Communications network, in particular for telephony

Abstract

A communications network, in particular for telephony, comprises at least one operator, a plurality of remote units for exchanging signals with mobile terminals and an interface unit for controlling the data traffic between the operator and the remote units. The interface unit is connected to the remote units by a first transmission support, in which the main signal propagates. The main signal is divided into a plurality of secondary signals, each identified by a preset parameter value. Each remote unit is designed to process at least one secondary signal selected from amongst the secondary signals into which the main signal is divided. The secondary signal is identified by the remote unit according to the above-mentioned preset parameter value.

1 . A communications network, in particular for telephony, comprising: 
 at least one operator;    a plurality of remote units designed to exchange signals with the operator and to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with mobile terminals;    an interface unit inserted between the operator and the remote units, the interface unit having at least one input for receiving signals from the remote units and at least one output for sending signals to the remote units, the interface unit also being designed to exchange signals with the operator;    a first transmission support for connecting the interface unit to the remote units, the first transmission support being designed to support a main signal, the first transmission support having a first end connected to the interface unit input and at least a second end connected to the interface unit output, the main signal consisting of a plurality of secondary signals, each identified by a preset parameter value, each of the remote units receiving said main signal and being designed to process a secondary signal intended for it, each of the remote unites being able to select at least one secondary signal intended for it from said main signal according to the preset parameter value.    
   
   
       2 . The network according to  claim 1 , wherein the preset parameter is a wavelength, the remote units sending to and receiving from the interface unit signals at the wavelength (λi) associated with them.  
   
   
       3 . The network according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary signals received from and sent to the interface unit by the remote units are bundled and preferably multiplexed by the interface unit according to the dense wave division multiplexing (D-WDM) technique.  
   
   
       4 . The network according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission support comprises an optic fibre support, the main signal being an optical signal propagating from the second end to the first end.  
   
   
       5 . The network according to  claim 1 , wherein each remote unit comprises: 
 a signal transmission block connected to the first transmission support for picking up at least one secondary signal from the main signal to be transmitted in the DL;    a signal reception block connected to the first transmission support for adding at least one signal received in the UL to the main signal;    an antenna attached to the signal transmission block and to the signal reception block for transmitting RF signals to the mobile terminals and for receiving RF signals from the mobile terminals.    
   
   
       6 . The network according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface unit comprises: 
 a signal transmission circuit connected to the output and connected to the second end of the first transmission support, the signal transmission circuit picking up signals from the operator and sending them to the remote units;    a signal reception circuit connected to the input and connected to the first end of the first transmission support, the signal reception circuit receiving signals from the remote units and transmitting them to the operator.    
   
   
       7 . The network according to  claim 6 , wherein the signal transmission circuit comprises: 
 a first routing matrix with at least one input connected to the operator for receiving a signal from the operator and two or more outputs for sending electrical signals;    a first electro-optical converter unit connected to the outputs of the first routing matrix, for transforming the electrical signals from the first routing matrix into optical signals;    a multiplexer between the first electro-optical converter unit and the second end of the first transmission support, for bundling and transferring the optical signals from the first electro-optical converter unit in the first transm    
   
   
       8 . The network according to  claim 6 , wherein the signal reception circuit comprises: 
 a demultiplexer connected to the first end of the first transmission support, for receiving the main signal and having a plurality of outputs for sending optical signals;    a second electro-optical converter unit connected to the outputs of the demultiplexer for transforming the optical signals sent by the demultiplexer into electrical signals;    a second routing matrix with two or more inputs connected to the second electro-optical converter unit and at least one output connected to the operator.    
   
   
       9 . A communications network, comprising: 
 at least one operator; a first remote unit and at least a second remote unit, the remote units being designed to exchange signals with the operator and to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with the mobile terminals;    an interface unit inserted between the operator and the remote units, the interface unit having at least one input for receiving signals from the remote units and at least one output for sending signals to the remote units, the interface unit also being designed to exchange signals with the operator;    a first transmission support for connecting the interface unit to the remote units , the first transmission support being designed to support a main signal, the first transmission support having a first end connected to the interface unit input and at least a second end connected to the interface unit outputwherein the first remote unit has a first input directly connected to the interface unit output by the first transmission support and a first output, the second remote unit having a first input connected to the first output of the first remote unit by the first transmission support and a first output directly connected to the interface unit input by the first transmission support, the main signal propagating in the first transmission support from the second end to the first end.    
   
   
       10 . The network according to  claim 9 , wherein the first transmission support basically consists of an optic fibre loop passing through each remote unit, the main signal being an optical signal propagating in the loop from the first remote unit to the second remote unit.  
   
   
       11 . The network according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of operators which can be connected to the remote units by means of the interface unit.  
   
   
       12 . The network according to  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of operators which can be connected to the remote units by means of the interface unit.  
   
   
       13 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein a first remote unit has a first input directly connected to the interface unit output by the first transmission support and a first output, a second remote unit having a first input connected to the first output of the first remote unit by the first transmission support and a first output directly connected to the interface unit input by the first transmission support, the main signal propagating in the first transmission support from the second end to the first end.  
   
   
       14 . The network of  claim 13 , wherein the first transmission support comprises an optic fibre loop passing through each remote unit, the main signal being an optical signal propagating in the loop from the first remote unit to the second remote unit.