Mobile telecommunications network with distributed base stations
A mobile telecommunications local area network ( 20 ) is described with a concentrator ( 32 ) connected to a plurality of radio heads ( 36, 38 ) via a local area network (LAN, 20 ). The concentrator ( 32 ) provides remote control of a local timing signal individually in each radio head. The control may be open loop or closed loop and may be provided through the LAN. The concentrator may also provide digital signal processing (DSP) as a shared resource for the radio heads ( 36, 38 ). The DSP may include channel coding. The radio heads ( 36, 38 ) may provide modulation for channel coded signals transmitted from the concentrator ( 32 ) via the LAN ( 20 ). The LAN may be wired LAN or a wireless LAN.
1. A concentrator for connection on one side to a mobile radio communication network, and for connection on another side on a local area network (LAN) having at least one radio head, the concentrator comprising:
at least one interface to the LAN for receiving incoming radio samples and transmitting outgoing radio signals; and
digital signal processing units for:
processing at least user messages and/or signaling messages to generate the outgoing radio signals,
transmitting the outgoing radio signals to the at least one interface for transmission from a radio transmitter,
performing at least one function, said at least one function comprises channel coding of the user messages and/or signaling messages to generate outgoing channel coded radio signals, and
remotely controlling a local timing signal required for operation of the at least one radio head on the LAN,
wherein a number of the at least one interface is less than a number of the at least one radio head.
2. The concentrator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one function comprises demodulating the incoming radio samples received via the at least one interface from a mobile radio terminal.
3. The concentrator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one function comprises demodulating the incoming radio samples received via the at least one interface from a mobile radio terminal.
4. The concentrator according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one function comprises deciphering, burst unformatting, de-interleaving and channel decoding signals received via the at least one interface from the mobile radio terminal.
5. The concentrator according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one function comprises channel coding, interleaving, burst formatting and ciphering of the user messages and/or signaling messages to generate the outgoing radio signals.
6. The concentrator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one interface is of an Ethernet type.
7. The concentrator according to claim 1 , wherein the LAN is a wireless LAN.
8. The concentrator according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one interface is of a Wireless LAN type.
9. The concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the digital signal processing units are shared resources.
10. The concentrator according to claim 1 , wherein the concentrator is a single base station.
11. Radio head for connection on one side for use as a shared resource on a local area network (LAN) and on another side for communicating with mobile terminals via an air interface, the radio head comprising:
an interface to the LAN for receiving from a concentrator outgoing channel coded radio signals, and transmitting to the concentrator non-demodulated incoming radio signals received from the mobile terminals;
a unit for modulating the received outgoing channel coded radio signals; and
a synchronizing unit for receiving signals from the LAN for remote control by the concentrator of a local timing signal required for operation of the radio head.
12. The radio head according to claim 11 , wherein the interface is of an Ethernet type.
13. The radio head according to claim 11 , wherein the LAN is a wireless LAN.
14. The radio head according to claim 13 , wherein the interface is of a Wireless LAN type.
15. A distributed base station connectable with a mobile radio communication network, comprising:
a radio head for connection on one side for use as a shared resource on a local area network (LAN) and on another side for radio communication with one or more user terminals compatible with the mobile radio communication network; and
a concentrator for connection on one side to the mobile radio communication network, and for connection on another side on the LAN,
the concentrator comprising:
a LAN interface to a local shared resource network for receiving from the radio head incoming radio samples and transmitting to the radio head outgoing radio signals, and
digital signal processing units for:
channel coding at least user messages and/or signaling messages to generate the outgoing channel coded signals,
transmitting the outgoing channel coded signals to the LAN interface for transmission from the radio head,
demodulating the incoming radio samples received via said LAN interface of the concentrator from a mobile radio terminal via the radio head, and
remote controlling a local timing signal required for operation of the radio head on the LAN,
the radio head comprising:
a LAN interface to the local shared resource network for receiving from the concentrator the outgoing channel coded radio signals, and transmitting to the concentrator non-demodulated incoming radio signals received from the mobile terminals,
a unit for modulating the received outgoing channel coded radio signals, and
a synchronizing unit for receiving signals from the LAN for remote control by the concentrator of the local timing signal required for operation of the radio head.
16. The distributed base station according to claim 15 , wherein the LAN interfaces of the concentrator and the radio head are of an Ethernet type.
17. The distributed base station according to claim 15 , wherein the LAN is a wireless LAN.
18. The distributed base station according to claim 17 , wherein the LAN interface of the concentrator and the radio head are of a Wireless LAN type.