E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/ztetechnologies/2004year/no8/articles/200406/t20040611_161344.html[1/16/2014 4:23:04 PM]

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E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System

2004-06-11

1. Application Background of E-Guard System

Mobile base stations, with the features of large quantity, few equipment in a single site and wide distribution,

are always left unattended. In some countries, operators are facing much more trouble, such as wavy power

supply, inconvenient traffic, high temperature, overmuch rain and shortage of many regular operators, which

badly affects the normal operation of main equipment and power systems. Therefore, new requirements have

been put forward on the maintenance ability and maintenance quality provided by the operators.

The traditional equipment room maintenance adopts a "gate-keeping" mode or a "patrolling" mode. The

maintenance staff keeps watching in equipment rooms and base stations or patrols equipment rooms

periodically. Only at site, the maintenance staff can know clearly the operation status and parameters of the

communication and power equipment as well as environment indexes of equipment rooms.

In general, it is a common practice that the maintenance center informs the maintenance staff to present at the

site to solve problems once it receives equipment fault alarms. To implement such maintenance tasks, the

operator has to set up a maintenance department with rich human resources and enough vehicles. However,

as there are a huge number of mobile base stations, it normally takes a long time to complete a patrolling.

Furthermore, as base stations are widely distributed, not only inside cities but also along railways or roads, it

requires huge time and resources to patrol all base stations, especially those in remote areas.

For some outburst events, such as power failure and fire, the late notification to the maintenance staff will lead

to severe property losses. The traditional maintenance mode, therefore, is quite backward and passive. It is no

longer suitable for the quick developments of the communication industry due to its low efficiency, poor

reliability, slow response to failures, and wastes of manpower and material resources. All these form a

background for the generation of the power environment centralized supervision system.

The E-Guard system implements real-time supervision on scattered equipment rooms, equipment like power

of the base station, storage battery, high /low voltage distribution boxes, diesel engine and air-conditioner, and

environment parameters like temperature, fire and theft alarms via the remote transmission mode. It can

instantly make judgment on faults and generate alarms. It implements telecontrol and adjustment for remote

equipment so that equipment rooms and base stations can be left unattended. By adopting such a modern

supervision system, the following befits can be achieved:

Maintenance and management quality can be dramatically improved.

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E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

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Maintenance costs are greatly reduced.

Overall efficiency is increased, and a highly reliable and efficient maintenance system is established.

At present, some communication operators with the big subscriber bases, such as China Mobile and China

Unicom, adopt power environment centralized supervision systems in almost all their equipment rooms and

base stations. Outstanding effects have been approved. As an advanced maintenance and protection

measure, the power environment centralized supervision system has become an obligatory O&M support

system for operators and plays an important role in quickly developing the operators´ businesses.

2. System Structure

The E-guard system is shown in Fig. 2-1

Fig. 2-1 Structure of the E-Guard

The supervision unit comprises the monitor module and sensor/transmitter, and it samples data from the power

and environment and report the data to the supervision center. This unit also receives and executes

telecontrol commands from the supervision center.

The supervision center is composed by a LAN, which comprises the database server, integrated service

console and communication processor. Major functions of the supervision center are to monitor the power

equipment and environment parameters of the base station in real time, to implement intelligent analysis and

processing of information reported, and to execute telecontrol on supervised equipment and monitor modules.

The E-guard system has two-layer or three-layer structures shown as Fig. 2-2 and Fig. 2-3.

Fig. 2-2 Two-layer Networking Structure

E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/ztetechnologies/2004year/no8/articles/200406/t20040611_161344.html[1/16/2014 4:23:04 PM]

Fig. 2-3 Three-layer Networking Structure

3. Equipment Used in the E-Guard System

3.1 Multi-Function Integrative Supervision Unit (MISU)

Integrates various functions such as data sampling, processing, storage and communications. Other

supervision modules can be connected with MISU.

Provides 16 telemetering inputs (AI), 16 telesignaling inputs (DI), and 8 telecontrol outputs (DO).

Provides 3(RS-485/422/232 and one RS-232 intelligent protocol conversion interfaces

.

According to the transmission mode, MISU is of two types: MISUC and MISUE.

MISUC adopts the digital order wire channel for transmission. It provides four downlink interfaces of V.11/RS-

422 and RS-232 and two uplink interfaces of V.11/RS-422 and RS-232.

MISUE provides two pairs of E1 interfaces and occupies one timeslot in the E1 line for transmission.

3.2 Battery Monitor Unit (BMU)

An expert in storage battery management used for monitoring the storage battery and UPS.

Able to check up to 50 storage batteries. The sampling interval is less than 5s.

It can be used to measure the voltage and current of the storage battery unit and the temperature of 8

indicated storage batteries. The battery voltage measurement accuracy is better than +3mV.

Provides intelligent and self-adaptive functions. It can make judgment on battery failure and can predict the

maximum usage time of the storage battery.

Communication interfaces: RS-232 and RS-485.

3.3 PC2M Communication Processor

The PC2M communication processor implements exchange of supervision data between the 2M lines and the

supervision center LAN.

Base station data inserted via TSs are accumulated on one or multiple 2M lines via BSC/MSC. The PC2M

communication processor accesses the 2M lines via E1 interface, disassembles TSs, and sends the data to

the database and service console on LAN via the network card.

The PC2M communication processor also receives control commands from the supervision center and

transfers the commands to each base station according to the addresses.

The PC2M communication processor provides 1-4 E1 interfaces and a LAN interface.

Each PC2M communication processor can receive supervision data from up to 120 base stations.

4. Transmission Modes of the E-Guard System

The E-guard system provides flexible transmission modes. According to the existing transmission resources of

the user, it can implement data transmission via E1 timeslot, digital orderwire channel, IP, and E1 dedicated

line modes. It also supports hybrid networking.

E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

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4.1 E1 TS Transmission

In general, a base station is connected with BSC via an E1 line. Supervision data can be transmitted by

extracting an idle TS from the E1 line. At the supervision center side, by using the switching function of

BSC/MSC or the TS cross-connect function with external tandem equipment, TSs of multiple E1 lines can be

connected to one E1 line; supervision data from multiple base stations are hence accumulated on one E1 line.

The PC2M communication processor is adopted afterwards to extract the supervision data of each TS from

the E1 line and send the data to the supervision center for processing. Please refer to Fig. 4-1.

Fig. 4-1 E1 TS Transmission

In case the base stations are in the same transmission ring, one E1 line can be adopted to transmit

supervision data. Different TSs can be extracted from different base stations, while the dedicated E1 line is

connected with the supervision center, where the PC2M communication processor is adopted to extract the

supervision data for processing.

The E1 TS transmission mode provides real-time data transmission. Furthermore, it is simple in infrastructure

and saves investments.

4.2 Digital Orderwire Channel Transmission

The supervised data will be transmitted via the MISUC and the digital Orderwire channel offered by the

microwave/optical fiber base stations. In each base station, multi-level concatenation communications can be

implemented via the uplink/downlink interfaces to form the bus structure, until the concatenation is made with

the communication processor of the centralized supervision center. Each communication processor can be

connected with several hundred base stations. To improve the alarm response speed, more communication

processors can be adopted. Each local supervision center can be adopted as a sub-station of the superior

supervision center to form a bigger supervision system. Please refer to Fig. 4-2.

E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/ztetechnologies/2004year/no8/articles/200406/t20040611_161344.html[1/16/2014 4:23:04 PM]

Fig. 4-2 Transmission Via the Digital Orderwire Channel

5. E-Guard NMS

The E-guard supervision NMS (Network Management System) adopts the modular design mode. It is flexibly

configured and supports various communication transmission modes, fully catering to different supervision

requirements. After years´ developments, constant upgrading and customers´ applications, the E-guard NMS

has proved its advantages of complete functions, convenient maintenance, fine reliability, scalability and

compatibility.

5.1 Composition of the NMS

The E-guard NMS comprises the integrated service console, node communication processor, database server

and communication processor. Software developments adopt the modular structure. Configurations of software

can be very flexible according to the complexity of the system.

Integrated service console

The integrated service console displays the real-time status and parameters of equipment under supervision in

each base station. It provides control and adjustment interfaces, and enables such rich functions as data

statistics and report printing. The user implements supervision tasks mostly via the supervision service console

and executes centralized supervision and management on power equipment and environment.

The supervision service console provides friendly interfaces that facilitate configurations. It comprises one

main service console and multiple sub-service consoles. With different configurations, each service console

enables different functions, for example, the image sub-control console, report sub-console, air-conditioner

sub-control console, entrance control sub-control console, power sub-control console, and director control

console.

5.2 Features of the NMS

The E-guard NMS adopts advanced technologies and features rich characteristics. It guarantees high

practicality, maintainability and reliability and tailors the system to better satisfy customers´ requirements.

Entirely human centered configuration interfaces

Current status of the supervision system and parameters under supervision can be reflected by words, colors,

images, cartoon and sounds. Tens of configuration controls can be supported, including lines, rectangle, label,

input box, press-button, picture box, cartoon box, switch, instruments, knob, meter, measurement instruments,

and progress bar.

Configuration interfaces are not fixed but can be modified and designed by the super user according to

operation and maintenance requirements. The editing of configuration interfaces can be implemented online.

The template function of configuration interfaces is provided. The current configuration interface can be saved

as a template, which is then applied on current interfaces. Editing and configuration of interfaces are

simplified.

E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

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The NMS provides configuration interfaces that cater to the operation and maintenance requirements,

including the homogeneous equipment group, office flow chart and office location map. The workload of the

user can be reduced.

Rich report functions

The NMS provides rich report functions, including such expression modes as reports, curves and histograms.

This facilitates the statistics and analysis of supervision data.

The NMS provides daily reports, monthly reports, annual reports and self-defined reports. The user can modify

the report format. Reports can be saved in various formats (such as HTML and Excel).

Brand new authority management concept that ensures system operation and

maintenance security

The NMS supports three levels of management authority: super user, manager and on-duty staff.

The NMS stores all operation records to confirm definite responsibilities.

The NMS provides security management functions. The operation staff shall input the logon ID, authority

(level) and password before executing any operations.

Rich alarm and early warning functions, advanced alarm filtering mechanism

Three alarm levels can be set in the NMS: critical, major and minor.

In alarming, the NMS provides visible and audible alarm prompts.

The NMS provides the automatic alarm location function.

The NMS provides the alarm coordinative control function. It can automatically record field information and

send pages to the pager of the staff on duty.

It is configured with an intelligent expert study database to provide alarm solutions.

All alarms in the system can be compressed as per the user´s setting. The frequently occurred but not

important alarms can be saved in the minor alarm list of the system. These alarms can be set as shielding

alarms or shielding storage in the specified time sections. The user can make configurations to periodically or

manually delete alarms in the minor alarm list.

Fine scalability

The number of supervised sites at the controlled end office can be conveniently increased, which requires only

hardware addition and software configurations.

The number of controlled end offices can be conveniently increased. Such an expansion, similarly, requires

only hardware addition and software configurations.

Multiple types of sub service consoles can be added as per required. These consoles can be flexibly

configured. For example, the air-conditioning sub control console can monitor only the air-conditioner; the

power sub control console can monitor only the power. Sub consoles can be placed in different locations from

the supervision center.

Unique software remote online loading and upgrading function, which greatly reduces

maintenance workload

Card programs built in the collection module of the remotely supervised office can be remotely upgraded via

the downloading technology. The upgrading program can be downloaded remotely in the supervision center.

No upgrading on supervision modules is to be made at each end office. The workload in maintenance is

greatly reduced.

The system supports the remote downloading of communication processor software.

The system supports the online downloading of database and ordinary files.

(Chen Zhifen)

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E-Guard Mobile Base Station Centralized Supervision System - ZTE Corporation

http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/ztetechnologies/2004year/no8/articles/200406/t20040611_161344.html[1/16/2014 4:23:04 PM]

Very useful So-so Poor

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