In recent years, along with the increase of data capacity in the satellite communication system, multi-beam transmission that performs data transmission by beams different for regions has been studied. When this multi-beam transmission is realized by a through repeater satellite with conventional analog frequency conversion, as a frequency required for data transmission of an uplink (from a ground station to a satellite), frequencies corresponding to the number of beams need to be secured. To effectively utilize limited frequencies, a channelizer technique has been studied. This channelizer technique can significantly reduce a signal bandwidth required for an uplink by demultiplexing a signal received by a satellite to minimum frequency units, then distributing demultiplexed signals to transmission destination beams, and multiplexing the distributed signals. Furthermore, to prevent a deterioration in the line quality of an uplink due to rain and the like, there has been studied a regenerative relay technique of demodulating, decoding, coding, and modulating a signal received by a relay and then transmitting the signal to a ground station. Further, there has been disclosed a technique in which different communication services can be simultaneously relayed by combining the channelizer technique and the regenerative relay technique that are described above. For example, there has been studied a technique in which regenerative relay is not performed for a best effort service such as the Internet, and is performed only for communication services that require securement of reliability (see Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 1).

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application National Publication No. 2008-544719

Non Patent Literature

SUMMARY

Technical Problem

The relay method using only a channelizer described above (hereinafter, “transparent relay”) and the relay method described above that regenerates data during relay (hereinafter, “regenerative relay”) have the following problems.

Because the transparent relay needs to secure a sufficient margin for a case where the line quality of an uplink is deteriorated because of rain and of inclination of a directional antenna, this margin is a surplus in a case where the line quality is not deteriorated such as a time of a fine weather. That is, under a fine weather, the amount of data that is originally transmittable by the surplus margin cannot be transmitted and the frequency usage efficiency is reduced. When the regenerative relay is used, while a margin for a case where the line quality of an uplink is deteriorated because of rain and inclination of a directional antenna does not need to be secured and thus high frequency usage efficiency can be realized, circuits of demodulation, decoding, coding, and modulation need to be incorporated in the satellite and these circuits need to be always operated at the time of relaying signals. Consequently, increases in the payload size of the satellite and its consumption power are incurred.

The technique described in Patent Literature 1 mentioned above is configured such that a relay method can be switched by incorporating both of the transparent relay and regenerative relay in a satellite. However, because the relay method is switched according to a control signal from a ground station, when the line quality momentarily changes, increase in the control signal amount is incurred. Furthermore, there is also a problem that when a relay cannot receive a control signal for some reason, the relay method cannot be switched.

The present invention has been achieved in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a relay device that can realize high frequency usage efficiency and can reduce its power consumption.

Solution to Problem

To solve the above problems and achieve the object a relay device that relays a signal in which a plurality of signals having respectively different frequencies are multiplexed between a first communication device on a transmission side and a second communication device on a reception side, the relay device includes: a demultiplexing unit that demultiplexes a signal received from the first communication device to a plurality of frequencies; a relay-method decision unit that decides which relay method is performed on a signal having been demultiplexed by the demultiplexing unit among a plurality of relay methods including regenerative relay and transparent relay; a signal regeneration unit that performs demodulation, decoding, recoding, and remodulation on a signal decided to undergo regenerative relay by the relay-method decision unit; and a multiplexing unit that multiplexes a signal decided to undergo transparent relay by the relay-method decision unit and a signal regenerated by the signal regeneration unit.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, because switching between transparent relay and regenerative relay can be finely performed, the line capacity of an uplink can be increased as compared to a case where the relay device is configured such that only the transparent relay is performed, and its power consumption can be reduced as compared to a case where the relay device is configured such that only the regenerative relay is performed.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of a relay device and an auxiliary relay device according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a configuration example of a satellite communication system according to a first embodiment. In the satellite communication system, one or more transmitters2(a communication device on a transmission side) are wirelessly connected via a relay device1to one or more receivers3(a communication device on a reception side).

A configuration of the relay device1that constitutes the satellite communication system will be explained next.FIG. 2is a configuration example of the relay device1. The relay device1includes: an A/D (an AD conversion unit)11; a quadrature detection unit12; a demultiplexing unit13; a path selection unit14; a demodulation unit15; a decoding unit16; a coding unit17; a modulation unit18; a switch unit19; a multiplexing unit20; a quadrature modulation unit21; and a D/A (a DA conversion unit)22. The demodulation unit15, the decoding unit16, the coding unit17, and the modulation unit18constitute a signal regeneration unit.

In the relay device1with the above configuration, an analog signal that is received from each of the transmitters2and present in different beams is converted into a digital signal by the A/D11allocated to each beam and the digital signal is mapped on a complex plane in the quadrature detection unit12.

The demultiplexing unit13performs a demultiplexing process on a signal having undergone quadrature detection. For example, when one beam has a bandwidth of 10 megahertz and is demultiplexed to 1-MHz signals, a 10-MHz signal is demultiplexed to ten signals.

The path selection unit14that operates as a relay-method decision unit measures the line quality for each demultiplexed signal and transfers each demultiplexed signal to the switch unit19or the demodulation unit15, which will be described later, according to the line quality. Operation details of the path selection unit14will be specifically described later.

The demodulation unit15demodulates a demultiplexed signal. While PSK (Phase Shift Keying), QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), and the like are known as the demodulation method; the relay device1can perform demodulation by a method same as a method by which the transmitter2performs modulation by using a demodulation method set in advance as a system or by a control unit (not shown) being notified of a demodulation method by a control device on the ground.

The decoding unit16decodes demodulated data. While turbo decoding, Viterbi decoding, and the like are known as a decoding method, the decoding unit16may perform decoding by the same method as a method by which the transmitter2performs coding similarly to the demodulation unit15. Furthermore, when a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) is applied to a transmitted signal, processes subsequent to the coding unit17may be stopped when a CRC result is NG (the signal cannot be decoded). With this configuration, the power consumption of the relay device1can be reduced.

The coding unit17codes the decoded data. While turbo coding, convolutional coding, and the like are known as a coding method, as long as a method by which the relay device1performs coding and a method by which the receiver3performs decoding are set in advance, data can be decoded in the receiver3by any method. Accordingly, the coding method does not necessarily need to be the same as the method performed by the transmitter2for coding.

The modulation unit18modulates coded data. Because data can be modulated in the receiver3by any method as long as a method by which the relay device1performs modulation and a method by which the receiver3performs demodulation are set in advance similarly to the coding unit17, the modulation method does not necessarily need to be the same as the method performed by the transmitter2for modulation.

The switch unit19distributes a modulated signal (a signal generated by regenerating a demultiplexed signal) or a demultiplexed signal transferred from the path selection unit14to a relay-destination beam. A correspondence relationship between a modulated signal or a demultiplexed signal and a relay-destination beam may be set in advance in a system. Alternatively, a control unit (not shown) may receive control information that indicates the correspondence relationship from a control device on the ground to notify the switch unit19of the control information.

The multiplexing unit20multiplexes a modulated signal or a demultiplexed signal for each beam distributed by the switch unit19. The quadrature modulation unit21performs quadrature modulation on a demultiplexed signal mapped on a complex plane. The D/A22converts a digital signal having undergone quadrature modulation into an analog signal.

The path selection unit14that performs a characteristic operation in the relay device1according to the first embodiment will be explained next in detail.FIG. 3is a configuration example of the path selection unit14. The path selection unit14includes a quality measurement unit141, a path determination unit142, and a selector143.FIG. 3is an example of a case where quality measurement units141and selectors143respectively equal to the number of signals demultiplexed in the demultiplexing unit13(the maximum number of demultiplexed signals) are provided.

In the path selection unit14, the quality measurement unit141measures the line quality of a demultiplexed signal received from the demultiplexing unit13. As the line quality, for example, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) that indicates the intensity of a received signal, SINR (Signal to Noise Interference Ratio), and CINR (Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio) are known, and any of them may be measured. WhileFIG. 3is an example of a case where the quality measurement units141corresponding to the number of demultiplexed signals are arranged, as long as the line quality can be measured in a time series, the quality measurement units141corresponding to the number of demultiplexed signals do not need to be arranged. Furthermore, other than the line quality described above, the quality measurement unit141may also demodulate header information included in a demultiplexed signal, and the header information may include an allowable delay of a signal transmitted by the transmitter2and an index that indicates a priority at the time of relaying a signal to the receiver3.

The path determination unit142determines whether a demultiplexed signal is transferred to the switch unit19or to the demodulation unit15based on information obtained from the quality measurement unit141(line quality information). A case of transferring a demultiplexed signal to the switch unit19corresponds to performing transparent relay, and a case of transferring a demultiplexed signal to the demodulation unit15corresponds to performing regenerative relay. The selector143outputs a demultiplexed signal input from the demultiplexing unit13to the switch unit19or to the demodulation unit15according to a determination result of the path determination unit142.

A method in which the path determination unit142determines a transfer destination of a demultiplexed signal is described here.

(Method 1) For example, when the path determination unit142has a threshold (a threshold A) and a line quality obtained from the quality measurement unit141is equal to or larger than the threshold A, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “transparent relay”. Meanwhile, when the line quality is less than the threshold A, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative relay”.

(Method 2) Alternatively, when the path determination unit142has two thresholds (a threshold A and a threshold B, where threshold B<threshold A) and a line quality obtained from the quality measurement unit141is equal to or larger than the threshold A, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “transparent relay”. When the line quality is less than the threshold A and equal to or larger than the threshold B, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative relay”, and when the line quality is less than the threshold B, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to “discard signal”.

When a signal transmitted from the transmitter2is configured by a plurality of demultiplexed signals and a relationship between a number X of demultiplexing signals (demultiplexed signals) and a number Y of the demodulation units15subsequent to the path selection unit14is “X≦Y” (when all demultiplexed signals can be regenerated), the line quality used for the method 1 and the method 2 may be either of the followings.

(1) The line quality is determined as at least one of the line qualities of the respective demultiplexed signals.

(2) The line quality is determined as an average value of the line qualities of the respective demultiplexed signals.

When these line qualities are used, the path determination unit142sets transfer destinations of all demultiplexed signals to the same destination (the path determination unit142gives the same instruction to all of the selectors143).

When the number (indicated by N) of the demodulation units15is smaller than the number of demultiplexing signals (demultiplexed signals), the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative relay” on N signals from a signal having the least line quality (the worst line quality) among demultiplexing signals serving as candidates that the selector143is instructed to perform “regenerative relay” using the method 1 and the method 2, and instructs the selector143to perform “transparent relay” on other signals.

As the line quality (the line quality of each demultiplexed signal) used for the method 1 and the method 2, a quotient of a time average value of the line quality (an average value within a predetermined period of time in the past) and an instantaneous value (the instantaneous value/the time average value) may be used.

When allowable delay information or signal priority information is obtained from the quality measurement unit141, a determination using an allowable delay instead of using the line quality may be performed in the method 1. When the allowable delay information is used and the number (N) of the demodulation units15is smaller than the number of demultiplexing signals, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative rely” on N signals from a signal having the largest allowable delay and to perform “transparent relay” on other signals. When the signal priority information is used and the number (N) of the demodulation units15is smaller than the number of demultiplexing signals, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative relay” on N signals from a signal having the highest priority and to perform “transparent relay” on other signals.

To synchronize the head of a data frame as a timing of starting demodulation or decoding when the path determination unit142gives instructions to the selector143, a synchronization determination function may be provided to give instructions to the selector143when the head of the data frame is detected.

The path determination unit142may instruct the selector143about a signal-power adjustment amount according to a line quality value to adjust signal power of a demultiplexed signal in the selector143. For example, when the line quality is sufficiently high, it is possible to perform transmission without any data errors even when transmission power at the time of transmission from the relay device1to the receiver3is reduced. Accordingly, by adjusting signal power so that data errors do not occur and reducing the transmission power of the relay device1, the power consumption of the relay device1can be reduced.

The selector143processes a demultiplexed signal as follows according to an instruction from the path determination unit142.

That is, when the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “transparent relay”, the selector143transfers a demultiplexed signal to the demodulation unit15. When the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “regenerative relay”, the selector143transfers a demultiplexed signal to the switch unit19. When the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to “discard signal”, the selector143discards a demultiplexed signal and does not perform subsequent processes.

As another mode, as shown inFIG. 4, the switch unit19of the relay device1may be arranged between the decoding unit16and the coding unit17. In this case, when the transmitter2has transfer-destination beam information of data included in the data, the decoding unit16can be aware of the transfer-destination beam information. Therefore, finer relay can be realized as compared to the configuration ofFIG. 2.

As explained above, according to the first embodiment, in a process of the relay device1relaying a signal received from the transmitter2to the receiver3, the path selection unit14within the relay device1measures the line quality of an uplink and transfers a demultiplexed signal to the switch unit19or the demodulation unit15(adaptively selects whether a received signal is relayed without being regenerated or a received signal is regenerated and then relayed) according to the line quality. Accordingly, even when the line quality of the uplink varies because of rain attenuation and the like, the relay device1can finely switch between “transparent relay” and “regenerative relay”, and thus the line capacity of the uplink can be increased as compared to a case of configuring a relay device such that only transparent relay is performed. Furthermore, the power consumption can be reduced as compared to a case of configuring a relay device such that only regenerative relay is performed. The size of a modulation/demodulation circuit to be incorporated in a relay device can be reduced as compared to the case of configuring the relay device such that only regenerative relay is performed.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the demodulation unit15, the decoding unit16, the coding unit17, and the modulation unit18are incorporated in the relay device1; and the path selection unit14determines whether transparent relay is performed or regenerative relay is performed. However, when a demand for a new communication system (a coding system, a modulation system) is increased after the relay device1is launched, the relay device1cannot support the new communication system. As a solution to this problem, a software wireless technique of incorporating a rewritable device into the relay device1for supporting a new communication system has been studied. However, because the absolute processing capability of the relay device1does not change, the relay device1cannot necessarily support the new communication system.

In the second embodiment, in connection to the above problem, a method of increasing the processing capability of the relay device1and supporting different communication systems after the relay device1is launched is explained.

FIG. 5is a configuration example of a satellite communication system according to a second embodiment. Similarly to the first embodiment, in the satellite communication system according to the present embodiment, one or more transmitters2and one or more receivers3are wirelessly connected via the relay device1to each other. The relay device1is also wirelessly connected to one or more auxiliary relay devices4. It is assumed that the auxiliary relay device4is launched by another method after the relay device1is launched and remains in a relatively still state while being adjacent to the relay device1. Any method may be used for a communication system between the relay device1and the auxiliary relay device4.

A configuration of the auxiliary relay device4will be explained.FIG. 6is a configuration example of the auxiliary relay device4. The auxiliary relay device4includes a transmission/reception unit41, a demodulation unit42, a decoding unit43, a coding unit44, and a modulation unit45.

The configuration of the relay device1is the same as that of the first embodiment except that a function of communicating with the auxiliary relay device4is added thereto. Accordingly, elements different from those of the first embodiment are explained here.

An operation of the satellite communication system according to the second embodiment is explained next.

In the path selection unit14of the relay device1, the path determination unit142instructs the selector143to perform “transparent relay” and “regenerative relay”, and to “discard signal” by the same method as that of the first embodiment. When the selector143is instructed to perform “transparent relay”, the selector143transfers a demultiplexed signal to the switch unit19. Meanwhile, when the selector143is instructed to perform “regenerative relay”, the selector143transfers a demultiplexed signal to a transmission/reception function unit (not shown) used for communicating with the auxiliary relay device4. That is, according to the present embodiment, when the path selection unit14decides that a demultiplexed signal received from the demultiplexing unit13undergoes “regenerative relay”, the path selection unit14transmits the demultiplexed signal to the auxiliary relay device4but not to the subsequent demodulation unit15.

In the auxiliary relay device4, the transmission/reception unit41receives a demultiplexed signal from the relay device1and the demodulation unit42performs a demodulation process on a signal received from the relay device1. Subsequently, the decoding unit43decodes demodulated data, the coding unit44codes the decoded data, and the modulation unit45modulates coded data. A modulation signal is then transferred via the transmission/reception unit41to the relay device1. It is assumed that the coding unit44and the modulation unit45support a coding system and a modulation system different from those of the coding unit17and the modulation unit18of the relay device1, respectively.

The relay device1transfers modulation data received from the auxiliary relay device4to the switch unit19and performs the same process as that of the first embodiment thereafter.

While the configuration ofFIG. 6and the above explanations assume a case of incorporating functions of demodulation, decoding, coding, and modulation in the auxiliary relay device4, all these functions do not necessarily need to be incorporated in the auxiliary relay device4and only a part of these functions may be incorporated therein. For example, it may be configured such that demodulation and decoding are performed in the relay device1, decoded data is transferred to the auxiliary relay device4, and the auxiliary relay device4performs only coding and modulation. Furthermore, the auxiliary relay device4may be configured by wirelessly connecting a plurality of devices to each other. For example, demodulation and decoding may be realized in different auxiliary relay devices4. In this case, it may be configured such that a demultiplexed signal transferred from the relay device1is demodulated in a first auxiliary relay device and a demodulated signal is wirelessly transferred to the second auxiliary relay device4and the signal is decoded therein.

As explained above, the second embodiment is configured such that the auxiliary relay device4is wirelessly connected to the relay device1. Furthermore, it is configured such that a demultiplexed signal is transferred from the relay device1to the auxiliary relay device4and a process from demodulation to modulation is performed in the auxiliary relay device4. With this configuration, even when there occurs a need to support a new communication system after the relay device1is launched, by launching the auxiliary relay device4, relay can be easily performed by a different communication system. Furthermore, because the auxiliary relay device4does not need to perform data communication with a ground station and it suffices that only communication between the relay device1and the auxiliary relay device4is realized, an antenna and an amplifier required for data transmission and reception can be downsized as compared to the relay device1.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the relay device according to the present invention is useful for a case where a wireless signal is relayed between a transmitter and a receiver, and is particularly suitable for a relay device that performs transparent relay and regenerative relay adaptively.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST