Diversity antenna communication system

Abstract: A diversity antenna communication system for mounting on and use with a mobile body. The system includes at least two receiving systems having different propagation paths from one another. During the transmission, a radio wave including receiving system change-over timing signals inserted therein is radiated. Upon reception, the change-over timing signals are extracted to control reception.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a diversity antenna communication system as indicated in the pre-characterizing part of claim 1. Such a prior art diversity antenna communication system is known from "Patents Abstracts of Japan" vol. 9, no.35 (E-296) (1758), 14.02.85 and JP-A-59 178 830, in which a data signal consisting of plural cycles which are partitioned into plural frames is transmitted. At least one transmitted frame includes an antenna control word ANTC. During each antenna control word,reception levels of signals received by two different antennas are measured and compared with each other. On the basis of this comparison the antenna providing the higher level of both is selected and switched over to a receiving section during the antenna control word in order to be used for receiving the subsequent data frame. EP-A-0 124 319 discloses a radio telephone system using two diversity antennas and one receiver/transmitter section. A terminal station transmits the same preamble signal in at least two time slots of a frame period of a time division sequence, followed by a binary message signal. A portable station receives each preamble transmission from the terminal station via both of the differently oriented antennas and determines which antenna received the strongest signal. The message signal from the terminal station is then received via the antenna of the portable station having received the strongest signal and the portable station also sends its response message signal on that antenna during a separate time slot of the frame period. GB-A-1000606 discloses a diversity receiving system incorporating two receivers for data signals in the form of time spaced pulse groups and comprises means for selecting a channel providing the strongest signal and for insuring that the change over from one channel to another takes place only during the space between pulse groups. "IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics", August '82, page 437 to 445, I. Yashima, discloses a TV receiver for cars in which plural diversity receiving antennas, each with different directivity, receive a TV signal simultaneously. During every TV signal vertical blanking period, reception levels of each antenna channel are measured and then a TV receiver is switched to a selected antenna channel having the highest reception level. Level comparison, channel selection and channel switching are all carried out during said vertical blanking period. An example of a conventional diversity signal receiving apparatus employed in a diversity antenna communication system is shown in Fig. 1. That is, two signal receiving antennas 3a and 3b provided for different signal propagation paths are connected to two distributors 4a and 4b, respectively. The first distributor 4a is connected to a signal receiver 6 and to a first level monitor circuit 12; whereas the second distributor 4b is connected to a second level monitor circuit 13 and to a dummy resistor 14 equivalent in impedance to the signal receiver 6. The two level monitor circuits 12 and 13 are connected to a level comparison circuit 8. The distributors 4a and 4b operate to distribute signals received through the receiving antennas 3a and 3b to loads (the receiver 6 and the dummy resistor 14) and to the level monitor circuits 12 and 13, respectively. The level monitor circuits 12 and 13 monitor the levels of the signals received through the distributors 4a and 4b (hereinafter referred to as "reception levels", when applicable). The level comparison circuit 8 compares the reception levels monitored by the level monitor circuits 12 and 13 with each other for detection of the reversal of the reception levels, so that in the signal receiving system providing a higher reception level the distributor is connected to the receiver, and in the preceding signal receiving system the distributor is connected to the dummy resistor. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining reception levels in the conventional diversity signal receiving apparatus, and its antenna switching timing. More specifically, Fig. 2(A) shows an electric field strength at a signal receiving point, Fig. 2(B) shows the antenna switching timing, and Fig. 2(C) shows the relationship between received data blocks and the antenna switching timing. The two signal receiving antennas receive a radio wave from a signal transmitting station, to provide two reception levels (indicated by the thin solid line (a) and the broken line (b) in Fig. 2(A)). When the reception levels are reversed (as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2), the signal receiving antenna selected previously is switched over to the receiving antenna providing the highest reception level, which provides a diversity field strength (as indicated by the heavy solid line (c) in Fig. 2(A)). Thus, the signal can be received through the signal receiving system providing the highest reception level at all times. Therefore, the effect of deep fading can be minimized. However, when the communication system switches one receiving antenna to the other, the phases before and after the change-over action are not continuous because of the difference in propagation paths. Further, although data which are divided into blocks of data signals, such as a synchronizing word, a control word, a talking word, and so on are transmitted continuously, the continuity of data, and moreover, the data itself are lost at the time of the change-over action as shown in Fig. 2(C). Therefore, to provide the lost data, it is necessary to retransmit. In addition, in the case where the difference in level between the input signals received by the signal receiving system is small, the frequency of switching the signal receiving systems is increased, and accordingly the probability that the data is lost by the switching of the signal receiving systems is increased. This disadvantage will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3. In the case where the difference in level between the input (indicated by the solid line in Fig. 3(A)) received by a signal receiving system A and that (indicated by the broken line in Fig. 3(A)) received by a signal receiving system B is small (hereinafter referred to as "having substantially the same level", when applicable), the frequency of reversal of the reception levels is increased. A reception level determining unit detects such a frequent level reversal to output signal receiving system switching signals (as shown in Figs. 3(B) and 3(C)). Thus, the signal receiving systems are frequently switched over to each other, with the result that the data is cut and lost during the switching operation. Furthermore, there is a problem that data transmitted by a mobile body is not transmitted to the called station. In order to transmit signals from a mobile body, a non-directional mono-pole antenna is used. With the non-directional antenna, data is not transmitted at some times because the position of the mobile body is changed frequently and therefore the reception level transmitted from the called station changes frequently. For a single communication, signals are transmitted and received between fixed stations through directional diversity antennas. This is to separate an aimed station from a plurality of stations, thereby to perform selective communications. It is the object of the invention to improve a communication system indicated in the precharacterizing part of claim 1 such that data loss is prevented and the amount of transmitted data is maximized. This object is solved by the characterizing features as claimed in claim 1. The inventive communication system is characterized in that each of the plural receiving systems comprises a distributer which splits up the received series of signals, conducting them to the receiving system change-over means as well as to the level comparing means. Therefore, the levels of incoming signal series can be measured and compared and the antenna providing the strongest signal can be selected during transmission of data signals. During the receiving system change-over timing signals, only the receiving system changeover switching procedure takes place. For this reason the timing signals for system change-over can be very much shorter than the corresponding signals used in the prior art. As a consequence the data signal sequences containing information may be much longer than those of the prior art, thereby increasing data throughput. By feeding received signal series in parallel to the change-over means and to the comparing means by provision of distributers, it is easily feasible to measure and compare more than only two receiving channels. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the appended sub-claims. In the following the invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional diversity signal receiving apparatus; Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating the signal reception levels of the conventional diversity signal receiving apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 and the antenna switching timing thereof; Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the diversity receiving antenna communication system, which is a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a diagram demonstrating the operation of the diversity receiving antenna communication system as shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the output timing of a receiving system change-over flag and a receiving system change-over signal according to the invention over a predetermined period; Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a diversity receiving antenna communication system, which is a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the diversity antenna communication system shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 shows an example of a circuit arrangement of the receiving system change-over means in the diversity antenna communication system of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a diversity receiving antenna communication system according to a first embodiment of the invention, having a transmission side and a reception side. The transmission side comprises: a transmitting data producing means 1 for producing a series of data with receiving system change-over flags (f) inserted at the regions other than data region for data blocks, such as a synchronizing word (s), a control word (c) (a call signal, or the like), a talking word (w), and so on; and a transmitting antenna 2 for radiating the produced series of data (as shown in Fig. 5(A)). In this embodiment, the receiving system change-over flags (f) are inserted at intervals between the data blocks. However, the receiving system change-over flags(f) may be disposed at any regions so far as the regions are not overlapped with data regional. A reception side, located on the mobile body, comprises: directive antennas 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, (each generally situated at an angular interval of 90° and covering all directions from 0 to 360 degrees); distributors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d for distributing each of the reception signals from the respective directive antennas 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d to a receiving system change-over means and a level comparator as described below; receiving system change-over means 5 for selecting a channel, in which the maximum reception level can be obtained, from channels 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d in accordance with a receiving system change-over signal (described later); a receiver 6 for extracting the synchronizing word (s), the control word (c), the talking word (w), and the receiving system change-over flags (f) from the reception signal supplied through the channel providing the maximum reception level by the receiving system change-over means 5; a change-over clock pulse producing means 7 for producing a change-over clock pulse (as shown in Fig. 5(B)) having a period corresponding to the receiving system change-over flag (f) extracted by the receiver 6; and a level comparator 8 for receiving the change-over clock pulse from the change-over clock pulse producing means 7, for monitoring and comparing the reception levels of the respective reception signals from distributors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d to select one of the receiving systems in which the maximum reception level can be obtained, and for supplying a receiving system change-over signal (as shown in Fig. 5(C)) to the receiving system change-over means 5 at the input timing of the change-over clock pulse. Since a propagation path is constituted by the transmitting antenna 2 to the channels of the receiving system change-over means 5, it is defined that the receiving systems are constituted by the components along this path (i.e., a transmitting antenna, a directive antenna, a respective distributor, and a respective channel). The number of the receiving systems may be increased or decreased. The level comparator 8 will be described in more detail. The level comparator 8 comprises a multiplexer 81, an amplifier 82, a demodulator 83, an A/D converter 84, a CPU 85, and a memory 86. The multiplexer 81 changes over channels 81′ from one to another every predetermined period (unlike the receiving system change-over means 5, which only changes over to a new channel in response to a receiving system change-over signal from the CPU 8) in accordance with a timing signal supplied from the CPU 85 to supply one of the reception signals from the distributors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d to the amplifier 82. Accordingly, the CPU 85 can sample the reception signals from each directive antenna 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, to determine which receiving system has the maximum reception level. The demodulator 83 envelope-detects the amplified reception signal. The A/D converter 84 converts the envelope-detected signal to a digital signal. The CPU 85 stores the digital signal (corresponding to the reception level) in the memory 86, and then compares the signals to select the receiving system in which the maximum reception level can be obtained. Upon selection of a new receiving system, the CPU 85 supplies a receiving system change-over signal to the receiving system change-over means 5 when the change-over clock pulse producing means 7 produces the change-over clock pulse. In other words, the CPU 85 has a reception level monitoring period (as shown by a stripe in Fig. 5(C)) for supplying a channel change-over signal to the multiplexer 81 and a change-over timing period (as shown by a slant line in Fig. 5(C)) for outputting a receiving system change-over signal with a period which is an integer multiple of the reception level monitoring period. The operation of the diversity receiving antenna communication system having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 5, in which Fig. 5(A) shows transmission data produced by the transmission data producing portion 1, Fig.5(B) shows a period of a change-over clock pulse, and Fig.5(C) shows the relationship between the reception level monitoring period and the change-over timing period. A data signal radiated from the transmission data producing means 1 includes a synchronizing word (s), a control word (c), a talking word (w) and so on, which are formatted therein. Receiving system change-over flags (f) are inserted, for example, between the words as shown in Fig. 5(A). A series of data signals thus constructed are transmitted through the transmitting antenna 2 to all the mobile bodies located within a radio wave radiation area. Control data are designated as either general calling data, or specified mobile body/bodies calling data to call the appropriate mobile station or stations. At the mobile station side, directive antennas 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are disposed in two directions to receive the radio waves. The distributors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d distribute each reception signal to the receiving system change-over means 5 and the level comparator 8. One of the reception signals distributed to the receiving system change-over means 5 is applied to the receiver 6 through one of the channels 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d which is selected in response to the change-over means control signal from the level comparator 8 to maximize the reception level. The control word (c), the talking word (w), and the receiving system change-over flags (f) are extracted from the reception signal by the receiver 6. A change-over clock pulse is produced by the change-over clock pulse producing means 7 on the basis of the receiving system change-over flags (f). Meanwhile, the reception signals distributed to the level comparator 8 by the distributors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are fed successively to the amplifier 82 through the channels 81′ of the multiplexer 81 at the predetermined period. The envelope of the reception signals is detected by the demodulator 83 and converted by the A/D converter 84 to digital data. The digital envelope data (i.e., the reception levels) are stored in the memory 86, and compared in the CPU 85 to select one of the receiving systems in which the maximum reception level can be obtained. Upon reception of the change-over clock pulse from the change-over clock pulse producing means 7, the CPU 85 supplies the receiving system change-over means 5 with the change-over means control signal for instructing a change over from one receiving system to another receiving system providing the reception signal of the maximum reception level. As shown in Fig. 6, the two receiving systems can be compared with respect to their electric field intensity. On inversion of reception levels A and B, the system will change-over from one receiving system to another on the very next change-over clock pulse. As a result, signal reception can be made at the maximum reception level without loss of data because the change-over action occurs in the regions other than data blocks. In addition, if the receiving system change-over flags (f) are inserted at intervals between the data blocks, the signal reception can be made every data block. Fading may be reduced by suitably setting the duration and period of the receiving system change-over flag based upon a relationship with a fading period which, in turn, depends on the length of the block data and the speed of the mobile body. Although the transmission efficiency is lowered in the above-mentioned embodiment because at least one 1-bit receiving system change-over flag is inserted at every interval between data, the transmission efficiency is superior to the case where retransmission of data is required. In comparison with a system in which a correction code is added to each block data, it is possible to shorten the length of data to further improve the transmission efficiency. As described above, in the diversity antenna communication system according to the invention, a radio wave having receiving system change-over timing signals inserted at the regions other than those for data, for example, at intervals between the data is radiated from the transmission side. At the reception side, the receiving system change-over timing signals are extracted out of the radio wave and used to produce a change-over clock pulse. Meanwhile, a level comparator 8 continuously monitors the reception levels of receiving systems to discern the maximum reception level. Upon inversion of reception levels, the level comparator 8 sends the receiving system change-over means 5 an instruction signal for switching one receiving system to the other to obtain the maximum reception level. This instruction is sent at a period corresponding to the receiving system change-over timing signals. Therefore, the receiving system can be changed over at periods other than those for the data. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent data from being lost at the time of change-over of the receiving system. Fig. 7 shows the arrangement of the diversity receiving antenna communication system of a second embodiment of the invention. The system shown in Fig. 7 is different from that shown in Fig. 4 in that the diversity antennas are utilized for signal transmission and reception. In this embodiment, the signal receiving system change-over means 5 is connected to a transmission and reception change-over means 9, which is connected to the receiver 6 and to a transmitter 10, and the receiver 6 is connected to a transmission and reception change-over signal generator 11 which produces a data reception acknowledge signal and a transmission and reception change-over signal for switching signal reception over to signal transmission in response to a data transmission request signal provided by the operator. The transmission and reception change-over signal produced by the transmission and reception change-over signal generator 11 is applied to the CPU 85 in the level comparison circuit 8. The CPU 85, in response to the transmission and reception change-over signal, reads the envelope data from the memory 86, and applies a signal to the signal receiving system change-over means 5 to select the signal receiving system providing the highest reception level, and supplies an instruction signal for switching signal reception over to signal transmission to the transmission and reception change-over means 9. The diversity antenna communication system thus organized will be described with reference to a flow chart shown in Fig. 8. In Step S₁, the reception levels of the signal receiving systems are detected, so that the antenna providing the highest reception level is determined. In Step S₂, it is determined whether or not the antenna providing the highest reception level is being used for actual signal reception. When it is determined that the antenna being used for actual signal reception provides the highest reception level, then Step S₁ is effected again; and when it is not, in Step S₃ the change-over data (reception level) is stored in the memory 86 until arrival of the change-over clock pulse. In Step S₄, upon arrival of the change-over clock pulse, the antenna in signal reception is switched over to the antenna providing the highest reception level, and the level monitoring operation in Step S₁ is carried out again. (The operations in Steps S₁ through S₄ are performed by the level comparison circuit 8.) In Step S₅, the receiver determines according to a data block received whether or not it is reception data. When it is determined that it is reception data, then in Step S₆, the data is fetched and processed, for instance, into audio signals. When it is determined that it is not reception data, Step S₅ is effected again (standby for signal reception). In Step S₇, it is determined whether or not the transmission and reception change-over signal generator 11 has received the data reception acknowledge signal (ACK) from the receiver 6, and it is determined whether or not the operator has provided the data transmission request signal. When no such signals have been provided, the operation in Step S₅ is carried out again. When it is determined that those signals have been provided, in Step S₈ the transmission and reception change-over signal is produced and applied to the level comparison circuit 8, and in Step S₉ with the change-over data read out of the memory 86, the antenna providing the highest reception level is selected and the reception-to-transmission and reception change-over instruction signal is applied to the transmission and reception change-over means 9. In Step S₁₀, transmission data is transmitted through the antenna providing the highest reception level. Upon completion of the transmission, Step S₅ is effected again. In the above-described embodiment, the level comparison circuit 8 detects the antenna providing the highest reception level on the basis of the reception levels which are monitored at all times. In transmission of data, the transmission and reception change-over means 9 operates to connect the transmitter to the antenna thus detected;that is, the transmission is carried out with the antenna which provides the highest reception level. In this case, the called station can receive the signal at a maximum level because of the antenna reversibility, which means that the antenna providing the highest signal reception level at a transmission side can provide the highest signal reception level at a reception side. Thus, the mobile body communication can be improved in quality, and the difficulty that transmission data is not transmitted to the called station can be substantially eliminated. In the communication system of the invention, unlike a conventional communication system using monopole antennas, the directional antennas are used with transmission and reception modes alternated, which eliminates the difficulty that a mobile body (mobile station) receives the radio wave which it has transmitted. In the embodiments as described above, the receiving system change-over means 5 has a circuit arrangement, for example, as shown in Fig. 9, but is not limited thereto. The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment only. For instance, it may be modified as follows: Of the antennas of four signal receiving systems, the antenna providing the lowest reception level is interrupted, and the remaining three antennas are used for signal transmission and reception. In this case, signal reception is made with fading reduced, and signal transmission can be made over a wide range. Therefore, for instance in the case of an emergency, the mobile station can communicate with stations other than predetermined stations. In the system according to the first embodiment of the invention, the signal transmission side transmits a radio wave including the signal receiving system change-over signal inserted in the region other than data region, for example, between data region, and the signal reception side extracts the signal receiving system change-over signal from the radio wave received, and selects the signal receiving system highest in reception level at the period corresponding to the signal receiving system change-over signal thus extracted, and therefore the possibility of data loss at the alternation in reception level of the signal receiving systems can be eliminated. In the system according to the second embodiment of the invention, the antenna in the signal receiving system highest in reception level is used as a transmitting antenna, so that the called station (or fixed station) can receive a radio wave with less fading, which reduces the probability that transmission data is not transmitted to the station. In the system according to a further embodiment of the invention a signal receiving system of the lowest level in signal reception level of at least two signal receiving systems is interrupted, and the antennas in the remaining signal receiving systems are used for signal communication. Thus, signals can be received with less fading, and can be transmitted over a wide range, with the result that, for instance in an emergency, signal communication can be made with stations other than the predetermined stations.

Claims: A diversity antenna communication system comprising: a transmission side (1,2) for producing and radiating a series of signals (s,c,w,f) including data signals (s,c,w) and receiving system change-over timing signals (f); and a reception side comprising: plural receiving systems (3a,4a;3b,4b;3c,4c;3d,4d,) for receiving the series of signals (s,c,w,f); change-over clock pulse producing means (7) for producing a change-over clock pulse in response to each of the receiving system change-over timing signals (f); level comparing means (8) for monitoring and comparing respective reception levels of a part of said series of signals (s,c,w,f) at a predetermined period and outputting a change-over control signal indicating the comparative result in response to the change-over clock pulse; and receiving system change-over means (5) for selecting from said plural receiving systems (3a,4a;3b,4b;3c,4c;3d,4d) a receiving system providing the part of said series of signals (s,c,w,f) of the maximun reception level in response to the change-over control signal and outputting the series of the data signals (s,c,w) and the receiving system change-over timing signals (f) of said receiving system, characterized in that said part of said series of signals (s,c,w,f) is said data signals (s,c,w); and each of said receiving systems (3a,4a;3b,4b;3c,4c;3d,4d) comprises a distributor (4a;4b;4c;4d) for distributing said received series of signals (s,c,w,f) into said receiving system change-over means (5) and said level comparing means (8). A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said receiving system change-over timing signals (f) are provided in time regions other than those for said data signals (s,c,w). A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said receiving system change-over timing signals (f) are inserted at intervals between said data signals (s,c,w). A diversity receiving antenna communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said change-over clock pulse producing means (7) produces a change-over clock pulse having a period corresponding to the receiving system change-over signals (f). A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each of said receiving systems (3a,4a;3b,4b;3c,4c;3d,4d) comprises a directive antenna (3a;3b;3c;3d) for receiving said radiated series of signals (s,c,w,f) including said data signals (s,c,w) and said receiving systems change-over timing signals (f). A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said level comparing means (8) comprises: a multiplexer (81) having a plurality of channels (81′) for changing over channels from one another at the predetermined period; an amplifier (82) for amplifying the received series of signals (s,c,w,f); a demodulator (83) for detecting an envelope of the amplified received series of signals; a converter (84) for converting the envelope detected series of signals to a digital signal; a CPU (85) for controlling the operation; and a memory (86) for storing the digital signal. A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said reception side further comprises a receiver (6) for receiving the series of the data signals (s,c,w) and the receiving system change-over timing signals (f) outputted from said receiving system change-over means (5), a transmitter (10) for transmitting a series of signals, transmisssion and reception change-over signal generating means (11) for producing and outputting to said level comparing means (8) an instruction signal for transmission in response to a data transmission request signal provided by an operator, and transmission and reception change-over means (9) for switching the connection of said receiver (6) and said receiving system providing the maximum reception level to that of said transmitter (10) and said receiving system in response to said instruction signal. A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said transmission side (1,2) comprises: transmitting data producing means (1) for producing said series of signals (s,c,w,f) and a transmitting antenna (2) for radiating said series of signals (s,c,w,f); and in that said receiving system change-over means (5) has a plurality of channels (5a,5b,5c,5d) for selecting a channel in which a maximum reception level can be obtained. A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said CPU (85) continuously monitors said channel (81′) of said multiplexer (81), changes over channels (81′) every predetermined period, and supplies a change-over control signal to said receiving system change-over means (5) on the change-over clock pulse upon detection of a higher maximum reception level in one of said channels (81′) of said multiplexer (81) to change-over said channels (5a,5b,5c,5d) of said receiving system change-over means (5) to obtain a higher maximum reception level. A diversity antenna communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a receiving system providing the minimum reception level in said plural receiving systems (3a,4a;3b,4b;3c,4c;3d,4d) is interrupted and the remaining receiving systems are used for signal transmission and reception.

Inventors: HIGUCHI HARUKAZU C O OSAKA WOR, SHIBANO YOSHIZO C O OSAKA WORK, HIGUCHI, HARUKAZU C/O OSAKA WORKS OF, SHIBANO, YOSHIZO C/O OSAKA WORKS OF
Applicants: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H04B7
IPC codes: H04B7