AU2015288583B2

AU2015288583B2 - Optoelectronic hybrid cable, and terminal box for optoelectronic hybrid cable

Info

Publication number: AU2015288583B2
Application number: AU2015288583A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jong-Seb Baeck; Sung-Su Jin; Soo-Gon Ok
Original assignee: LS Cable and Systems Ltd
Current assignee: LS Cable and Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2014-07-11
Filing date: 2015-06-30
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2035-06-30
Also published as: KR101965011B1; AU2015288583A1; KR20160007327A

Abstract

The present invention relates to: a terminal box for an optoelectronic hybrid cable, having improved workability for a connection operation between the optoelectronic hybrid cable and a jumper cable at a base station, and a minimised installation space; and an optoelectronic hybrid cable mounted in the terminal box and diverging therefrom.

Description

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2015288583 29 Jan 2018

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a terminal box for the optical fiber and power line composite cable. More particularly, the present invention relates to a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, which is capable of improving workability of connection between the optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable at a base station and minimizing an installation space, and an optical fiber and power line composite cable branching by being mounted into the terminal box.

BACKGROUND [0002] In conventional mobile communications, a communication signal is transmitted to a base station from a key station of a communication provider or the like, and a radio-frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a base transceiver station (BTS) of the base station is wirelessly transmitted via an antenna of the base station.

Furthermore, a radio signal transmitted from a user's portable

WO 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 terminal is received via the antenna of the base station, is amplified by a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA.) , and is then transmitted to the

BTS .

[0003] In this case, the BTS, the TMA, and the antenna of the base station are connected to one another using a coaxial feeder.

However, a signal loss occurs in the coaxial feeder to a larger extent as the length of a cable is increased. When the antenna is installed at a tower of a height of several meters, a signal loss may occur to a large extent in the coaxial feeder connecting the base station on the ground and the antenna. Due to the signal loss in the coaxial feeder, a signal provided from the base station attenuates without reaching a signal intensity required at the antenna. Thus, the TMA. is installed to compensate for the signal loss and amplify the signal.

[0004] However, the TMA. consumes a relatively large amount of power to amplify the signal. Accordingly, it is expensive to repair and maintain the TMA. and thus the efficiency of the TMA. is low in terms of the whole system.

[0005] As the FTTx (Fiber to the X) technology has evolved and relay devices are becoming smaller, base-station facilities have been developed. An optical unit is advantageous in that a signal attenuates to a minimum level according to the length of a cable, when compared to a coaxial cable. A remote radio head (RRH) has been developed based on the advantage of the optical unit, whereby an optical signal is transmitted close to an antenna of a base station

WO 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 so as to minimize a signal loss and is then converted into an RF signal which may be emitted before the antenna.

[0006] The RRH may supplement high power consumption and inefficient repair and maintenance of a mobile-communication base station employing the conventional TMA. A remote RF unit (RRU) may be separated from an RRH in a conventional BTS and then the RRH may be disposed below an antenna of a tower of a base station and be remotely controlled.

[0007] Here, remaining parts of the conventional BTS after the

RRU is separated from the RRH, i.e., a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU), are connected to the RRU via an optical fiber and power line composite cable including optical units in which signal attenuation hardly occurs according to the length of a cable and power line units. Communication signals from the BBU and the PSU are supplied to the RRU via the optical units of the optical fiber and power line composite cable. Power is supplied to the RRU via the power line units of the optical fiber and power line composite cable.

[0008] Since the RRU may be installed on a top end of a tower of a base station and right below an antenna of the base station, the length of the coaxial feeder through which an RF signal converted from a signal by the RRU is supplied to the antenna may be minimized.

Thus, the RF signal hardly attenuates during transmission of the

RF signal via a coaxial line. Accordingly, a degree to which the signal attenuates may be minimized right before the RF signal is \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 emitted, and the conventional TMA which consumes much power need not be used. The above technical feature is a strong point of the

RRH in terms of repair and maintenance of the base station.

[0009] In such an RRH system, the BBU, the PSU, and the RRU are connected to one another through a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable.

[0010] That is, in the optical fiber and power line composite cable, the optical units and the power line units are included in the form of a cable and thus the BBU, the PSU, and a plurality of various RRUs installed in one tower are not directly connected to the optical fiber and power line composite cable. Thus, a method of branching the power line units and the optical units through the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable and connecting the power line units and the optical unit to a plurality of RRUs may be used.

[0011] In order that one optical fiber and power line composite cable may branch into a plurality of jumper cables, a plurality of power line units and a plurality of optical units included in the optical fiber and power line composite cable and a power line unit and an optical unit of each of the jumper cables should be connected to one another inside a terminal box for a cable through a connector or the like.

[0012] As the number of antennae of a base station is increased according to a communication provider or a communication method, the number of RRHs or the number of terminal boxes is increased.

WO 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

Thus, although the number of optical fiber and power line composite cables to be included in one terminal box is small, the number of

RRHs may be large. Thus, it may take much time and effort for an operator who manages a base station to strip covers of the optical fiber and power line composite cables and connect power line units and optical units of each of the optical fiber and power line composite cables to power line units and optical units of jumper cables inside the terminal box.

[0013] In a circumstance where the types of communication providers or communication methods are increased and changed rapidly, improvement over a connection work to be performed on a terminal box to connect an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable to each other is reguired.

[0014] A connection work of a terminal box to connect an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable is conducted at abase station. That is, the optical fiber and power line composite cable is lifted and optical units and power units included therein are connected to connection units of the jumper cable inside the terminal box in a state in which the terminal box is installed in the base station.

[0015] In this connection, US2013/0108227 discloses technology of installing a jumper cable in a state in which an optical fiber and power line composite cable is connected beforehand, the jumper cable is in the form of a connector, and a terminal box is installed in a base station. However, it is not easy to lift the optical fiber

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 and power line composite cable to an antenna of the base station at a height of several meters in a state in which the terminal box is installed at an end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable . Furthermore, a sufficient passage should be secured so that the terminal box may pass through the passage during lifting of the terminal box and the optical fiber and power line composite cable to the antenna of the base station shouldbe secured . In addition, the terminal having large volume is likely to be broken during transfer thereof.

[0016] Furthermore, the terminal box disclosed in US2013/0108227 has a wide housing and thus requires a large installation space when the number of antennae installed in one base station is increased according to a communication provider or a communication method and the number of RRHs or the number of terminal boxes is thus increased .

[0017] It is desired to provide a terminal box of an RRH (Remote

Radio Head) type mobile communication base station for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, which is capable of improving workability of connection between an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable at a base station and minimizing an installation space, and an optical fiber and power line composite cable capable of being detachably mounted into the terminal box, or to at least provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [0018] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a terminal box of a RRH(Remote Radio

Head) type mobile communication base station for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, through which at least one optical fiber and power line composite cable connecting a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU) with the terminal box, and having a plurality of power line units and a plurality of optical units branch into a plurality of jumper cables connecting the terminal box with a power supply unit (PSU) with a remote RF unit (RRU) and having power line units and optical units, the terminal box comprising: a housing; a plurality of jumper connection units provided on outer surfaces of the housing, the jumper connection units each including an optical terminal and a power terminal to detachably mount jumper connectors of the jumper cables thereinto;

at least one cable connection unit provided on an outer surface of the housing, the cable connection unit including a plurality of optical terminals and a plurality of power terminals to detachably mount thereinto a cable connector provided on an end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable; a plurality of optical connection units configured to connect the optical terminals of the jumper connection units and the optical terminals of the cable connection unit inside the housing; and a plurality of power connection units configured to connect the power terminals of the jumper connection units and the power terminals of the cable connection unit inside the housing.

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [0019] And the housing may have a polygonal pillar shape.

[0020] And the cable connection unit may be provided on one end of the housing in a lengthwise direction.

[0021] And the jumper connection units may be arranged in at least one row on at least one surface among the outer surfaces of the housing in a lengthwise direction of the housing.

[ 0022 ] And the opt ical connection units may be detachably mounted into the optical terminals of the jumper connection unit and the optical terminals of the cable connection unit.

[0023] And the power connection units may be detachably mounted into the power terminals of the jumper connection unit and the power terminals of the cable connection unit.

[0024] And the optical terminals of the cable connector and the cable connection unit may be arranged on central parts of the cable connector and the cable connection unit, and the power terminals of the cable connection unit may be arranged around the optical terminals .

[0025] And a pair of power terminals are provided in the jumper connectors and the jumper connection units and two pairs of optical terminals may be provided in the jumper connectors and the jumper connection units, and wherein two terminals of the pair of power terminals may be spaced apart from each other, and the two pairs of optical terminals may be spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which two terminals of the pair of power terminals are spaced apart from each other.

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [0026] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber and power line composite cable branching by being connected to a terminal box of an RRH (Remote

Radio Head) type mobile-communication base station and connecting a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU) with the terminal box, the optical fiber and power line composite cable comprising a plurality of optical units; a plurality of power units; a jacket configured to cover the optical units and the power units; and a cable connector including a plurality of optical terminals to which end parts of the optical units are respectively connected, and a plurality of power terminals to which end part of the power units are respectively connected, wherein the cable connector is detachably coupled to a cable connection unit included in the terminal box and, wherein the optical terminals of the cable connector and the cable connection unit are arranged on a central part of the cable connector and the cable connection unit, and the power terminals of the cable connection unit are arranged around the optical terminals.

[0027] And the optical terminals of the cable connector and the cable connection unit may be arranged on a central part of the cable connector and the cable connection unit, and the power terminals of the cable connection unit may be arranged around the optical terminals.

[0028] In a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to embodiments of the present invention, a connection work to be performed inside the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be omitted during

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 connection of a baseband unit (BBU) or a power supply unit (PSU) included in a remote radio head (RRH) system to a remote radio-frequency unit (RRU) through the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, thereby improving workability of connection between an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable at a base station.

[0029] Furthermore, in a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to embodiments of the present invention, when the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable and an optical fiber and power line composite cable are manufactured separately, one of various-shaped terminal boxes for an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be selected according to an environment of a base station, thereby making better use of a space.

[0030] In addition, in a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to embodiments of the present invention, a connection work may be conducted inside the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable during manufacture of the terminal box to minimize waste of an inner space of the terminal box. Thus, the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be manufactured to be compact.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0030A] Some embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a base station installed

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [0031] therein a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to an embodiment .

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a jumper connector of a jumper cable mounted into the terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable illustrated in FIG. 3, and a perspective view of a jumper connection unit into which the jumper connector of the jumper cable is mounted.

[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates a process of installing a terminal box and an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a process of installing an optical connection unit and a power connection unit in a terminal box according to the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates terminal boxes for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0038] The present invention is not limited \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 to the embodiments set forth herein and may be embodied in many different forms. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The same reference numerals represent the same elements throughout the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a base station installed therein a terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0040] In a base station system 1 employing a remote radio head (RRH) method, a remote radio-freguency unit (RRU) 40 is separated from a conventional base station employing a base transceiver station (BTS) method, disposed below an antenna 20 of a tower of a base station, and remotely controlled.

[0041] Here, in the base station system 1 employing the RRHmethod, a part 10 remaining after the RRU 40 is separated from the conventional base station employing the BTS method, i.e., a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU), is connected to an optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 including an optical unit in which a signal hardly attenuates according to a length of a cable and a power line unit.

[ 0 042 ] Communication signals from the BBU and the PSU are supplied to the RRU 40 via the optical unit of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100. Power is supplied to the RRU 40 via the power line unit of the optical fiber and power line composite cable \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

100 .

[0043] The RRU 40 may be installed on a top end of the tower of the base station and right below the antenna 20 of the base station.

Thus, a coaxial line 30 via which an RF signal converted from a signal by the RRU 40 is supplied to the antenna 20 may be minimized to prevent the RF signal from attenuating during transmission of the RF signal via the coaxial line 30. Thus, a degree to which the signal attenuates may be minimized right before the RF signal is emitted, and a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) in which power consumption is high is not needed. The above technical feature is a strong point of an RRH in terms of repair and maintenance of the base station.

[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the base station system 1 employing the RRH method, the BBU and the PSU are connected to the

RRU 40 through the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0045] That is, in the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100, the optical unit and the power line unit are included in the form of a cable. Thus, the part 10 including the BBU and the PSU cannot be connected directly to a plurality of RRUs having various shapes and installed in one tower. The optical unit and the power line unit included in the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may branch from the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable and be then connected to the RRUs via a jumper cable 50.

\N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 [0046] Recently, as the types of portable terminals have increased, new model terminals and old model terminals employing different communication methods according to communication generations coexist, and mobile communication providers share a tower for installing the antenna 20 which is an element of the RRH, eguipment such as RRUs constituting several tens of RRHs is installed on a top end of one tower. Thus, a limited installation space of the tower becomes insufficient and installation costs are high.

[0047] When an operator performs an operation using a terminal box, it may take a lot of time to connect the optical unit and the power line unit of the optical fiber and power line composite cable

100 to an optical unit and an power line unit of the jumper cable .

[0048] Accordingly, the terminal box 200, for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, to be connected to various types of RRU eguipment is reguired to be minimized in volume so as to minimize limitation of a space when the terminal box 200 is installed in the tower for installing the antenna 20, and to enable it to perform a connection work in an easy manner.

[0049] A structure of an optical fiber and power line composite cable will be described and then a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to an embodiment. In detail, FIG. 2(a) \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 is an exploded perspective view of an optical fiber and power line composite cable. FIG. 2 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the optical fiber and power line composite cable.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, an optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may include a cable core 105 and an outer cover layer 150 covering the cable core 105.

[0052] The cable core 105 may include a plurality of power line units 110 for supplying power, and a plurality of optical units

130 for transmitting an optical signal.

[0053] A central tensile line 145 may be provided at a central part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 to prevent the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 from being bent more than needed or to provide bearing power against tensile strength.

[0054] The central tensile line 145 is located at the central part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 to apply a repulsive force when bending power is applied to the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 or apply a resistance force against tensile strength, thereby preventing the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 from being bent more than needed or from being broken, and maintaining shrinkage of a tube caused by a change in temperature. Thus, the optical units 130 or the power line units 110 may be prevented from being damaged.

[0055] The optical units 130 may be arranged on an outer circumference surface of the central tensile line 145 in a lengthwise \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 direction of the optical fiber and power line composite cable.

[0056] A protecting layer 140 may be provided on an outer surface of the optical units 130 to protect the optical units 130.

[0057] When the optical units 130 and the power line units 110 are compared with one another, the optical units 130 have a diameter less than that of the power line units 110 and an optical fiber

133 included in each of the optical units 130 is weaker when the optical units 130 are bent or when wire is broken. Thus, the optical units 130 may be disposed on the outer circumference surface of the central tensile line 145, outer surfaces of the optical units

130 may be covered with the protecting layer 140, and the power line units 110 may be disposed on an outer circumference surface of the protecting layer 140.

[0058] The cable core 105 may further include a filler 120 for filling gaps between the power line units 110 or the optical units

130 .

[0059] The power line units 110 each have a round shape and thus a gap or a clearance may occur between adjacent power line units

110. Due to the above structure, the whole external shape of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 cannot be maintained in a round shape and is thus weak to an external bending force or an external shock applied thereto. Thus, gaps in the cable core

105 may be filled with the filler 120 to maintain an external shape of the filler 120 in the round shape so that the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may stand external shocks, etc.

\N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 [0060] The cable core 105 may further include a nonwoven fabric tape 153 at an outermost part thereof to cover an outer circumference surface of the cable core 105.

[0061] The outer cover layer 150 is provided at an outer surface of the cable core 105. The outer cover layer 150 may include a metal protecting layer 151 with creases 152, in which peaks and valleys are repeatedly formed to cover the cable core 105.

[0062] The metal protecting layer 151 may have a corrugated form in which a peak 152A and a valley 152B are repeatedly formed, and may be embodied as a metal pipe formed of aluminum or the like.

A method of forming the metal protecting layer 151 will now be described. A plate type metal board may be supplied together with a cable core including optical units and power line units, and is then rolled to cover an outer surf ace of the cable core . Then, opposite ends of the metal board which are in contact with each other may be joinedby welding or the like to form a pipe having a predetermined diameter. Thereafter, the pipe may be pressed at predetermined intervals to form creases on an outer surface of the pipe.

[0063] The outer cover layer 150 formed on an outermost part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 forms an external shape of the optical fiber and power line composite cable

100, and protects the optical units 130 and the power line units

110 of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100.

[ 00 64 ] The outer cover layer 150 may include the metal protecting layer 151 which is inwardly in contact with the cable core 105, \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 surrounds the cable core 105 in a round form, and protects the cable core 105 from external shocks, and an external jacket 155 surrounding the metal protecting layer 151.

[0065] The external jacket 155 may be formed of resin which has a flame-retardant property and is echo-friendly. For example, the external jacket 155 may be formed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or the like.

[0066] The cable core 105 may further include the nonwoven fabric tape 153 covering the outer circumference surface of the cable core

105 and surrounding the power line units 110 and the optical units

130 in a round form. The nonwoven fabric tape 153 may be compressed nonwoven fabric and may be arranged to cover the optical units 130 and the optical units 110 inside the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100.

[0067] The nonwoven fabric tape 153 may be formed by rolling a tape type material around the power line units 110 or inserting the tape type material in a longitudinal direction of the cable.

[0068] The optical unit 130 may be formed in various forms including optical fiber for transmitting an optical signal. The optical unit 130 may include an optical fiber 133 having at least one core and a tube 135 surrounding the optical fiber 133. The tube

135maybe formedof, for example, poly-butylene-terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyvinyl chloride, or the like.

In addition, the inside of the tube 135 may be filled with filler.

For example, the inside of the tube 135 may be filled with jelly \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 or a tensile material 137 such as aramid yarn. The tensile material

137 has high tensile strength and is flexible and may thus make a cable be stably installed.

[0069] The optical unit 130 may be formed in a desired shape among various shapes such as a tight buffer type or a loose tube type .

[0070] Each of the power line units 110 includes a conductor

113 and an insulator 115 covering the conductor 113. Each of the power line units 110 may be in a form meeting general power standards .

The conductors 113 may be twisted together. The conductors 113 may be each formed of a metal such as copper or aluminum. The insulator

115 may be formed of polymeric resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

[0071] As described above, the power line units 110 and the optical units 130 of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 should branch inside the terminal box 200 and be then connected to the power line units and the optical lines of the jumper cable connected to the RRU 40.

[0072] While the power line units 110 and the optical units 130 branch inside the terminal box 200 and are connected to the jumper cable 50, interference may occur between the power line units 110 and the optical units 130. The inference is a major cause which lowers an operator's work efficiency and thus increases a time and costs required to make the terminal box 200.

[0073] Thus, a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 composite cable according to the present invention, which is capable of improving workability of connection between the optical fiber and power line composite cable and the jumper cable 50 at a base station and minimizing an installation space will be described in detail below.

[0074] FIG. 3 illustrates a terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a jumper connector 50c of a jumper cable 50 mounted into the terminal box 200 for the optical fiber and power line composite cable of FIG. 3, and a perspective view of a jumper connection unit 230 into which the jumper connector

50c of the jumper cable 50 is mounted.

[0075] The present invention provides the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, through which at least one optical fiber and power line composite cable including power line units and optical units may branch into jumper cables.

The terminal box 200 includes a housing 210, jumper connection units

230 provided on an outer surface of the housing 210 and each including an optical terminal and a power terminal so that the jumper connector

50c of the jumper cable 50 may be detachably mounted into the jumper connection units 230, at least one cable connection unit 260 provided on the outer surface of the housing 210 and including optical terminals and power terminals so that a cable connector 100c on an end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable

110 may be mounted detachably into the cable connection unit 260, \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 optical connection units (not shown) for connecting the optical terminals of the jumper connection units 230 and the optical terminals of the cable connection unit 260 inside the housing 210, and a power connection units (not shown) for connecting the power terminals of the jumper connection units 230 and the power terminals of the cable connection unit 260 inside the housing 210.

[0076] The housing 210 of the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention forms an external shape of the terminal box 200, and may be formed in a polygonal pillar shape.

[0077] A plurality of jumper connection units 230 into which jumper cables 50 are mounted detachably may be provided on at least one among outer surfaces of the housing 210.

[0078] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of jumper connection units 230 are provided in two rows on at least one among the outer surfaces of the housing 210 having the polygonal pillar shape but the number of rows is variable.

[0079] In the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable illustrated in FIG. 3, a total of six jumper connection units 230 are provided on a front surface of the housing

210 . However, the number of jumper connection units 230 is variable, and an outer surface of the housing 210 on which jumper connection units 230 are provided is not limited to the front surface or a specific surface of the housing 210.

[0080] At least one optical fiber and power line composite cable \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

100 and a plurality of jumper cables 50 may be mounted detachably mounted into the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0081] In detail, in order that optical units and power line units of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may branch into the jumper cables 50 through the terminal box 200, connectors are respectively included in the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 and the jumper cables 50 and are mounted detachably into the cable connection unit 260 and the jumper connection units 230 of the terminal box 200 without connecting the optical units and the power line units to those of the jumper cables 50 inside the terminal box 200.

[0082] Thus, the cable connection unit 260 may have a structure and a terminal corresponding to the cable connector 100c on the end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100, and the j umper connection units 230 may have a structure and a terminal corresponding to the jumper connector 50c on the end part of the jumper cable 50.

[0083] First, the structures of the jumper connector 50c of the jumper cable 50 and the jumper connection unit 230 of the terminal box 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 below. The cable connector 100c of the optical fiber and power line composite cable

100 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 below.

[0084] The jumper connection units 230 include connection terminals so that the jumper connectors 50c on the end parts of \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 the jumper cables 50 may be mounted thereinto. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the jumper connection unit 230 includes a pair of power terminals 233 and two pairs of optical terminals 235.

[0085] As illustrated in FIG. 4, power terminals 53 and optical terminals 55 of the jumper connector 50c may be female terminals when the power terminals 233 and the optical terminals 235 of the jumper connection unit 230 are male terminals, and vice versa.

[0086] Screw threads 237 and 57 to which screws may be coupled may be formed on a housing 231 of the jumper connection unit 230 and a housing 52 of the jumper connector 50c, thereby stably maintaining connected states of connection terminals.

[0087] Each of the j umper connection units 230, which are included in the housing 210 of the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention and into which the jumper connectors 50c of the jumper cables 50 are mounted, includes the optical terminals 235 and the power terminals 233. The optical terminals 235 and the power terminals

233 may be directly or indirectly connected to optical units and power line units of an optical fiber and power line composite cable inserted into the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable.

[0088] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a pair of power terminals 233 and a pair of power terminals 53 are included in the jumper connector

50c of the jumper cable 50 and the jumper connection unit 230, and two pairs of optical terminals 235 and two pairs of optical terminals \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 are included in the jumper connector 50c of the jumper cable and the jumper connection unit 230. The pair of power terminals

233 are spaced apart from each other and the pair of power terminals are spaced apart from each other to prevent a short circuit from occurring. The two pairs of optical terminals 235 may be spaced apart from each other and the two pairs of optical terminals 55 may be spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which these power terminals are spaced apart from each other.

[0089] FIG. 5 illustrates a process of installing a terminal box and an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention.

[0090] A terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to the present invention may be configured such that at least one optical fiber and power line composite cable

100 is detachably mounted thereinto, so that the terminal box 200 and the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may be easily connected to each other at a base station.

[0091] In detail, FIG. 5(a) illustrates a perspective view of a state in which the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to another embodiment of the present invention and an optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 are separated from each other. FIG. 5 (b) is a side perspective view of the terminal box 200 and the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100. FIG. 5(c) is a plan view of a cable connector 100c on \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 an end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable

100 .

[0092] The cable connector 100c is mounted into the end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 and the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable of FIG. 5 includes a cable connection unit 260 so that the cable connector 100c may be mounted into an end part of a housing 210 of the terminal box 200 in a manner similar to a manner in which the jumper cable 50 is mounted into one of jumper connection units

230 via the jumper connector 50c.

[0093] As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the terminal box 200, each of the jumper connection units 230 includes optical terminals 235 and power terminals 233. The optical terminals 235 and the power terminals 233 may be connected to optical terminals 165 and power terminals 163, which are included in the cable connector 100c of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 mounted into the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, through optical connection units 130' and power connection units 110' included in the housing 210 . The optical connection units

130' and the power connection units 110' will be described in detail below.

[0094] Thus, optical units and power units of the jumper cables mounted into the jumper connection units 230 may be connected to optical units and power units of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 through the optical connection units 130' \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 and the power connection units 110'.

[0095] Thus, the jumper cable 50 and the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may be connected to each other by installing the terminal box 200 at a base station, simply mounting the jumper connector 50c of the jumper cable 50 for connection to an RRH into the jumper connection unit 230 of the terminal box 200, and mounting the cable connector 100c of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 into the cable connection unit 260.

[0096] A work of branching an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be completed within a short time period by delivering an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a terminal box which are separated from each other to an antenna of a base station, installing the terminal box, and connecting a jumper cable and the optical fiber and power line composite cable to each other as described above, thereby simplifying an operator's work at the antenna of the base station.

[0097] Similarly, the cable connector 100c and the cable connection unit 260 may include connection terminals having optical terminals and power terminals. When one of the cable connector 100c and the cable connection unit 260 is a male terminal, the other may be a female terminal, similar to the jumper connector 50c and the jumper connection unit 230.

[0098] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, although the connectors of the jumper cable 50 and the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 are mounted into the connection units thereof, the power \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 line units and the optical units of these cables are connected to only the optical terminals or the power terminals of the connectors .

Thus, there is a need to develop a method of electrically or optically connecting the optical terminals and the power terminals of the jumper connection unit 230 and the cable connection unit 260 on different locations on the housing 210 of the terminal box 200 inside the housing 210.

[0099] Thus, the power connection units 110' and the optical connection units 130 ' are included in the terminal box 200 according to the present invention to connect optical terminals and power terminals of connection sockets to one another inside the terminal box 200.

[00100] The power connection units 110' and the optical connection units 130 may be connected beforehand to connect the power terminals

233 and the optical terminals 235 of the jumper connection unit

230 included in the housing 210 and power terminals (not shown) and optical terminals (not shown) of a connector connection socket.

[00101] Accordingly, an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be coupled to terminal boxes having various shapes provided that standards of the optical fiber and power line composite cable are met. Thus, various solutions may be provided according to an installation environment.

[00102] As illustrated in FIG. 5(c), the cable connector 100c may have a structure in which the power terminals 163 are arranged around the optical terminals 165 at a central part of the cable \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 connector 100c, similar to the structure of the optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 described above with reference to

FIG. 2, in which the optical units at a central part are surrounded by the power line units.

[00103] That is, the optical terminals of the cable connector

100c and the cable connection unit 260 may be arranged at central parts of the cable connector 100c and the cable connection unit

60 and the power terminals thereof may be arranged around the optical terminals .

[00104] Furthermore, a screw thread may be formed on a housing entrance 211 covering an outer surface of the cable connection unit

260 and an inner circumference surface of a connector cap 220 of the cable connector 100c, thereby firmly maintaining a mounted state of the cable connector 100c.

[00105] Various means, e.g., a hook, an additional fixing member (or an additional finishing member) , etc ., may be used to strengthen a state in which the jumper connector 50c and the cable connector

100c are mounted into the jumper connection unit 230 and the cable connection unit 260, as well as a structure with the screw thread.

[00106] FIG. 6 illustrates a process of mounting an optical connection unit and a power connection unit into a terminal box according to the present invention.

[00107] Although a case in which a power connection unit 110' and an optical connection unit 130 ' are fixedly connected beforehand to connect a power terminal 233 and an optical terminal 235 of a \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 jumper connection unit 230 included in a housing and a power terminal

163 and an optical terminal 165 of a connector connection unit 260 is described in an embodiment of FIG. 6, the power connection unit

110' and the optical connection unit 130' may be manufactured in a detachable form using patch code rather than being fixed into the power terminal 233 and the optical terminal 235 of the jumper connection unit 230 and the power terminal 163 and the optical terminal 165 of the connector connection unit 260. That is, only terminals may be included in these connection units and optical connection or power connection may be performed inside the terminal box 200 by using the power connection unit 110' and the optical connection unit 130' if necessary. Thus, the number of connections inside the terminal box 200 may be increased or decreased according to a user's reguest or demand.

[00108] That is, the optical connection unit 130 ' maybe detachably mounted into the optical terminal 235 of the jumper connection unit

230 and the optical terminal 165 of the cable connection unit 260, and the power connection unit 110' may be detachably mounted into the power terminal 233 of the jumper connection unit 230 and the power terminal 163 of the cable connection unit 260.

[00109] If the power connection unit 110' and the optical connection unit 130' are configured to be detachably connected to the terminals of these connection units, although the terminal box

200 of FIG. 3 includes six jumper connection units, two jumper connection units which are not to be used need not be connected \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 to the cable connection unit 260 when only four jumper connection units are connected in consideration of a capacity of an optical fiber and power line composite cable, thereby minimizing waste of cables, etc.

[00110] FIG. 7 illustrates terminal boxes 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[00111] In detail, FIG. 7(a) illustrates an embodiment in which six jumper connection units 230 are provided in a row on a housing

210 of the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable. FIG. 7 (b) illustrates an embodiment in which three jumper connection units 230 are provided in a row on two surfaces among outer surfaces of the housing 210 of the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable. FIG. 7(c) illustrates an embodiment in which two optical fiber and power line composite cables are connected to the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a total of twenty jumper connection units 230 are provided in five rows and four columns.

[00112] An optical fiber and power line composite cable 100 may be connected to one end of the housing 210 of the terminal box 200 in a lengthwise direction of the housing 210. The jumper connection units 230 for mounting of the jumper cables 50 may be arranged in at least one column in the lengthwise direction of the housing 210.

[00113] Referring to FIG. 7 (a), a total of six jumper connection units 230 are provided as in the embodiments of FIGS, 5 and 6 but \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 are arranged in one row, thereby minimizing a width of the terminal box 200.

[00114] As illustrated in FIG. 7 (b) , the jumper connection units

230 may be installed in a plurality of surfaces of the housing 210.

That is, the jumper connection units 230 may be provided on surfaces among outer surfaces of the housing 210 of the terminal box 200 having a polygonal pillar shape, so that a length of the jumper cable 50 may be minimized according to an installation environment of a base station or a location of an RRU installed using the jumper cable 50.

[00115] Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 7(b) is the same as those of FIGS. 5 and 6 in that a total of six jumper connection units

230 are arranged in a row but is different from the embodiments of FIGS . 5 and 6 in that the jumper connection units 230 are arranged on different outer surfaces of the housing 210, thereby minimizing the width of the terminal box 200 and reducing the length thereof.

The terminal box 200 in the embodiment of FIG. 7 (b) is shorter than that in the embodiment of FIG. 7(a).

[00116] As illustrated in FIG. 7(c), the terminal box 200 for an optical fiber and power line composite cable may be connected to a plurality of optical fiber and power line composite cables

100a and 100b, i.e., two optical fiber and power line composite cables, and may include several tens of jumper connection sockets

230 in rows and columns to be available for even a large-capacity base station, thereby maximizing the space efficiency of a \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706 base-station equipment installation space.

[00117] When such terminal boxes having various shapes are additionally manufactured and an optical fiber and power line composite cable and a jumper cable are configured to be detachably mounted into the terminal boxes as described above, an optimum terminal box may be provided according to an environment of a base station. Even if the number of jumper connection units and the number of cable connection units are large, unnecessary waste of a cable in a terminal box may be minimized when an optical connection unit and a power connection unit are configured to be detachable from terminals corresponding thereto as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Accordingly, the competitiveness of a product may be increased.

[00118] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in the present disclosure, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms without departing from the idea and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims by those of ordinary skill in this art. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

2015288583 29 Jan 2018

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates .

32A

Claims

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [Claim l]

A terminal box of an RRH(Remote Radio Head) type mobile-communication base station for an optical fiber and power line composite cable, through which at least one optical fiber and power line composite cable connecting a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU) with the terminal box having a plurality of power line units and a plurality of optical units branch into a plurality of jumper cables connecting the terminal box with a power supply unit (PSU) with a remote RF unit (RRU) and having power line units and optical units, the terminal box comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jumper connection units provided on outer surfaces of the housing, the jumper connection units each including an optical terminal and a power terminal to detachably mount jumper connectors of the jumper cables thereinto;

at least one cable connection unit provided on an outer surface of the housing, the cable connection unit including a plurality of optical terminals and a plurality of power terminals to detachably mount thereinto a cable connector provided on an end part of the optical fiber and power line composite cable;

a plurality of optical connection units configured to connect the optical terminals of the jumper connection units and the optical

25 terminals of the cable connection unit inside the housing; and a plurality of power connection units configured to connect the power terminals of the jumper connection units and the power terminals of the cable connection unit inside the housing.
[Claim 2]

30 The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the housing has a polygonal pillar shape .

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 [Claim 3]

The terminal box of claim 2, wherein the cable connection unit is provided on one end of the housing in a lengthwise direction. [Claim 4]

The terminal box of claim 2, wherein the jumper connection units are arranged in at least one row on at least one surface among the outer surfaces of the housing in a lengthwise direction of the housing .

[Claim 5]

The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the optical connection units are detachably mounted into the optical terminals of the jumper connection unit, and the optical terminals of the cable connection unit.

[Claim 6]

The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the power connection units are detachably mounted into the power terminals of the jumper connection unit and the power terminals of the cable connection unit .

[Claim 7]

The terminal box of claim 1, wherein the optical terminals of the cable connector and the cable connection unit are arranged on central parts of the cable connector and the cable connection unit, and the power terminals of the cable connection unit are arranged around the optical terminals.

25 [Claim 8]

The terminal box of claim 1, wherein a pair of power terminals are provided in the jumper connectors and the jumper connection units and two pairs of optical terminals are provided in the jumper connectors and the jumper connection units, and

30 wherein two terminals of the pair of power terminals are spaced apart from each other, and the two pairs of optical terminals are spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which two terminals of the pair of power terminals

2015288583 29 Jan 2018 are spaced apart from each other.

[Claim 9]

An optical fiber and power line composite cable branching by being connected to a terminal box of an RRH (Remote Radio Head) type mobile-communication base station and connecting a baseband unit (BBU) and a power supply unit (PSU) with the terminal box , the optical fiber and power line composite cable comprising:

a plurality of optical units; a plurality of power units;

a jacket configured to cover the optical units and the power units; and a cable connector including a plurality of optical terminals to which end parts of the optical units are respectively connected, and a plurality of power terminals to which end part of the power units are respectively connected, wherein the cable connector is detachably coupled to a cable connection unit included in the terminal box and, wherein the optical terminals of the cable connector and the cable connection unit are arranged on a central part of the cable connector and the cable connection unit, and the power terminals of the cable connection unit are arranged around the optical terminals .

\N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

DRAWINGS

Fig. 1.

\N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

105

Fig. 2.

(b)

WO 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

Fig. 3.

200 \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

Fig. 5.

(a) (b) \N0 2016/006858

PCT/KR2015/006706

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

(a) (b) (c)