6183.2105.02-01 - VCS-4G - 6.0 Architecture Manual
6183.2105.02-01 - VCS-4G - 6.0 Architecture Manual
6183.2105.02 - 01
This document was generated by RSTPX’s WDMAN, release 5.0, revision 11037
R&S GB5400 CWP (Controller Working Position) processing unit; G4.1, which is equipped with
R&S GB5400T touch screen; R4.0 and audio devices such as:
R&S GB5400V Headset/Handset Audio Box; G6.0,
R&S GB5400V Loudspeaker Audio Box; G6.0,
R&S GB5450 Compact CWP processing unit; G6.0
R&S GT5400 NTP Time Server; G4.1
R&S GW5410 Radio Gateway; G4.1
R&S GW5420 Telephony Gateway; G4.1
R&S GW5430 Telephony Gateway [2E1]; G4.1
R&S GW5450 VCS Gateway; G4.1
R&S DB5400 VCMS and Radio Remote Monitoring and Control Server Platform; G6.0
R&S RS5400 Radio Server platform; G4.1
R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform; G4.1
R&S GW5440 Media Gateway platform; G6.1
R&S GV5400 Ethernet Switches; G4.1
R&S GV5420 Ethernet Switches; G4.1
The R&S logo, Rohde & Schwarz and R&S are registered trademarks of
Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG and its subsidiaries.
Trade names are trademarks of the owners.
Basic Safety Instructions
Always read through and comply with the following safety instructions!
All plants and locations of the Rohde & Schwarz group of companies make every effort to keep the safety
standards of our products up to date and to offer our customers the highest possible degree of safety. Our
products and the auxiliary equipment they require are designed, built and tested in accordance with the
safety standards that apply in each case. Compliance with these standards is continuously monitored by
our quality assurance system. The product described here has been designed, built and tested in
accordance with the EC Certificate of Conformity and has left the manufacturer’s plant in a condition fully
complying with safety standards. To maintain this condition and to ensure safe operation, you must
observe all instructions and warnings provided in this manual. If you have any questions regarding these
safety instructions, the Rohde & Schwarz group of companies will be happy to answer them.
Furthermore, it is your responsibility to use the product in an appropriate manner. This product is designed
for use solely in industrial and laboratory environments or, if expressly permitted, also in the field and must
not be used in any way that may cause personal injury or property damage. You are responsible if the
product is used for any purpose other than its designated purpose or in disregard of the manufacturer's
instructions. The manufacturer shall assume no responsibility for such use of the product.
The product is used for its designated purpose if it is used in accordance with its product documentation
and within its performance limits (see data sheet, documentation, the following safety instructions). Using
the product requires technical skills and, in some cases, a basic knowledge of English. It is therefore
essential that only skilled and specialized staff or thoroughly trained personnel with the required skills be
allowed to use the product. If personal safety gear is required for using Rohde & Schwarz products, this
will be indicated at the appropriate place in the product documentation. Keep the basic safety instructions
and the product documentation in a safe place and pass them on to the subsequent users.
Observing the safety instructions will help prevent personal injury or damage of any kind caused by
dangerous situations. Therefore, carefully read through and adhere to the following safety instructions
before and when using the product. It is also absolutely essential to observe the additional safety
instructions on personal safety, for example, that appear in relevant parts of the product documentation. In
these safety instructions, the word "product" refers to all merchandise sold and distributed by the Rohde &
Schwarz group of companies, including instruments, systems and all accessories. For product-specific
information, see the data sheet and the product documentation.
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Basic Safety Instructions
Be careful when handling electrostatic sensitive EU labeling for separate collection of electrical
devices and electronic devices
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 2
Basic Safety Instructions
Electrical safety
If the information on electrical safety is not observed either at all or to the extent necessary, electric shock,
fire and/or serious personal injury or death may occur.
1. Prior to switching on the product, always ensure that the nominal voltage setting on the product
matches the nominal voltage of the mains-supply network. If a different voltage is to be set, the power
fuse of the product may have to be changed accordingly.
2. In the case of products of safety class I with movable power cord and connector, operation is
permitted only on sockets with a protective conductor contact and protective conductor.
3. Intentionally breaking the protective conductor either in the feed line or in the product itself is not
permitted. Doing so can result in the danger of an electric shock from the product. If extension cords
or connector strips are implemented, they must be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they are
safe to use.
4. If there is no power switch for disconnecting the product from the mains, or if the power switch is not
suitable for this purpose, use the plug of the connecting cable to disconnect the product from the
mains. In such cases, always ensure that the power plug is easily reachable and accessible at all
times. For example, if the power plug is the disconnecting device, the length of the connecting cable
must not exceed 3 m. Functional or electronic switches are not suitable for providing disconnection
from the AC supply network. If products without power switches are integrated into racks or systems,
the disconnecting device must be provided at the system level.
5. Never use the product if the power cable is damaged. Check the power cables on a regular basis to
ensure that they are in proper operating condition. By taking appropriate safety measures and
carefully laying the power cable, ensure that the cable cannot be damaged and that no one can be
hurt by, for example, tripping over the cable or suffering an electric shock.
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Basic Safety Instructions
6. The product may be operated only from TN/TT supply networks fuse-protected with max. 16 A (higher
fuse only after consulting with the Rohde & Schwarz group of companies).
7. Do not insert the plug into sockets that are dusty or dirty. Insert the plug firmly and all the way into the
socket provided for this purpose. Otherwise, sparks that result in fire and/or injuries may occur.
8. Do not overload any sockets, extension cords or connector strips; doing so can cause fire or electric
shocks.
9. For measurements in circuits with voltages Vrms > 30 V, suitable measures (e.g. appropriate
measuring equipment, fuse protection, current limiting, electrical separation, insulation) should be
taken to avoid any hazards.
10. Ensure that the connections with information technology equipment, e.g. PCs or other industrial
computers, comply with the IEC 60950-1 / EN 60950-1 or IEC 61010-1 / EN 61010-1 standards that
apply in each case.
11. Unless expressly permitted, never remove the cover or any part of the housing while the product is in
operation. Doing so will expose circuits and components and can lead to injuries, fire or damage to the
product.
12. If a product is to be permanently installed, the connection between the protective conductor terminal
on site and the product's protective conductor must be made first before any other connection is
made. The product may be installed and connected only by a licensed electrician.
13. For permanently installed equipment without built-in fuses, circuit breakers or similar protective
devices, the supply circuit must be fuse-protected in such a way that anyone who has access to the
product, as well as the product itself, is adequately protected from injury or damage.
14. Use suitable overvoltage protection to ensure that no overvoltage (such as that caused by a bolt of
lightning) can reach the product. Otherwise, the person operating the product will be exposed to the
danger of an electric shock.
15. Any object that is not designed to be placed in the openings of the housing must not be used for this
purpose. Doing so can cause short circuits inside the product and/or electric shocks, fire or injuries.
16. Unless specified otherwise, products are not liquid-proof (see also section "Operating states and
operating positions", item 1). Therefore, the equipment must be protected against penetration by
liquids. If the necessary precautions are not taken, the user may suffer electric shock or the product
itself may be damaged, which can also lead to personal injury.
17. Never use the product under conditions in which condensation has formed or can form in or on the
product, e.g. if the product has been moved from a cold to a warm environment. Penetration by water
increases the risk of electric shock.
18. Prior to cleaning the product, disconnect it completely from the power supply (e.g. AC supply network
or battery). Use a soft, non-linting cloth to clean the product. Never use chemical cleaning agents such
as alcohol, acetone or diluents for cellulose lacquers.
Operation
1. Operating the products requires special training and intense concentration. Make sure that persons
who use the products are physically, mentally and emotionally fit enough to do so; otherwise, injuries
or material damage may occur. It is the responsibility of the employer/operator to select suitable
personnel for operating the products.
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 4
Basic Safety Instructions
2. Before you move or transport the product, read and observe the section titled "Transport".
3. As with all industrially manufactured goods, the use of substances that induce an allergic reaction
(allergens) such as nickel cannot be generally excluded. If you develop an allergic reaction (such as a
skin rash, frequent sneezing, red eyes or respiratory difficulties) when using a Rohde & Schwarz
product, consult a physician immediately to determine the cause and to prevent health problems or
stress.
4. Before you start processing the product mechanically and/or thermally, or before you take it apart, be
sure to read and pay special attention to the section titled "Waste disposal/Environmental protection",
item 1.
5. Depending on the function, certain products such as RF radio equipment can produce an elevated
level of electromagnetic radiation. Considering that unborn babies require increased protection,
pregnant women must be protected by appropriate measures. Persons with pacemakers may also be
exposed to risks from electromagnetic radiation. The employer/operator must evaluate workplaces
where there is a special risk of exposure to radiation and, if necessary, take measures to avert the
potential danger.
6. Should a fire occur, the product may release hazardous substances (gases, fluids, etc.) that can
cause health problems. Therefore, suitable measures must be taken, e.g. protective masks and
protective clothing must be worn.
7. Laser products are given warning labels that are standardized according to their laser class. Lasers
can cause biological harm due to the properties of their radiation and due to their extremely
concentrated electromagnetic power. If a laser product (e.g. a CD/DVD drive) is integrated into a
Rohde & Schwarz product, absolutely no other settings or functions may be used as described in the
product documentation. The objective is to prevent personal injury (e.g. due to laser beams).
8. EMC classes (in line with EN 55011/CISPR 11, and analogously with EN 55022/CISPR 22,
EN 55032/CISPR 32)
Class A equipment:
Equipment suitable for use in all environments except residential environments and environments
that are directly connected to a low-voltage supply network that supplies residential buildings
Note: Class A equipment is intended for use in an industrial environment. This equipment may
cause radio disturbances in residential environments, due to possible conducted as well as
radiated disturbances. In this case, the operator may be required to take appropriate measures to
eliminate these disturbances.
Class B equipment:
Equipment suitable for use in residential environments and environments that are directly
connected to a low-voltage supply network that supplies residential buildings
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 5
Basic Safety Instructions
2. Adjustments, replacement of parts, maintenance and repair may be performed only by electrical
experts authorized by Rohde & Schwarz. Only original parts may be used for replacing parts relevant
to safety (e.g. power switches, power transformers, fuses). A safety test must always be performed
after parts relevant to safety have been replaced (visual inspection, protective conductor test,
insulation resistance measurement, leakage current measurement, functional test). This helps ensure
the continued safety of the product.
Transport
1. The product may be very heavy. Therefore, the product must be handled with care. In some cases,
the user may require a suitable means of lifting or moving the product (e.g. with a lift-truck) to avoid
back or other physical injuries.
2. Handles on the products are designed exclusively to enable personnel to transport the product. It is
therefore not permissible to use handles to fasten the product to or on transport equipment such as
cranes, fork lifts, wagons, etc. The user is responsible for securely fastening the products to or on the
means of transport or lifting. Observe the safety regulations of the manufacturer of the means of
transport or lifting. Noncompliance can result in personal injury or material damage.
3. If you use the product in a vehicle, it is the sole responsibility of the driver to drive the vehicle safely
and properly. The manufacturer assumes no responsibility for accidents or collisions. Never use the
product in a moving vehicle if doing so could distract the driver of the vehicle. Adequately secure the
product in the vehicle to prevent injuries or other damage in the event of an accident.
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 6
Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
Se parte del uso correcto del producto para los fines definidos si el producto es utilizado conforme a las
indicaciones de la correspondiente documentación del producto y dentro del margen de rendimiento
definido (ver hoja de datos, documentación, informaciones de seguridad que siguen). El uso del producto
hace necesarios conocimientos técnicos y ciertos conocimientos del idioma inglés. Por eso se debe tener
en cuenta que el producto solo pueda ser operado por personal especializado o personas instruidas en
profundidad con las capacidades correspondientes. Si fuera necesaria indumentaria de seguridad para el
uso de productos de Rohde & Schwarz, encontraría la información debida en la documentación del
producto en el capítulo correspondiente. Guarde bien las informaciones de seguridad elementales, así
como la documentación del producto, y entréguelas a usuarios posteriores.
Tener en cuenta las informaciones de seguridad sirve para evitar en lo posible lesiones o daños por
peligros de toda clase. Por eso es imprescindible leer detalladamente y comprender por completo las
siguientes informaciones de seguridad antes de usar el producto, y respetarlas durante el uso del
producto. Deberán tenerse en cuenta todas las demás informaciones de seguridad, como p. ej. las
referentes a la protección de personas, que encontrarán en el capítulo correspondiente de la
documentación del producto y que también son de obligado cumplimiento. En las presentes
informaciones de seguridad se recogen todos los objetos que distribuye el grupo de empresas
Rohde & Schwarz bajo la denominación de "producto", entre ellos también aparatos, instalaciones así
como toda clase de accesorios. Los datos específicos del producto figuran en la hoja de datos y en la
documentación del producto.
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
Las palabras de señal corresponden a la definición habitual para aplicaciones civiles en el área
económica europea. Pueden existir definiciones diferentes a esta definición en otras áreas económicas o
en aplicaciones militares. Por eso se deberá tener en cuenta que las palabras de señal aquí descritas
sean utilizadas siempre solamente en combinación con la correspondiente documentación del producto y
solamente en combinación con el producto correspondiente. La utilización de las palabras de señal en
combinación con productos o documentaciones que no les correspondan puede llevar a interpretaciones
equivocadas y tener por consecuencia daños en personas u objetos.
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 9
Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
1. Si no se convino de otra manera, es para los productos Rohde & Schwarz válido lo que sigue:
como posición de funcionamiento se define por principio la posición con el suelo de la caja para
abajo, modo de protección IP 2X, uso solamente en estancias interiores, utilización hasta 2000 m
sobre el nivel del mar, transporte hasta 4500 m sobre el nivel del mar. Se aplicará una tolerancia de
±10 % sobre el voltaje nominal y de ±5 % sobre la frecuencia nominal. Categoría de sobrecarga
eléctrica 2, índice de suciedad 2.
2. No sitúe el producto encima de superficies, vehículos, estantes o mesas, que por sus características
de peso o de estabilidad no sean aptos para él. Siga siempre las instrucciones de instalación del
fabricante cuando instale y asegure el producto en objetos o estructuras (p. ej. paredes y estantes). Si
se realiza la instalación de modo distinto al indicado en la documentación del producto, se pueden
causar lesiones o, en determinadas circunstancias, incluso la muerte.
3. No ponga el producto sobre aparatos que generen calor (p. ej. radiadores o calefactores). La
temperatura ambiente no debe superar la temperatura máxima especificada en la documentación del
producto o en la hoja de datos. En caso de sobrecalentamiento del producto, pueden producirse
choques eléctricos, incendios y/o lesiones graves con posible consecuencia de muerte.
Seguridad eléctrica
Si no se siguen (o se siguen de modo insuficiente) las indicaciones del fabricante en cuanto a seguridad
eléctrica, pueden producirse choques eléctricos, incendios y/o lesiones graves con posible consecuencia
de muerte.
1. Antes de la puesta en marcha del producto se deberá comprobar siempre que la tensión
preseleccionada en el producto coincida con la de la red de alimentación eléctrica. Si es necesario
modificar el ajuste de tensión, también se deberán cambiar en caso dado los fusibles
correspondientes del producto.
2. Los productos de la clase de protección I con alimentación móvil y enchufe individual solamente
podrán enchufarse a tomas de corriente con contacto de seguridad y con conductor de protección
conectado.
3. Queda prohibida la interrupción intencionada del conductor de protección, tanto en la toma de
corriente como en el mismo producto. La interrupción puede tener como consecuencia el riesgo de
que el producto sea fuente de choques eléctricos. Si se utilizan cables alargadores o regletas de
enchufe, deberá garantizarse la realización de un examen regular de los mismos en cuanto a su
estado técnico de seguridad.
4. Si el producto no está equipado con un interruptor para desconectarlo de la red, o bien si el
interruptor existente no resulta apropiado para la desconexión de la red, el enchufe del cable de
conexión se deberá considerar como un dispositivo de desconexión.
El dispositivo de desconexión se debe poder alcanzar fácilmente y debe estar siempre bien accesible.
Si, p. ej., el enchufe de conexión a la red es el dispositivo de desconexión, la longitud del cable de
conexión no debe superar 3 m).
Los interruptores selectores o electrónicos no son aptos para el corte de la red eléctrica. Si se
integran productos sin interruptor en bastidores o instalaciones, se deberá colocar el interruptor en el
nivel de la instalación.
5. No utilice nunca el producto si está dañado el cable de conexión a red. Compruebe regularmente el
correcto estado de los cables de conexión a red. Asegúrese, mediante las medidas de protección y
de instalación adecuadas, de que el cable de conexión a red no pueda ser dañado o de que nadie
pueda ser dañado por él, p. ej. al tropezar o por un choque eléctrico.
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
6. Solamente está permitido el funcionamiento en redes de alimentación TN/TT aseguradas con fusibles
de 16 A como máximo (utilización de fusibles de mayor amperaje solo previa consulta con el grupo de
empresas Rohde & Schwarz).
7. Nunca conecte el enchufe en tomas de corriente sucias o llenas de polvo. Introduzca el enchufe por
completo y fuertemente en la toma de corriente. La no observación de estas medidas puede provocar
chispas, fuego y/o lesiones.
8. No sobrecargue las tomas de corriente, los cables alargadores o las regletas de enchufe ya que esto
podría causar fuego o choques eléctricos.
9. En las mediciones en circuitos de corriente con una tensión U eff > 30 V se deberán tomar las medidas
apropiadas para impedir cualquier peligro (p. ej. medios de medición adecuados, seguros, limitación
de tensión, corte protector, aislamiento etc.).
10. Para la conexión con dispositivos informáticos como un PC o un ordenador industrial, debe
comprobarse que éstos cumplan los estándares IEC60950-1/EN60950-1 o IEC61010-1/EN 61010-1
válidos en cada caso.
11. A menos que esté permitido expresamente, no retire nunca la tapa ni componentes de la carcasa
mientras el producto esté en servicio. Esto pone a descubierto los cables y componentes eléctricos y
puede causar lesiones, fuego o daños en el producto.
12. Si un producto se instala en un lugar fijo, se deberá primero conectar el conductor de protección fijo
con el conductor de protección del producto antes de hacer cualquier otra conexión. La instalación y
la conexión deberán ser efectuadas por un electricista especializado.
13. En el caso de dispositivos fijos que no estén provistos de fusibles, interruptor automático ni otros
mecanismos de seguridad similares, el circuito de alimentación debe estar protegido de modo que
todas las personas que puedan acceder al producto, así como el producto mismo, estén a salvo de
posibles daños.
14. Todo producto debe estar protegido contra sobretensión (debida p. ej. a una caída del rayo) mediante
los correspondientes sistemas de protección. Si no, el personal que lo utilice quedará expuesto al
peligro de choque eléctrico.
15. No debe introducirse en los orificios de la caja del aparato ningún objeto que no esté destinado a ello.
Esto puede producir cortocircuitos en el producto y/o puede causar choques eléctricos, fuego o
lesiones.
16. Salvo indicación contraria, los productos no están impermeabilizados (ver también el capítulo
"Estados operativos y posiciones de funcionamiento", punto 1). Por eso es necesario tomar las
medidas necesarias para evitar la entrada de líquidos. En caso contrario, existe peligro de choque
eléctrico para el usuario o de daños en el producto, que también pueden redundar en peligro para las
personas.
17. No utilice el producto en condiciones en las que pueda producirse o ya se hayan producido
condensaciones sobre el producto o en el interior de éste, como p. ej. al desplazarlo de un lugar frío a
otro caliente. La entrada de agua aumenta el riesgo de choque eléctrico.
18. Antes de la limpieza, desconecte por completo el producto de la alimentación de tensión (p. ej. red de
alimentación o batería). Realice la limpieza de los aparatos con un paño suave, que no se deshilache.
No utilice bajo ningún concepto productos de limpieza químicos como alcohol, acetona o diluyentes
para lacas nitrocelulósicas.
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
Funcionamiento
1. El uso del producto requiere instrucciones especiales y una alta concentración durante el manejo.
Debe asegurarse que las personas que manejen el producto estén a la altura de los requerimientos
necesarios en cuanto a aptitudes físicas, psíquicas y emocionales, ya que de otra manera no se
pueden excluir lesiones o daños de objetos. El empresario u operador es responsable de seleccionar
el personal usuario apto para el manejo del producto.
2. Antes de desplazar o transportar el producto, lea y tenga en cuenta el capítulo "Transporte".
3. Como con todo producto de fabricación industrial no puede quedar excluida en general la posibilidad
de que se produzcan alergias provocadas por algunos materiales empleados ―los llamados
alérgenos (p. ej. el níquel)―. Si durante el manejo de productos Rohde & Schwarz se producen
reacciones alérgicas, como p. ej. irritaciones cutáneas, estornudos continuos, enrojecimiento de la
conjuntiva o dificultades respiratorias, debe avisarse inmediatamente a un médico para investigar las
causas y evitar cualquier molestia o daño a la salud.
4. Antes de la manipulación mecánica y/o térmica o el desmontaje del producto, debe tenerse en cuenta
imprescindiblemente el capítulo "Eliminación/protección del medio ambiente", punto 1.
5. Ciertos productos, como p. ej. las instalaciones de radiocomunicación RF, pueden a causa de su
función natural, emitir una radiación electromagnética aumentada. Deben tomarse todas las medidas
necesarias para la protección de las mujeres embarazadas. También las personas con marcapasos
pueden correr peligro a causa de la radiación electromagnética. El empresario/operador tiene la
obligación de evaluar y señalizar las áreas de trabajo en las que exista un riesgo elevado de
exposición a radiaciones.
6. Tenga en cuenta que en caso de incendio pueden desprenderse del producto sustancias tóxicas
(gases, líquidos etc.) que pueden generar daños a la salud. Por eso, en caso de incendio deben
usarse medidas adecuadas, como p. ej. máscaras antigás e indumentaria de protección.
7. Los productos con láser están provistos de indicaciones de advertencia normalizadas en función de la
clase de láser del que se trate. Los rayos láser pueden provocar daños de tipo biológico a causa de
las propiedades de su radiación y debido a su concentración extrema de potencia electromagnética.
En caso de que un producto Rohde & Schwarz contenga un producto láser (p. ej. un lector de
CD/DVD), no debe usarse ninguna otra configuración o función aparte de las descritas en la
documentación del producto, a fin de evitar lesiones (p. ej. debidas a irradiación láser).
8. Clases de compatibilidad electromagnética (conforme a EN 55011 / CISPR 11; y en analogía con EN
55022 / CISPR 22, EN 55032 / CISPR 32)
Aparato de clase A:
Aparato adecuado para su uso en todos los entornos excepto en los residenciales y en aquellos
conectados directamente a una red de distribución de baja tensión que suministra corriente a
edificios residenciales.
Nota: Los aparatos de clase A están destinados al uso en entornos industriales. Estos aparatos
pueden causar perturbaciones radioeléctricas en entornos residenciales debido a posibles
perturbaciones guiadas o radiadas. En este caso, se le podrá solicitar al operador que tome las
medidas adecuadas para eliminar estas perturbaciones.
Aparato de clase B:
Aparato adecuado para su uso en entornos residenciales, así como en aquellos conectados
directamente a una red de distribución de baja tensión que suministra corriente a edificios
residenciales.
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
Reparación y mantenimiento
1. El producto solamente debe ser abierto por personal especializado con autorización para ello. Antes
de manipular el producto o abrirlo, es obligatorio desconectarlo de la tensión de alimentación, para
evitar toda posibilidad de choque eléctrico.
2. El ajuste, el cambio de partes, el mantenimiento y la reparación deberán ser efectuadas solamente
por electricistas autorizados por Rohde & Schwarz. Si se reponen partes con importancia para los
aspectos de seguridad (p. ej. el enchufe, los transformadores o los fusibles), solamente podrán ser
sustituidos por partes originales. Después de cada cambio de partes relevantes para la seguridad
deberá realizarse un control de seguridad (control a primera vista, control del conductor de
protección, medición de resistencia de aislamiento, medición de la corriente de fuga, control de
funcionamiento). Con esto queda garantizada la seguridad del producto.
Transporte
1. El producto puede tener un peso elevado. Por eso es necesario desplazarlo o transportarlo con
precaución y, si es necesario, usando un sistema de elevación adecuado (p. ej. una carretilla
elevadora), a fin de evitar lesiones en la espalda u otros daños personales.
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Instrucciones de seguridad elementales
2. Las asas instaladas en los productos sirven solamente de ayuda para el transporte del producto por
personas. Por eso no está permitido utilizar las asas para la sujeción en o sobre medios de transporte
como p. ej. grúas, carretillas elevadoras de horquilla, carros etc. Es responsabilidad suya fijar los
productos de manera segura a los medios de transporte o elevación. Para evitar daños personales o
daños en el producto, siga las instrucciones de seguridad del fabricante del medio de transporte o
elevación utilizado.
3. Si se utiliza el producto dentro de un vehículo, recae de manera exclusiva en el conductor la
responsabilidad de conducir el vehículo de manera segura y adecuada. El fabricante no asumirá
ninguna responsabilidad por accidentes o colisiones. No utilice nunca el producto dentro de un
vehículo en movimiento si esto pudiera distraer al conductor. Asegure el producto dentro del vehículo
debidamente para evitar, en caso de un accidente, lesiones u otra clase de daños.
1171.0000.42 - 08 Page 14
R&S VCS-4G Abbreviations and Definitions
ACD: Average Call Duration; measure based on a call detail record sample to determine traffic demand
and forecast call volumes, serving also as a tool for infrastructure monitoring
Access In: Access In is the IP access list built in each software instance installed in VCS call control
equipments. Access In apply only to incoming SIP trunk calls. Based on incoming IP class, IP port,
signaling protocol and called number prefix a call is assigned to an incoming class
ASR: Answered Seizure Ratio; a measurement of the network quality and call success rate in
telecommunications. It is the percentage of answered telephone calls with respect to the total call
volume.
CAS: Channel-associated signaling, also known as per-trunk signaling (PTS), is a form of digital
communication signaling
Class: group of users or ports. The settings for a class apply to all the users or ports from that class. For
example, you can group all users into the USERS_GROUP, 15 ports from E1 card to E1_IN and the
other 15 ports of E1 card to E1_OUT. There are three type of classes:
IP = used to send calls to a specific IP address; in this case, the access out settings must be
configured (e.g. IP, port, protocol, transport etc.)
TDM = used to send calls on TDM ports
Users = used to send calls to users
Controller: a human person/operator identified to the system by a set of credentials (user name (UN)
and password (PW)), e.g. UN=jsmith, PW=123456. The controller typically uses a VCS communications
device to fulfill his ATC task.
COTS: Commercial Off The Shelf; Term defining a Non-Developmental Item (NDI) of supply that is both
available on the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under contract in the same
precise form as the one available to the general public.
Equipment: internal logical elements that are directly related with one instance of VCS software. The
relation between a logic equipment and VCS software instances is one to one. Note that a hardware
equipment is different from a logical equipment. Each equipment can have zero or more cards.
G/G: Ground-ground
ISDN BRI/PRI: Integrated Services Digital Network Basic Rate Interface/Primary Rate Interface
LRU: Line Replaceable Unit; it is a modular component of VCS that is designed to be replaced quickly at
an operating location
Mission: combination of zero, one or more than one role. A mission can have its own buttons. There are
three types of missions:
user - assigned to CWP user in role handover/selection
preconfigured - allow configuration of roles combination
generic - assigned to non operational positions, this mission has no role assigned
PTT: Push To Talk; The physical action taken by the controller in operating their transmit key. The term
“Key” is used to denote any type of device including buttons, levers, foot switches, computer mouse and
RAID 1: Redundant Array of Independent Disks; the data is written identically to two drives, thereby
producing a "mirrored set"; the read request is serviced by either of the two drives containing the
requested data; write request updates the stripes of both drives
R2S: Real Time Session Supervision Protocol; EUROCAE WG-67 standards for VoIP in ATM defined
R2S, used for monitoring the status of the network links between components for voice communication.
The monitoring mechanism employed by the R2S is a periodic exchange of R2S-Keepalive packets
between the two endpoints. RS2 use RTP following establishment of the SIP session between the two
endpoints. Signaling exchanges employed by the R2S protocol between the endpoints are contained in
the RTP Header Extension. Same exchange mechanism can be used to send commands and receive
confirmation signals when no voice traffic is present.
EUROCAE WG 37 specifies that R2S is employed to transport (among others) the following radio
signaling information:
Role: the properties defined in order to perform the voice communication related operational tasks in the
smallest definable airspace sector. A role is addressable by one unique MFC-R2/PSTN/VoIP number in
G/G communication which is published in LoA´s (Letter of Agreement) between neighboring ANSP´s.
Roles assignment: roles are assigned only from web management. Roles are allocated to a CWP at
startup and can be changed during operation only if they are linked with a day time interval scenario.
In this use case, one role can be assigned to one or more CWPs.
Roles handover: when the controller wants to take over a role, a request is sent to the current
responsible controller that has to be acknowledged, so that nobody can be forced to take over or lose
responsibility without having the required situational awareness.
In this use case, one role can be assigned to only one CWP at a time.
Roles selection: roles can be selected from CWP via roles selection list. At CWP startup (initial or
restart), after login, the controller can select which roles will be allocated to his/her position.
In this use case, one role can be assigned to one or more CWPs.
Routing table: allows to specify the destination of calls based on the incoming class, equipment ID and
prefix. Routing prefix is specified using regular expressions. The destination of a call can be:
Outgoing class
Outgoing group of classes
Special service
RSSI: Received Signal Strength Information is a measurement of the power present in a received radio
signal.
RTP: Real-time Transport Protocol, as defined in IETF RFC 3550, carries the voice conversation (and
video streams) between two IP endpoints. RTP provides the packet sequence and time-stamping
information needed for voice conversation traffic. RTP uses the sequence information to determine
whether the packets arrive in order, and it uses the time-stamping information to determine the inter-
arrival packet time (to determine the variation in delay, called jitter).
RTP is used in conjunction with the Real Time Control Protocol (RTCP). While RTP carries the media
streams (e.g., audio and video), RTCP is used for control, to monitor transmission statistics and the
quality of service (QoS) and aids the synchronization of multiple streams.
An RTP Session is established for each multimedia stream. A session consists of an IP address with a
pair of ports for RTP and RTCP.
RTSP: Real Time Streaming Protocol. The Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) is a network control
protocol designed for use in entertainment and communications systems to control streaming media
servers. The protocol is used for establishing and controlling media sessions between end points.
Scenario: allows mission allocation to the user, based on a day time interval and days of week. Only
one mission is active at a specific time interval.
Sector: a 3-dimensional atomic block in airspace. The sector name usually indicates a geographical
reference in this area (e.g. MUC East Lower). Sectorisation is a key concept when performing air traffic
control services. It allows to organise the airspace and the air traffic in distinct units, each of which can
be safely controlled by a group of air traffic controllers. The controllers in the group have a well-defined
task (executive controller, planning controller, etc.) and are physically located at a Controller Working
Position (CWP) in the operations room.
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol defined in IETF RFC 3261 performs the signaling and session
management functions required in a packet telephony network. SIP signaling sends call information
across network boundaries and session management controls the attributes of an end-to-end call. SIP
requests and responses establish communication among the various components in the network,
ultimately creating a conference between two or more endpoints.
SIP is an application-layer control protocol that can establish, modify, and terminate multimedia sessions
(conferences). SIP can also invite participants to already existing sessions, media can be added to (and
removed from) an existing session. SIP transparently supports name mapping and redirection services;
users can maintain a single externally visible identifier regardless of their network location.
A SIP user agent (UA) is a logical network end-point used to create or receive SIP messages and
thereby manage a SIP session:
A SIP UA can perform the role of a User Agent Client (UAC), which sends SIP requests, and the
User Agent Server (UAS), which receives the requests and returns a SIP response. These roles
of UAC and UAS only last for the duration of a SIP transaction
Each resource of a SIP network is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier(URI), example:
sip:name@host
SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol. Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP
networks
SQU: Squelch; Signal that indicates when a radio frequency input signal level to a GRS receiver is strong
enough to be passed through to the desired audio path. It may be either an aircraft transmission, or the
receipt of a VCS transmission from the associated GRS transmitter.
User: is an internal logical element that can be assigned to different entities. There are four types of
users:
SIP = users assigned to standard SIP phone
CWP = users assigned to CWP
TDM = users assigned to TDM ports
IP = users assigned to a remote SIP IP:Port
Notices
The three different notices used in this documentation have the following meaning:
General Information
Purpose of the Manual
This architecture manual is a description of the R&S VCS-4G solution from system perspective,
covering system componets and operational aspects. Its purpose is to provide engineers and project
managers needed information for a deep understanding of the way R&S VCS-4G system works.
Measuring Units
In this Manual, the basic SI Measuring units and units coherently derived from them are used by
preference. In exceptional cases, units legally derived from the SI units acc. to DIN1301 may also be
used.
Overview
Chapter
1 Overall VCS-4G System_Description
CPU card, E&M radio interface card, E&M plus RS232 interface card, CPU with E1
interface card, Deployment, Main/standby concept.
8 Telephony Gateway
CPU card, FXS/FXO interface card, FXS interface card, FXO interface card, LB
interface card, E&M PHONE interface card, MFC-R2 interface card, ISDN BRI interface
card, CPU with E1 interface card, Deployment.
9 VCS Gateway
CPU card, E&M radio interface card, CPU with E1 interface card, Deployment,
Main/standby concept.
10 Ethernet Switches
14 Position Maps
Low Level Software, High Level Software, Minor Software Upgrade, Major Software
Upgrade, Low Level Software Server Upgrade, High Level Software Server Upgrade.
17 Hardware Upgrade
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1
List of Figures 4
List of Tables 5
1. Overall VCS-4G System Description 6
1.1. System Diagram 7
1.2. Equipment 8
1.3. Standardization 9
1.4. System Design 10
1.5. Internal Communication Protocols 11
1.6. External Interface Communication Protocols 12
2. VCMS / RRMC Server 13
2.1. Hardware 14
2.2. Software 15
2.2.1. System Users Database 15
2.2.2. Configuration Database 15
2.2.3. Monitoring Database 15
2.2.4. Remote Radio Monitoring & Control 16
2.3. Main/standby Concept 17
2.4. VCS-4G Control and Monitoring System 18
3. Radio Server 20
3.1. Hardware 22
3.2. Software 23
3.3. Main/Standby Concept 26
4. Time Server 28
4.1. Hardware 29
4.2. Software 30
4.3. Redundancy Concept 30
5. VoIP Telephony Server 31
5.1. Hardware 32
5.2. Software 33
5.2.1. SIP Server 33
5.2.2. Conference Server 34
5.2.3. Telephony Server 35
5.2.4. SBC Server 35
5.3. Main/Standby Concept 36
6. Controller Working Position 37
6.1. Standard CWP 38
6.1.1. Touch Screen Display 40
6.1.2. CWP Graphical User Interface 41
6.1.3. CWP Processing Unit 44
6.1.4. Audio Devices 46
6.1.4.1. R&S GB5400V Headset/Handset Audio Box 46
6.1.4.2. R&S GB5400V Loudspeaker Audio Box 47
6.1.4.3. R&S GB5400V Recorder Audio Box 47
6.1.4.4. R&S GA5420 Handheld Microphone with PTT Switch and Cable 48
6.1.4.5. R&S GA5420 Desktop Microphone with PTT Switch and Cable 48
6.1.4.6. R&S GA5410 Loudspeaker 50
6.2. Compact CWP 51
6.2.1. Touch Screen Display 52
6.2.2. Graphical User Interface 53
6.2.3. CWP Processing Unit 54
List of Figures
Figure 2.1: R&S VCS-4G VCMS Graphical Interface 18
Figure 6.1: R&S®GB5400 Standard CWP Elements 38
Figure 6.2: R&S®GB5400T TSD With Capacitive Touch for Console Installation 40
Figure 6.3: R&S®GB5400T TSD for Desktop Installation 40
Figure 6.4: R&S®GB5400 Standard CWP Default GUI (sample) 41
Figure 6.5: R&S®GB5400 Standard CWP GUI Main Operational Areas 42
Figure 6.6: R&S®GB5400V Headset/Handset Audio Box – Front View 46
Figure 6.7: R&S®GB5400V Loudspeaker Audio Box – Front View 47
Figure 6.8: R&S®GB5400V Recorder Audio Box - Front View 47
Figure 6.9: R&S®GA5420 Handheld Microphone With PTT Switch and Cable 48
Figure 6.10: R&S®GA5420 Desktop Microphone With PTT Switch and Cable 49
Figure 6.11: R&S®GA5410 Loudspeaker – Front View 50
Figure 6.12: R&S®GB5450 Compact CWP 51
Figure 6.13: R&S®GB5450 Compact CWP Default GUI (sample) 53
Figure 6.14: R&S®GB5450 Compact CWP With Audio Accessories 54
Figure 6.15: R&S®GA5450 Binaural Mono Headset With PTT Switch and Cable 59
Figure 6.16: R&S®GA5450 Monoaural Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT 59
Figure 6.17: R&S®GA5460 Binaural Stereo Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT 60
Figure 6.18: R&S®GA5470 Monaural Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT 60
Figure 6.19: R&S®GA5470 Binaural Stereo Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT 61
Figure 7.1: R&S®GW5410 Radio Gateway Supporting 4 Radios With E&M I/f & RS232 64
Figure 8.1: ATS-N5 Interface Card - Front View 85
Figure 8.2: ATS-QSIG Interface Card - Front View 86
Figure 8.3: Ambient Recording Interface Card - Front View 88
Figure 10.1: R&S®GV5400 Cisco Ethernet Switch / 24 Ports 98
Figure 10.2: R&S®GV5420 Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switch / 24 Ports 99
List of Tables
Table 1.1: R&S VCS-4G Equipment 8
Table 3.1: Air-ground Feature Support With Radio Server (1) 24
Table 3.2: Air-ground Feature Support With Radio Server (2) 25
Table 6.1: R&S VCS-4G Audio Accessories (1) 57
Table 6.2: R&S VCS-4G Audio Accessories (2) 58
Table 6.3: Voice Services At CWP (examples) 62
Table 6.4: Operational Features At CWP (examples) 63
Table 6.5: Radio Monitoring and Control At CWP (examples) 63
Table 6.6: Data Services At CWP (examples) 63
Table 7.1: CPU Card - Interfaces and LEDs 67
Table 7.2: E&M Radio Interface Card - LEDs 68
Table 7.3: E&M Plus RS232 Interface Card - Interfaces and LEDs (1) 69
Table 7.4: E&M Plus RS232 Interface Card - Interfaces and LEDs (2) 70
Table 7.5: CPU Card With E1 Interface - Interfaces and LEDs 72
Table 8.1: Telephony Gateway Configurations 76
Table 8.2: FXS Interface Card - LEDs 80
Table 8.3: FXO Interface Card - LEDs 81
Table 8.4: LB Interface Card - LEDs 82
Table 8.5: E&M PHONE Interface Card – LEDs 83
Table 8.6: ATS-R2 (MFC-R2) Interface Card - LEDs 84
Table 8.7: ATS-N5 Interface Card - LEDs 85
Table 8.8: ATS-QSIG Interface Card - LEDs 86
Table 8.9: ISDN BRI Interface Card - LEDs 87
Table 8.10: Ambient Recording Interface Card - LEDs 88
The R&S VCS-4G is a Voice over IP (VoIP) system that enables Ground-Ground (G/G) and Air-Ground
(A/G) voice communications between air traffic controllers and pilots or ground personnel, including a
number of telephony and radio control features.
As the Voice Communication System (VCS) is an integral part of complex Air Traffic Management (ATM)
systems and one of the most important components, the R&S VCS-4G IP VCS fulfills high demanding
requirements, in terms of availability and reliability, as well as scalability.
1.2. Equipment
The R&S VCS-4G voice communication solution is a distributed and decentralized system. The VCS
system is composed by different equipments, each one performing different tasks. Depending on the
size, client requirements and site architecture, some equipments are optional.
Time Server Optional Time Server can be provided by user as part of ATC
system
VoIP Telephony Server Optional If not available, SIP phones cannot be used, and
conference can be done only in CWPs
Controller Working Position Mandatory
Radio Gateway Optional If not available, no analog radios are used, only IP
radios are used
1.3. Standardization
In order to guarantee safe and secure voice communication in an Air Traffic Management environment,
the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) Working Groups produce
performance specifications and guidance documents for civil aviation equipment, as well as detailed test
specifications, for adoption and use at European and world-wide levels.
EUROCAE Working Group 67 has defined the following standards for IP Voice ATM Systems:
Since 2008, Rohde&Schwarz Topex is an active member of WG 67; therefore, all knowledge and
experience is directly used when developing Rohde & Schwarz all IP VCS.
Rohde&Schwarz Topex successfully participated in ETSI Plugtests for VoIP in ATM, held in 2009, 2010,
2011 Sophia Antipolis, France.
Rohde&Schwarz Topex successfully participated in FAA Plugtest for VoIP in ATM, held in 2011
Washington DC, US.
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) develops and promotes Internet standards, cooperating
closely with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) / IEC (International Electrotechnical
Commission) standards bodies and dealing in particular with standards of the TCP/IP and Internet
protocol suite. R&S VCS-4G system was developed using these standards as guidelines and the system
capabilities fulfill all mandatory requirements.
Peer2peer Scheme
The signaling protocol used between audio devices permits controlling (creating, modifying and
terminating) of communication sessions (two-party or multi-party) and exchange of presence information
(presence status). The presence information usually includes the status of the audio device itself, the
calls in place at one audio device at a moment in time. Also, other events can be notified by one audio
device if other audio devices are interested in this kind of information. For example, one audio device
which acts as a media gateway can notify the status of each of its TDM lines.
The main advantage of R&S VCS-4G’s decentralized architecture is the reliability of the solution. Since
it does not rely on the central server, there isn’t any single point of failure. The voice packets may be
routed flexibly by the IP network. Another key advantage of R&S VCS-4G’s decentralized approach is its
flexible scalability; it allows an easy and not too expensive extension and expansion - the “pay as you
grow” model. With call handling and audio mixing built into each audio device, the required resources for
call handling and audio mixing are deployed automatically at the right amount.
The voice calls media between the VCS equipments is based on RTP protocol with additional R2S
header extension defined in ED 137B. RTP header extension applies only to radio calls; for ground calls,
the standard RTP packets are used.
The communication between the VCS equipments and the management server is based on standard
SQL queries. This communication is used to load/change the configuration data from/to the VCMS
server.
The time synchronization between the VCS equipments and the Time Sever is done via Network Time
Protocol (NTP).
Further, the Radio Remote Monitoring and Control application for monitoring the status of R&S radios and
changing frequencies at these radios is running on the R&S DB5400 platform.
2.1. Hardware
The R&S DB5400 VCMS and Radio Remote Monitoring & Control platform, presented in the figure
below,runs on a professional server machine – usually Proliant series from HP. Currently HP Proliant
DL360 or similar is used.
R&S DB5400 VCMS and Radio Remote Monitoring & Control Server
The HP Proliant DL360 is optimized for space constrained installations housed in a 1 HU case. It
provides a high performance system ideal for the full range of scale out applications in a safety critical
ATC environment. The servers are delivered with two hot swappable Hard Disk Drives configured in
RAID1 (mirroring), so that a HDD failure does not result in downtime or data loss. Further, the server can
be provided with single or hot swappable redundant AC power supply. HP Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO 3),
the integrated remote management of the physical server, reduces physical visits to servers, thus cutting
down operational costs. iLO 3 also enables simplified server setup.
The communication with other components of the R&VCS-4G system is ensured via two fully redundant
Ethernet interfaces, which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&VCS-4G IP
network. In case of any network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby without
impacting the system operation.
2.2. Software
In order to enable centralized supervision functions for Operations, Administration, and Maintenance
tasks, all configuration parameters (users, classes, routes, equipment ...) and network events (call detail
records, alarms) for the R&S VCS-4G devices are stored in the local PostgreSQL VCMS Server
application running on a LINUX operating system. Further a WEB server is running on the R&S DB5400
platform, which allows the access for configuration and monitoring via web browsers.
In order to enable the centralized Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) for all VCS
equipments, a database server is used. The following database types are created in the VCMS Server:
System users - stores the information of the users allowed to connect to the management
interface and their access rights
Configuration - stores the VCS system configuration data, e.g. VCS users, classes,
equipments, routes, position maps etc.
Monitoring - stores the monitoring and supervision data, e.g. call detailed records, alarms,
database journals, etc
Only one configuration database can be active at a time. The active database is called online and the
inactive databases are called offline.
It is possible to make a copy from any online/offline database. The changes made to the offline
databases do not affect in any way the normal VCS operation until the database is activated as online.
The changes made to the online database are loaded and applied automatically by the VCS equipments.
The changes made to the online database can affect the VCS operation. Any offline database can be
activated as online after prior validation. When the online database is changed (due to offline/online
switch), all the VCS equipments will automatically perform software restart.
All the VCS equipments can make changes to the online configuration database. The changes made are
loaded and applied automatically by all the other VCS equipments.
Each R&S VCS-4G device is taking its configuration from the main database server. On the other hand,
each device is reporting its alarms and events to the databases at the main and standby R&S DB5400
platform.
The Database is storing the status of each frequency RX and TX, if and which CWPs have this
frequency selected for monitoring/transmission. If the status of a frequency changes at one CWP, this
CWP will also update the status in the database. If a frequency has the “unmonitored channel prevention”
activated, then it is not possible for the last CWP to deselect the frequency from monitoring (Rx). If the
specified option is not activated for a frequency and the frequency was deselected from all CWPs, then
an unmonitored frequency alarm is generated at the VCMS.
In principle the IP based radio remote control and monitoring is available for any type of radio. Integration
of other radio types can be provided project specific, depending on customers’ requirements for control
parameters and status information reporting.
System configuration activities in a scenario with redundant R&S DB5400 platforms follow the principle
that each new configuration item is inserted in one transaction at the same time in both databases (main
and standby). Various automations and control methods are used to ensure that the information stored in
both databases is identical and synchronized. In this way, if a main/standby failover occurs at the R&S
DB5400 platform, the standby server contains the latest configuration and no data is lost. After a
main/standby failover, R&S VCS-4G continues operating normally.
In the unlikely event, that both R&S DB5400 VCMS and Radio Remote Monitoring & Control platforms
are off or disconnected from the IP infrastructure, the R&S VCS-4G system continues to operate without
call interruption in the current state. This means, the role selection will stay as is and logout/login will not
be possible. For frequencies having the “unmonitored channel prevention” feature activated, the RX
cannot be deselected while both databases are not accessible. As the polling requests generated by the
umbrella monitoring system (if available) will not be answered anymore by the databases, an alarm will
be generated by the umbrella monitoring system to inform the service technicians about the event.
Similarly, the CWPs will indicate to the controllers that the connectivity to the Database is lost.
The VCMS application presents and manages the data in the database in a graphical manner assuring
the simplicity in R&S VCS-4G administration and maintenance. It is based on a web interface for
operation, administration and maintenance. The VCMS application can be managed from inside the R&S
VCS-4G network, but also at project request, from external locations via secured VPN tunnels. Access
to the configuration interface is user name and password protected, allowing advanced IP filtering for
increased security of sensitive data. A sample of the VCMS application interface is shown in figure
below.
The web interface of the VCMS allows the service technician to configure, locally or remotely, different
types of R&S VCS-4G equipment, like Controller Working Positions, servers and gateways. It supports
the configuration of radio, telephone and intercom communication, as well as interface parameters.
Operational settings such as roles, missions and scenarios can be created and edited in a dedicated
section of the VCMS tool. Further it provides the possibility to control and supervise the R&S VCS-4G
component status, events and functionality.
All activity in the VCMS (creation, modification and deletion of information) is recorded so that any
interventions can be tracked down to the time and user that triggered them.
3. Radio Server
The R&S RS5400 Radio Server platform is used for network deployments covering a large number of
radios (transmitters, receivers or transceivers) at airports or country-wide installations with several
remote radio sites.
Often the available bandwidth to remote radio sites is not large enough to transport in parallel several but
identical VoIP streams from the same radio (there are usually many listeners, e.g. to emergency
channels, and only a few transmitters). If this is the case, a R&S RS5400 Radio Server for increased
efficiency of link utilization and reduction of active SIP sessions on VoIP based radios is introduced into
the R&S VCS-4G IP system architecture, as shown in the figure below.
The R&S RS5400 Radio Server’s main functionality is to aggregate and split voice streams to/from
radios in order to optimize bandwidth consumption on links to remote radio sites. In other words, it is a
special media server which distributes the single concentrated radio stream from the remote radio site to
several CWPs and vice versa. In this way, the Radio Server achieves a significant bandwidth reduction
on the network link between central location and remote radio sites. Further, it can perform centralized
processing of the air-ground signals, like Best Signal Selection, which will result in the fact that each
controller has the same information at his CWP.
The Radio Server receives a single stream from a particular radio and splits it to all the CWPs that want
to listen to that radio. This approach saves considerable bandwidth when the network resources are
limited.
The Radio server forwards the voice received from a CWP for transmission. If more than one CWP is
transmitting simultaneously, one of the following rules apply:
Select the CWP RTP stream with the highest PTT priority
Send the summed RTP streams received from CWPs to the radio
If enabled from the configuration, the Radio Server can also send Rx streams via multicast. This
approach also saves considerable bandwidth and CWP/Radio Server resources. In case of Rx only via
multicast, the SIP connection is created from the CWPs to the Radio Server only when a frequency is
selected. When the SIP connection is not set, a CWP can still detect/receive Rx activity on a frequency
which is not selected.
More than one Radio Server can be deployed where necessary. One server is handling the signaling and
media streams for a specified number of radios. When the maximum number is reached, another server
is required. This also follows the principle of distributed architecture.
When the legal recording is enabled, the Radio Server sends signaling RTSP and a copy of the summed
RTP streams to the ED137_4B IP recording servers.
3.1. Hardware
The R&S RS5400 Radio Server platform, presented in figure below, runs on a professional server
machine – usually Proliant series from HP. Currently HP Proliant DL360 or similar is used.
The HP Proliant DL360 is optimized for space constrained installations housed in a 1 HU case. It
provides a high performance system ideal for the full range of scale out applications in an safety critical
ATC environment. The servers are delivered with two hot swappable Hard Disk Drives configured in
RAID1 (mirroring), so that a HDD failure does not result in downtime or data loss. Further, the server can
be provided with single or hot swappable redundant AC power supply. HP Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO 3),
the integrated remote management of the physical server, reduces physical visits to servers, thus cutting
down operational costs. iLO 3 also enables simplified server setup.
The communication with other components of the R&S VCS-4G system is ensured via two fully
redundant Ethernet interfaces, which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S
VCS-4G IP network. In case of any network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby
producing no call drops for connected calls.
Although the hardware platform for the R&S®RS5400 Radio Server and the R&S®DB5400 VCMS Server
are similar, the two applications shall not be co-located and installed in parallel on one server machine.
This deployment rule guarantees optimal real-time-like response of the R&S®RS5400 Radio Server when
handling audio streams.
All communication between the Radio Server and the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and receive of
digitalized voice, signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via these
redundant Ethernet interfaces.
3.2. Software
R&S RS5400 Radio Server platform is running a 64 bit LINUX distribution as operating system. The main
software application is the call control software. The key protocols used are SIP, RTP, and R2S as of
EUROCAE ED137B.
The R&S RS5400 Radio Server can be configured per air-ground frequency or per frequency channel. A
frequency is the logical representation of radios (and associated channels) working on the same nominal
frequency. It is the resource presented on the main radio page of the CWP GUI. The channel is the
representation of physical radio device: receiver, transmitter or transceiver. One or several channels can
be combined to one frequency.
Handling frequencies on the Radio Server is recommended for deployments where all CWPs operating
with the same frequency shall have the same information about the frequency available. Handling
frequency channels on the Radio Server is for deployments where the frequency is operated for each
CWP independently. So the frequency channels could be split in main radio channels handled by the
main Radio Server and standby radio channels handled by standby Radio Server, increasing radio
channel availability.
The following features always demand an R&S RS5400 Radio Server in the R&S VCS-4G network
configuration:
Best Signal Selection (BSS) based on spectral richness
Present frequency status at the CWP GUI also if the frequency was not selected for monitoring
(this also requires activation of multicast, which can only be supported with the Cisco Ethernet
Switch and in this way makes a special license at the Cisco Ethernet Switch necessary)
Monitor TX, where Radio server provides a copy of transmission also to the other CWPs
PTT summation for analogue radios or mixed networks (analog and VoIP radios)
Automatic main/standby switchover for VoIP radios or Radio Gateways
With legal recording activated the R&S®RS5400 Radio Server platform will send per frequency a copy of
the selected received or the selected transmitted audio stream to one or two VoIP based legal recorders
following EUROCAE ED137B standard. This applies to any operation mode of the R&S®RS5400 Radio
Server.
The next table gives a summary on available air-ground features in the different configuration modes and
in which R&S VCS-4G device they are processed:
Air/Ground coupling C C C C C
Climax operations C C RS C C
Confirmation on PTT Tx C RS RS RS RS
Tx Mute C RS RS C C
Emergency call C RS RS RS RS
Legend:
C processed at CWP
VCMS VCMS at DB5400 platform
R processed at the VoIP Radio
RS processed at Radio Server
n.a. not available in this configuration mode
In the unlikely event, that both R&S RS5400 Radio Server platforms are down at the same moment in
time, the R&S VCS-4G system can be configured with so called “bypass” air-ground resources, which
allow the controller to connect to the same air-ground resources as before, but now directly and not via
the R&S RS5400 Radio Server platforms, as shown in figure below. This allows a continuous basic air-
ground operation for the controllers. Features provided by the Radio Server, like bandwidth aggregation,
are not available anymore. Also the number of controllers connecting to the same air-ground resource are
now limited to the number of supported SIP sessions of the VoIP radio or R&S GW5410 Radio Gateway.
But with the help of EMERGENCY and PRIORITY SIP session setup and PTT features supported by the
Controller Working Positions, the most important controller still gets access to the air-ground resource he
has to work with.
Another option for continuous air-ground operation in case of the unlikely event, that both R&S RS5400
Radio Server platforms are down at the same moment in time, is to install a second pair of R&S RS5400
Radio Server platforms. In such a configuration, most suitable for larger systems, all standby radios
would be handled by the second pair of Radio Servers. This will allow the controllers to connect to the
standby air-ground resources with the full feature set provide by the Radio Server in case the first pair of
Radio Servers is down. An architecture diagram is shown in figure below.
4. Time Server
The R&S GT5400 Time Server provides a highly accurate time to all the network elements in the R&S
VCS-4G via the IETF Network Time Protocol (NTP) using a GPS synchronization source as a local
reference and/or some other higher hierarchy NTP servers accessed remotely through the IP network.
Time synchronization is critical for event analysis and correlation during maintenance, log analyzing,
recording etc.; thus, enabling NTP on all infrastructure components is a fundamental requirement.
NTP Server uses the signal received from a GPS receiver for clock synchronization.
4.1. Hardware
The R&S Time Server solution is composed of two main parts:
Central unit – 1 HU, 19’’ unit
GPS antenna with 10m cable
The central unit consists of a microcontroller that controls all the resources of the R&S Time Server
solution. It receives the external clock synchronization from a GPS antenna via the inbuilt GPS module.
If GPS signal becomes unavailable, the Time Server will act as NTP Master Server with local time from
the central unit as NTP time source for all R&S VCS-4G devices. The clock accuracy is better than
0.5ppm.
The R&S GT5400 Time Server central unit is connected to the IP infrastructure via two fully redundant
Ethernet interfaces which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S VCS-4G IP
network. In case of any network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby. In case the
R&S®GT5400 NTP Time Server becomes unavailable as high precision time reference, each
R&S®VCS-4G devices will continue operation and rely on its own internal system clock for the time
being. Precision of these internal system clocks is not as high as the special system clock of the NTP
server’s central unit.
In the default configuration, the central unit of the Time Server is provided with one AC and two DC power
feeds for external power supply. Project specific, the CWP processing unit can also be provided with two
AC power feeds. The power supply status indication is done via the display at the front panel.
The antenna, shown in figure below, is an active GPS antenna, housed in a weatherproof packaging
designed to withstand exposure to shock, excessive vibration, extreme temperatures, rain, snow and
sunlight. It is connected to the central unit via a RG58 coaxial cable of 10m length. Longer cables can be
provided project specific. While the RG58 type of cable can be used for distances up to 22m, H1000 type
of cable can be used for distances up to 100m between GPS antenna and central unit. Standard lightning
protection needs to be installed on the cable path.
GPS Antenna
4.2. Software
The R&S GT5400 is running a LINUX operating system. The application software is stored on a solid
state memory in the central unit. The unit can be locally configured (preconfigured) either through the
front panel keys and the mounted display, or using the embedded simple web-based interface.
In case of missing time reference during initial system configuration the time at the NTP time server can
be set manually via the embedded web interface. Later the NTP timer server will synchronize
automatically with GPS time reference as soon as the same is available.
Presence information regarding the VoIP SIP phone users and information about the initiated/received
calls at the VoIP SIP phones is collected by the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server and sent to the
R&S DB5400 Server platform for monitoring purposes. The configuration for the VoIP Telephony Server
and VoIP SIP phones is performed from the VCMS.
Further the R&S®VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform can also be used to manage trunk groups for
TDM ports at the Telephony Gateways or to act as Session Border Controller (SBC).
5.1. Hardware
The R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform, presented in figure below, runs on a professional
server machine – usually Proliant series from HP. Currently HP Proliant DL360 or similar is used.
The HP Proliant DL360 is optimized for space constrained installations housed in a 1 HU case. It
provides a high performance system ideal for the full range of scale out applications in an safety critical
ATC environment. The servers are delivered with two hot swappable Hard Disk Drives configured in
RAID1 (mirroring), so that a HDD failure does not result in downtime or data loss. Further, the server can
be provided with single or hot swappable redundant AC power supply. HP Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO 3),
the integrated remote management of the physical server, reduces physical visits to servers, thus cutting
down operational costs. iLO 3 also enables simplified server setup.
The communication with other components of the R&S VCS-4G system is ensured via two fully
redundant Ethernet interfaces, which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S
VCS-4G IP network. In case of any network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby
producing no call drops for connected calls. All communication between the VoIP Telephony Server and
the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and receive of digitalized voice, signaling, configuration, recording and
monitoring data) is performed via these redundant Ethernet interfaces.
As the default R&S VCS-4G IP phone, the Cisco IP phone SPA502G (Rohde&Schwarz type R&S
SC5400; see figure above) is used for telephony communications between ATC personnel. Other IP
phones supporting standard IETF SIP can be supported project specific.
5.2. Software
R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform is running a 64 bit LINUX distribution as operating system.
The main software application is the call control software.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) defined in IETF RFC 3261 performs the signaling and session
management functions required in a packet telephony network. The session management controls the
attributes of a call. SIP requests and responses establish communication among the various
components in the network, ultimately creating a conference between two or more endpoints.
The SIP Server acts as a SIP registrar and back-to-back user agent (B2BUA) server.
When the legal voice recording is enabled for SIP phones, the RTP media passes through the SIP
Server, which sends signaling RTSP and a copy of the summed RTP streams to the ED137_4B IP
recording servers. If the analog recording servers are used, only the RTP streams are sent.
Following telephony features are available at the R&S SC5400 VoIP SIP phones:
Basic Call
Call Hold/Music on Hold
Call Forward
Voicemail (stored at the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform)
Call Transfer
Meet-Me Conference
Preset Conference
Call Waiting
Call Hunting
Call Forking
Call Pickup
Do Not Disturb(DND)
Anonymous Call Rejection
Calling Line Identification Presentation(CLIP)
Calling Line Identification Restriction(CLIR)
Further the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform provides the interface towards other IP PBXs
via SIP.
The Meet-Me, Preset and automatic conferences on FXO trunks are always hosted on the VoIP
Telephony Server. For the progressive conference initiated by the controller, it must be decided during
system configuration if the conference room is located at each individual CWP initiating the conference
locally or on the R&S®VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform (if available in the project configuration).
One R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform can handle up to 200 media streams in his
conference rooms. The maximum number of participants per conference room is 20. So in case each
conference room shall support 20 participants, 10 conference rooms can be provided per HW platform. If
the number of maximum participants per conference room is less, more conferences can be handled at
one server platform, only limited by the number of 200 parallel media streams. If there is a need for a
higher number of parallel media streams for conferences, a second server platform can be added to the
system architecture. It does not matter, if both these conferencing services or only one of them shall be
provided in the R&S VCS-4G project, the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform needs to be
configured, also if no SIP phones are used.
For legal recording purposes, the R&S®VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform will copy each received
or transmitted audio stream and send it to one or two VoIP based legal recorder following EUROCAE
ED137B standard.
Firewall, IP access list and user-name/password authentication are supported for the incoming calls. Call
rate limit and number of calls limit is supported on incoming/outgoing calls at a global and class level.
The SBC server can also be used to hide the network topology of the VCS system. In this case, the RTP
streams pass through the SBC server.
When the legal recording is enabled for SIP trunks, the RTP media passes through the SBC Server,
which sends signaling RTSP and a copy of the summed RTP streams to the two ED137B IP recording
servers. If the analog recording servers are used, only the RTP streams are sent.
Assuming the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform is configured to handle the maximum
conference capacity as described above, the SBC and SIP server/RTP proxy function can handle up to
100 parallel calls. In case the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform is configured solely as SBC,
it can handle 300 parallel calls.
Both models provide similar look, feel and feature scope. Main difference is in the physical dimension
and modularity and in this way the deployment areas. The following chapters provide a detailed view on
both CWP types, explaining hardware as well as software and graphical user interface aspects.
The 1HU 19’’ processing unit is located near the touch screen or it may be installed into the equipment
rack in the controller’s desk. All connectors that link essential components to the processing unit (IP
network, touch screen monitor, audio accessories) have been fitted with mechanisms that prevent
accidental disconnection.
The standard CWP is connected to the IP infrastructure via two fully redundant Ethernet interfaces which
can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S VCS-4G IP network. In case of any
network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby without interruption of connected
calls. All communication between sCWP and the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and receive of voice,
signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via these redundant Ethernet
interfaces.
Figure 6.2: R&S®GB5400T TSD With Capacitive Touch for Console Installation
The Standard CWP can be fitted with touch screens of several dimensions (12’’ or 15’’) and touch
technologies (resistive or capacitive) to satisfy different operational requirements. The TSD can be
installed as desktop or it can be integrated into the ATC console, as required by the customer. All sCWP
touch screen displays have wide viewing angle, high brightness, large number of displayed colors and a
long exploitation life.
The default Standard CWP monitors for console integration come along with a sunlight readable 12’’ LCD,
one touch brightness control and with resistive or capacitive touch (see figure below). The default R&S
VCS-4G desktop monitors are provided as 12’’ or 15’’ LCD resistive touch (see figure below).
As with the Standard CWP solution the touch screen is not fixed together with the CWP processing unit,
further models and sizes with even different touch technologies can be provided project specific in order
to meet the ANSP’s need.
The CWP GUI has been built to be a user friendly and easy to use interface that allows ATC controllers
to operate air-ground and ground-ground calls. The CWP GUI has been built using well known concepts
such as buttons, windows, lists, menus and sub-menus.
All CWP functions, radio and telephone communications as well as additional settings are designed to be
accessible using as little additional action from the controller as possible. All essential resources and
functions are available on the main operational screen and can be activated by a simple touch action. To
ensure fast and clear handling, the GUI is designed to allow one-touch activation for the frequently used
functions: activation/deactivation of radio and telephone functions, opening of secondary windows (audio
settings and routing, frequency configuration mode) and closing of menus or additional windows to return
to the main screen. Essential operational information such as the incoming telephony call queue, alerts
and messages remain visible throughout the whole duration of operation. Functions and settings that are
used seldom have been placed in additional windows that are only opened by the controller when the
need arises so that the main screen remains easy to read and work with.
The layout of the GUI is clearly structured into main operational areas for air-ground and ground-ground
communication. The air-ground operational area is used to establish communication between the ATC
controller and the aircraft pilots. The ground-ground operational area is used to establish communication
between the ATC controller and other ground destinations.
For the design of the GUI (figure above), R&S VCS-4G adheres to the following principles and best
practices concepts:
Function buttons are placed at the edge of the CWP GUI for fast access
Important status and system messages (assigned roles, text messages, system notifications)
are displayed at the top of the screen area and are always visible to the controller
Central GUI area is dedicated to radio and telephony communication. The number of radio and
telephony buttons is adaptable according to project needs.
For air-ground and ground-ground resources several pages can be defined
Several sub-windows are available for more detailed information and configuration options on
audio, tools and resources
Screen area at the bottom of the screen is reserved for call queue presenting incoming
calls/calls placed on hold and the common "END CALL" button
The CWP GUI is highly adaptable to customer needs in terms of button dimensions, position,
colors and attached functions.
Using the R&S GUI designer, within the given layout, the ANSP’s administrator can define the design,
labeling and positioning of radio and telephony functional buttons.
The main processor is a powerful dual core processor running LINUX operating system. The main
processor board is a state-of-the-art multilayer PCB. Nonvolatile memory is used to store the relevant
application software and data.
The intelligent software stored on a solid state memory in the processing unit knows about the complete
dial-plan of the system. This allows for direct peer-to-peer communication between R&S VCS-4G devices
and radios avoiding central elements. The principle software architecture of the CWP processing unit is
presented in figure below:
The Standard CWP processing unit provides the following interfaces to the redundant LAN, touch
screens and audio accessories (figure below):
The audio signals received from radios can be routed between earpieces (left, right, both) and loud
speakers individually for each frequency. Ground-ground communication audio is handled different from
air-ground communication. Every communication transmitted and received is duplicated and send to one
or two legal recorders following EUROCAE ED137 standard for legal recording.
The power supply status indication is done with 6 LEDs: two of them present the status of internal power
provisioning (+12V, +5V) and the other four LEDs present the status of external power supply. In the
default configuration, the CWP processing unit is provided with one AC and two DC power feeds for
external power supply. Project specific, the CWP processing unit can also be provided with two AC
power feeds.
In its standard configuration, the R&S GB5400 CWP allows connection of four
headsets/handsets/microphones and four loudspeakers. Larger number of audio devices can be provided
project specific.
Each R&S GB5400V Headset/Handset Audio Box connected to the CWP processing unit via powered
USB cables allows for two headsets/handsets/microphones to be connected to it.
One or two R&S GB5400V Headset/Handset Audio Boxes can be connected to a Standard CWP, which
ensures that a total number of four headsets, handsets, microphones or any combination of four of such
audio accessories can be available at a CWP. The headset/handset/microphone connectors are placed
at the front of the box for ease of handling.
Volume controls, as shown in figure below, are available at the front of the headset/handset audio box to
control the audio level in the headset/handset. For stereo headsets, the audio volume can be adjusted
independently for the left and right earpiece. By keeping the volume knob pressed while turning it, the
audio of the right earpiece can be adjusted. If the volume knob is not pressed and turned, the audio of
the left earpiece can be adjusted. The software automatically detects the type of headset connected and
adjusts the audio and electrical settings accordingly.
All headsets/handsets/microphones are fitted with latching connectors against accidental disconnection.
Furthermore, presence of a correctly connected headset/handset/microphone is indicated by the
activation of a control LED at the front of the box.
The R&S GB5400V Loudspeaker Audio Box connected to the CWP processing unit via powered USB
cables allows for two loudspeakers to be connected to it.
One or two R&S GB5400V Loudspeaker Audio Boxes can be connected to a Standard CWP, which
ensures that a total number of four loudspeakers can be available at a sCWP in its standard
configuration.
Volume controls are available at the front of the loudspeaker audio boxes to control the audio level of
each loudspeaker as presented in figure above. A dedicated pair of LEDs at the front of the loudspeaker
audio box indicates when voice is present at the loudspeakers. This way, even if the actual voice was
not heard by the controller, there is a visual indication of active reception.
The connectors for the loudspeakers are placed in the rear part of the loudspeaker audio box and are
fitted with a latching mechanism against accidental disconnection.
With the R&S®GB5400V Recorder Audio Box (see figure below) the Standard CWP provides directly at
the CWP one physical interface to a legal recorder with analog audio interface.
One R&S GB5400V recorder audio box can be connected to a CWP processing unit, thereby using the
slot of one Loudspeaker Audio Box. Via the one physical interface at the Recorder Audio Box a total
number of two analog outputs can be provided to a legal recorder. The audio outputs can be either air-
ground communication (receive and transmit), ground-ground communication (receive and transmit), or
both, air-ground and ground-ground communication (receive and transmit) handled at this particular CWP
processing unit. The configuration of audio output type towards the recorder is done during system setup.
6.1.4.4. R&S GA5420 Handheld Microphone with PTT Switch and Cable
R&S GA 5420 Handheld microphone with PTT switch and cable is an acoustic-to-electric transducer that
converts sound into an electrical signal. The handheld microphone is used in this application in order to
make available talking between controllers and between controllers and pilots by PTT activation.
The handheld microphone with PTT switch and cable using for CWP is microphone TM110 type, suited in
radio systems in mobile and fixed applications.
Figure 6.9: R&S®GA5420 Handheld Microphone With PTT Switch and Cable
6.1.4.5. R&S GA5420 Desktop Microphone with PTT Switch and Cable
The R&S GA5420 Desktop microphone with PTT switch and cable is an acoustic-to-electric transducer
that converts sound into an electrical signal. The microphone is used in this application in order to make
talking between controllers and between the controllers and pilots available.
Figure 6.10: R&S®GA5420 Desktop Microphone With PTT Switch and Cable
The R&S®GA5410 Loudspeaker, presented in the figure below connects to the R&S®GB5400V
Loudspeaker Audio Box for power and signal feed. Up to four loudspeakers can be connected to one
Standard CWP processing unit via corresponding Loudspeaker Audio Boxes. Project specifically, the
number of loudspeakers per CWP processing unit can be extended to six (reducing the maximum number
of Headset Audio Boxes to one). The advanced radio audio routing feature allows the controller to route
the radio reception of each frequency to the chosen loudspeaker or set of loudspeakers.
It is installed at the desk of the controller, providing the graphical user interface to the controller for air-
ground and ground-ground communication and the connectors for the audio input/output devices with
related volume controls. It features a full integration of a 7’’ touch screen, processing unit, audio unit and
speaker in a single compact chassis, as presented in the figure below.
The Compact CWP provides two copper and two SFP network interfaces. The SFP interfaces can be
equipped with copper or optical fiber SFP modules. Any combination of two out of these four network
interfaces can be used to connect the cCWP to the IP infrastructure via two fully redundant Ethernet
interfaces which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S®VCS-4G IP network.
In case of a network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby without interruption of
connected calls. All communication between cCWP and the entire R&S®VCS-4G (transmit and receive
of voice, signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via these redundant
Ethernet interfaces.
The basic operational functions of the cCWP are the same as with the sCWP:
Touch screen-based user friendly graphical interface to the R&S®VCS-4G system
Support of ground-ground and air-ground calls for normal and emergency communication
Three independent communication types: telephone, intercom and radio
Flexible routing of different radio and telephony audio sources to different audio outputs (e.g.
speakers, headset earpieces)
Connection to the VCS-4G Control and Monitoring System (VCMS) for configuration updates
Support for wide range of different audio I/O devices (various types of headsets, microphone,
loudspeaker and handset)
Support for additional, project specific services and functions (video streaming, text message
distribution, control of SCADA-like devices)
The layout of the Compact CWP GUI closely follows the look & feel and operational logic of the GUI for
the Standard CWP while being optimized for convenient handling on a smaller screen at the same time.
In this way, controllers trained on the sCWP GUI can easily find their way around with the cCWP GUI
without an immediate need for additional training.
As for the sCWP, also the GUI of the cCWP has been built to be an ergonomic and easy to use interface
that allows ATC controllers to operate air-ground and ground-ground calls. The layout of the cCWP GUI
has been built using well known concepts such as buttons, windows, lists, menus and sub-menus.
Microphone inputs between 0dBm to -64dBm are supported. Additionally, Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
can be activated on the microphone input. The gain level is configurable via the VCMS management
system. The footswitch is connected to a dedicated connector. One cCWP can recognize up to 4 PTT
inputs:
1 x headset/handset/microphone from instructor (precedence priority)
1 x headset/handset/microphone from controller
1 x foot PTT
1 x soft PTT at GUI
The audio signals received from radios can be routed between headset earpieces (left, right, both), one
integrated loudspeaker and one external loudspeakers individually for each frequency. Ground-ground
communication audio can be routed independent from air-ground communication. Separate copies of the
summarized air-ground and ground-ground communication are send to one or two legal recorders
following EUROCAE ED137B standard for legal recording via VoIP.
The power supply status indication comprises one LED on the front panel of the cCWP. By default, the
cCWP is powered via two DC power feeds. Optionally, one or two external AC/DC power converter can
be provided in order to connect the cCWP to AC power source.
The R&S®GB5450 Compact CWP is fitted with two connectors for headsets/handsets/microphones. The
cCWP is able to detect at any moment the number and type of audio devices connected.
Volume controls, as shown in Figure 'R&S®GB5450 Compact CWP', are available at the front of the
cCWP. For stereo headsets, the audio volume can be adjusted independently for the left and right
earpiece. By keeping the volume knob pressed while turning it, the audio of the right earpiece can be
adjusted. If the volume knob is not pressed and turned, the audio of the left earpiece can be adjusted.
The software automatically detects the type of headset connected and automatically adjusts the audio
and electrical settings accordingly.
All headsets/handsets/microphones are fitted with latching connectors against accidental disconnection.
Furthermore, presence of a correctly connected headset/handset/microphone is indicated by the
activation of a control LED at the front of the cCWP.
6.2.4.2. Loudspeakers
Additionally to the two connectors for headsets/handsets/microphones, the cCWP provides one
integrated loudspeaker. One additional external speaker can be connected. The volume control is
available at the front of the cCWP. By keeping the volume knob pressed while turning it, the audio of the
external speaker can be adjusted. If the volume knob is not pressed and turned, the audio of the internal
speaker can be adjusted. A dedicated LED at the front of the cCWP indicates when voice is present in
the audio channel routed to the internal speaker. In this way, even if the actual voice was not heard by
the controller, there is a visual indication of active reception.
The connector for the external loudspeaker is placed at the rear part of the Compact CWP and is fitted
with a latching mechanism against accidental disconnection.
As external loudspeaker, the same R&S®GA5410 Loudspeaker is used as for the Standard CWP (see
Figure 'R&S®GA5410 Loudspeaker – front view'). Only the connector at the cCWP is different.
R&S®GA5450
Monaural headset with PTT switch and cable
Binaural mono headset with PTT switch and cable
R&S®GA5460
Binaural stereo headset with PTT switch and cable
R&S®GA5470
Monaural headset with PTT switch and cable
R&S®GA5470
Binaural stereo headset with PTT switch and cable
R&S®GA5420
Desktop microphone with PTT switch and cable
R&S®GA5420
Handheld microphone with PTT switch and cable.
R&S®GA5490
PTT footswitch with cable
6.2.5.1. R&S GA5450 Binaural Mono Headset with Microphone, Cable and PTT
The role of the binaural mono headset with microphone, cable and PTT is to assure good reception of
audio signal for controller.
The headset is a headphone combined with a microphone. Headsets provide the equivalent functionality
of a telephone handset with hands-free operation.
The PTT switch and cable represents a Controller Headset with Push-to-Talk using as complementary
accessories for Headset which accompanies the CWP subsystem.
Figure 6.15: R&S®GA5450 Binaural Mono Headset With PTT Switch and Cable
6.2.5.2. R&S GA5450 Monaural Headset with Microphone, Cable and PTT
The role of the monaural headset with cable and microphone is to assure good reception of audio signal
for controller.
The headset is a headphone combined with a microphone. Headsets provide the equivalent functionality
of a telephone handset with hands-free operation.
The PTT switch and cable represents a Controller Headset with Push-to-Talk used as complementary
accessories for Headset which accompanies the CWP subsystem.
Figure 6.16: R&S®GA5450 Monoaural Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT
6.2.5.3. R&S GA5460 Binaural Stereo Headset with Microphone, Cable and PTT
The role of the binaural stereo headset with PTT, microphone, cable and integrated PTT is to help at
receiving and transmitting audio by the controller.
The HME-46 headset features dynamic, open headphones. The noise-compensating microphones assure
excellent speech transmission. It is designed for air traffic control, intercom systems and other
communication purposes. For the controller, HME-46 provides comfortable wearing due to the patented
two-piece automatic headband soft ear pads.
Figure 6.17: R&S®GA5460 Binaural Stereo Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT
6.2.5.4. R&S GA5470 Monaural Headset with Microphone, Cable and PTT
The role of the monaural headset with cable and microphone is to assure good reception of audio signal
for controller. The monaural headset variant using for CWP is AirTalk RS3-flex type
The headset is a headphone combined with a microphone. Headsets provide the equivalent functionality
of a telephone handset with hands-free operation.
Figure 6.18: R&S®GA5470 Monaural Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT
6.2.5.5. R&S GA5470 Binaural Stereo Headset with Microphone, Cable and PTT
The role of the binaural stereo headset with microphone, cable and integrated PTT is to help at receiving
and transmitting audio by the controller. The binaural headset variant using for CWP is AirTalk RD3-flex
type
The headset features dynamic, splitting headphones. The noise-compensating microphones assure
excellent speech transmission, it is designed for air traffic control, intercom system and other
communication purposes.
Figure 6.19: R&S®GA5470 Binaural Stereo Headset With Microphone, Cable and PTT
Trainer/Trainee operation
Split mode operation
Flexible audio routing and volume settings
Short term recording for radio and telephony communication
Position monitoring
CWP maintenance functions (screen cleaning, calibration)
Monitoring of CWP and system status
Data applications (integration of video, SCADA-like devices)
7. Radio Gateway
The R&S GW5410 Radio Gateway is used to connect radios via E&M interface or E1 interface to the all-
IP R&S VCS-4G using EUROCAE ED137 compliant SIP, R2S and RTP protocols. Five different types of
Radio Gateways are supported:
Radio Gateway (1HU) supporting 4 radios with E&M audio interface (four Rx/Tx interfaces)
Radio Gateway (1HU) supporting 2 radios with E&M audio interface plus RS232 (two interfaces
Tx with RS232 each and two interfaces Rx with RS232 each)
Radio Gateway (2HU) supporting 4 radios with E&M audio interface plus RS232 (four interfaces
Tx with RS232 each and four interfaces Rx with RS232 each)
Radio Gateway (1HU) supporting 4 radios with E1 audio interface (two E1 interfaces; if
necessary, external cross connect/multiplexer needs to be provided additionally)
Radio Gateway (2HU) supporting 30 radios with E1 audio interface (two E1 interfaces; if
necessary, external cross connect/multiplexer needs to be provided additionally)
For all five types the communication with other components of the R&S VCS-4G system is ensured via
two fully redundant Ethernet interfaces. Each Radio Gateway runs intelligent software application for call
signaling and media handling.
Three Radio Gateways appear in a 19”, 1HU casing as presented in figure above. The Radio Gateway
with 4 E&M plus RS232 interfaces, as shown next, and the Radio Gateway supporting 30 radios with E1
audio interface are available in a 19”, 2HU casing.
Figure 7.1: R&S®GW5410 Radio Gateway Supporting 4 Radios With E&M I/f & RS232
For the two Radio Gateways with E&M interface only, the card on the top is the processor card (CPU
card), providing also the redundant Ethernet interfaces and a service port. The card/cards below is/are
the actual interface card/cards providing the E&M interfaces. For the Radio Gateway with E&M plus
RS232 interfaces, the interface card below the CPU card provides the E&M and RS232 interfaces. For
the Radio Gateway supporting E1 interfaces, the card on the top is the processor card, providing besides
the redundant Ethernet interfaces and a service port also the redundant E1 interfaces.
The Radio Gateways with E&M interface support the connection of all types of radios via analog 2/4w
E&M interfaces. The E&M board supports all the signaling types available on the radio interface:
Both types of E&M interface cards (E&M and E&M plus RS232) support out-of-band and in-band PTT
and Squelch. While out-of-band PTT and Squelch is based on contact closure or floating input.
Additionally the interface card providing E&M interface plus RS232 supports in-band signaling, using by
default 2040Hz for PTT and 2440Hz for Squelch.
For the received signal strength indication based on RSSI, the Radio Gateway reads the following in-band
tones from the analog radio and provides them as RTP header extension to the other R&S VCS-4G
components:
Other PTT and Squelch in-band frequencies to support different radio types are supported:
The selection to use out-of-band or in-band signaling is done on a per radio interface basis. Configuration
is done via the VCMS.
The E1 interface (ITU-T G.703, G.704, G.705, G.711 and G.796) is supporting CAS (Channel-Associated
Signaling) multiframe. The PCM coded audio signal (A-law) for the four radio channels is transmitted in
the first four timeslots TS1-TS4.
In case of the Radio Gateway supporting 30 radios with E1 audio interface the PCM coded audio signal
(A-law) is transmitted in the timeslots TS1-TS15 and TS17-TS31. The related PTT and Squelch signaling
is transmitted in timeslot TS16. The CAS signaling settings for R&S®Series4200 radios and other
manufacturer radios can be configured during system setup. In-band signaling is not supported for E1
links.
The channel associated signaling (CAS) used in TS16 is specified below (signaling is coded in bits A, B,
C, D (first bit = A)):
CAS coding for direction from the R&S VCS-4G to the radio transmitter (TX):
CAS coding for direction from radio receiver (RX) to the R&S VCS-4G:
The CAS signaling settings for Park Air Radios can be configured during system setup. In-band signaling
is not supported for E1 links.
The power supply status indication at all Radio Gateways is done with 7 LEDs: three of them present the
status of internal power provisioning (-48V, -5V, +5V) and the other four LEDs present the status of
external power supply. In the default configuration, the Radio Gateway is provided with one AC and two
DC power feeds for external power supply. Project specific, the Radio Gateway can also be provided with
two AC power feeds.
The interfaces and LEDs have the following function (Table CPU card – interfaces and LEDs):
The CPU card provides the connectivity to the IP infrastructure via two fully redundant Ethernet
interfaces which can be linked to two independent Ethernet switches in the R&S VCS-4G IP network. In
case of any network failure, the Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby producing no call drops
for connected calls. All communication between the Gateway and the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and
receive of digitalized voice, signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via
these redundant Ethernet interfaces.
The CPU card can handle a maximum of 40 SIP sessions active at the same time. If the project
requirement for active SIP session goes beyond this maximum capacity a Radio Server (see chapter 0)
needs to be introduced in the R&S VCS-4G network architecture.
To support the legal recording aspects, the CPU card will copy each received and transmitted audio
stream and send it to one or two VoIP based legal recorder following EUROCAE ED137 standard.
At the E&M radio interface card every second port (labeled 0, 2, 4, 6) are E&M interfaces to connect
radios (Rx and Tx; PTT and Squelch). Every other second port (labeled 1, 3, 5, 7) are used for service
purposes only. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the E&M radio interfaces (Table E&M radio
interface card – LEDs):
Call ON ON ON ON
Interface opens the voice channel:
PTT - ON, SQUELCH - ON
The interfaces and LEDs have the following function (Table E&M plus RS232 interface card – interfaces
and LEDs):
Table 7.3: E&M Plus RS232 Interface Card - Interfaces and LEDs (1)
No. Name Description Type Notes
1 TX 0 Connector for transmitter, HDB26 analog TX audio, out-of-band and in-band
interface 0 receptacle PTT, TX audio recording analog, project
specific: PTT confirmation input & voltage
or contact for transmitter antenna switch or
radio main/standby switch & output contacts
1-4 & RS232 data
2 RX 0 Connector for receiver, HDB26 pin analog RX audio, out-of-band and in-band
interface 0 Squelch, RX audio recording analog, voltage
for RSSI signalization, project specific:
voltage or contact for receiver antenna
switch or radio main/standby switch &
input/output contact 1-2 & output contact 3-4
3 TX 1 Connector for transmitter, HDB26 analog TX audio, out-of-band and in-band
interface 1 receptacle PTT, TX audio recording analog, project
specific: PTT confirmation input & voltage
or contact for transmitter antenna switch or
radio main/standby switch & output contacts
1-4 & RS232 data
4 RX 1 Connector for receiver, HDB26 pin analog RX audio, out-of-band and in-band
interface 1 Squelch, RX audio recording analog, voltage
for RSSI signalization, project specific:
voltage or contact for receiver antenna
switch or radio main/standby switch &
input/output contact 1-2 & output contact 3-4
5 0 – PTT Green LED – PTT “ON” indicates PTT signal transmitted“OFF”
signaling, interface 0 indicates no PTT signal
Table 7.4: E&M Plus RS232 Interface Card - Interfaces and LEDs (2)
No. Name Description Type Notes
6 0 – SQ Yellow LED – Squelch “ON” indicates Squelch signal received“OFF”
signaling, interface 0 indicates no Squelch signal
7 0 – TX Green LED, interface 0 “ON” indicates voice is transmitted“OFF”
indicates no voice
8 0 – RX Green LED, interface 0 “ON” indicates voice is received“OFF”
indicates no voice
9 1 – PTT Green LED – PTT “ON” indicates PTT signal transmitted“OFF”
signaling, interface 1 indicates no PTT signal
10 1 – SQ Yellow LED – Squelch “ON” indicates Squelch signal received
signaling, interface 1 “OFF” indicates no Squelch signal
11 1 – TX Green LED, interface 1 “ON” indicates voice is transmitted “OFF”
indicates no voice
12 1 – RX Green LED, interface 1 “ON” indicates voice is received “OFF”
indicates no voice
13 RESET Reboot of interface cards Push button The power supply of the card and the correct
and indication of with LED operating state is indicated by the LED lit in
operating status of the (two colors) green color.
interface card (by The manual resetting of the card is indicated
different colors) by the LED lit in red color.
Faulty power supply or missing
communication with the CPU card is
indicated by the LED which is lit in green
color for six seconds, then it is lit in red
color for one second and so on.
Via the E&M plus RS232 interface card the Radio Gateway can read the voltage for RSSI signaling from
the analog radios between 0 and 10V. The mapping of voltage level to the RSSI value in the RTP header
extension (according EUROCAE ED137 standard) is done in 15 steps. The exact ranges are configurable
by the management system. Additionally, Automatic Gain Control (AGC) can be activated on the path of
reception from the radio. The gain level is configurable via the VCMS management system.
The E1 interfaces are used to connect to the radios. To connect several, maximum 30 radio channels to
one gateway, an additional cross connect or multiplexer is required, if not already provided with the
radios.
The two fully redundant Ethernet interfaces connect to the IP infrastructure and can be linked to two
independent Ethernet switches in the R&S VCS-4G IP network. In case of any network failure, the
Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby producing no call drops for connected calls. All
communication between Gateway and the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and receive of digitalized voice,
signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via these redundant Ethernet
interfaces.
The interfaces and LEDs have the following function (Table CPU card with E1 interface – interfaces and
LEDs):
To support the legal recording aspects, the CPU card with E1 interface will copy each received or
transmitted audio stream and send it to one or two VoIP based legal recorder following EUROCAE
ED137B standard.
7.5. Deployment
The installation location of the R&S GW5410 Radio Gateway is very flexible. Depending on the network
requirements/capabilities the Radio Gateways can be installed in the VCS technical room in the
ACC/airport or at the radio site, as shown in figure below.
In case the Radio Gateway is installed in the VCS technical room in the ACC/airport the existing
analog/digital communication infrastructure towards the radio sites can be reused. In case the Radio
Gateway is installed at the radio site, an IP infrastructure is used from the ACC/airport to the radio site
and only at the radio site the analog infrastructure will be reused. A combination of both within the same
VCS communication infrastructure is possible.
In this way, the Radio Gateway provides the ANSP the flexibility to install it wherever it fits best within
the ANSP’s infrastructure, protecting as much as possible/necessary the existing investment but also
introduce the new capabilities of IP technology.
In case of a failure of the main radio or main Radio Gateway, the controller can switch to the standby
resources available at the standby Radio Gateway by selecting the corresponding standby radio channel
on this GUI. In case of an R&S®RS5400 Radio Server used and both Radio Gateways configured as
main/standby pair, the switchover from main to standby Radio Gateway takes place automatically and
completely transparent to the controller. This avoids single points of failure and also covers scenarios
with split site radio installations.
8. Telephony Gateway
R&S VCS-4G supports two models of Telephony Gateways: R&S GW5420 for subscriber lines and R&S
GW5430 for trunk lines. Both Telephony Gateway models are used to connect analog and digital
telephony interface to the all-IP R&S VCS-4G using EUROCAE ED137 compliant SIP, R2S and RTP
protocols.
The Telephony Gateways allow the interconnection to existing PBX or PSTN networks via traditional
analog interfaces such as FXS, FXO, E&M_PHONE, MFC-R2, LB, E1 CAS or digital interfaces such as
ISDN BRI/PRI. The BRI/PRI interfaces support the Euro ISDN signaling protocol.
The analogue LB (Local battery) interface ensures the connection to the local battery telephones or the
analogue voice recorders.
The telephony gateway is also used for the intercommunication with the legacy VCSs, using MFC-R2
signaling protocol.
When the legal recording is enabled on TDM ports, the Telephony Gateway sends signaling RTSP and a
copy of the summed RTP streams to the ED137 4B IP legal recorder. If the analog recording servers are
used, only the RTP streams are sent.
To support the legal recording aspects, for the 1HU R&S GW5420 Telephony Gateways the CPU card
will copy each received and transmitted audio stream (maximum 8 channels) and send it to one or two
VoIP based legal recorder following EUROCAE ED137 standard. In case that ED137 compliant legal
recording shall also apply to R&S GW5420 2HU Telephony Gateways and R&S GW5430 Telephony
Gateway (both with more than 8 channels) the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform has to be
installed as proxy.
The following Telephony Gateway configurations are supported, each equipped with a different interface
card type or number of interface cards:
In all configurations the communication with other components of the R&S VCS-4G system is ensured
via two fully redundant Ethernet interfaces. Each Telephony Gateway runs intelligent software application
for call signaling and media handling. The Telephony Gateway with ATS-QSIG interface can be provided
project specific.
The Telephony Gateways appear in a 19”, 1HU casing as presented in figure above. For a higher number
of interfaces, also 2HU variants are available.
The card on the top is always the processor card (CPU card), providing also the redundant Ethernet
interfaces and a service port. The card/cards below are the actual interface cards providing the telephony
line interfaces. Only for the R&S GW5430 Telephony Gateway supporting E1 interfaces, the card on the
top is the processor card, providing besides the redundant Ethernet interfaces and a service port also the
redundant E1 interfaces. The second slot is empty. The R&S GW5430 is available in 1HU chassis only.
The power supply status indication for the Telephony Gateways is done with 7 LEDs: three of them
present the status of internal power provisioning (-48V, -5V, +5V) and the other four LEDs present the
status of external power supply. In the default configuration, the Telephony Gateway is provided with one
AC and two DC power feeds for external power supply. Project specific, the Telephony Gateway can also
be provided with two AC power feeds.
CPU Card
To support the legal recording aspects, for the 1HU R&S®GW5420 Telephony Gateways the CPU card
will copy each received and transmitted audio stream (maximum 8 channels) and send it to one or two
VoIP based legal recorders following EUROCAE ED137B standard. In case that EUROCAE ED137B
compliant legal recording shall also apply to R&S®GW5420 2HU Telephony Gateways and
R&S®GW5430 Telephony Gateway (both with more than 8 channels) the R&S®VS5400 VoIP Telephony
Server platform has to be installed as proxy.
At the FXS/FXO interface card the first four ports (labeled 0-3) are FXS interfaces to connect analog
telephone devices and the last four ports (labeled 4-7) are FXO interfaces to connect private/central
office exchanges. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the status of the FXS interfaces as described in Table FXS
interface card – LEDs and for FXO interfaces as described in Table FXO interface card – LEDs below.
At the FXS interface card all ports are FXS interfaces to connect analog telephone devices. All ports are
RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The FXS interface supports call generation and DTMF/pulse dialing. Further it provides battery, power,
dial tone and ringing voltage.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the FXS interfaces (Table FXS interface
card – LEDs):
Not installed OFF OFF Correct type of interface card, but slot disabled
Not configured Blinking Blinking Interface card does not receive the configuration from CPU card
slowly slowly
Configuration Blinking Blinking Incorrect HW type of interface card in relation to configuration
error fast fast stored in CPU card
Idle ON OFF Properly configured interface, but no activity on the interface
Ring tone ON Blinking Interface sends a ring tone
fast
Pulse Dialing OFF ON Interface has current open loop for Pulse Dialing
ON OFF Interface has current closed loop for Pulse Dialing
Call ON ON Interface has opened the voice channel
At the FXO interface card all ports are FXO interfaces to connect to private/central office exchanges. All
ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The FXO interface supports for incoming signals Ring Voltage and for outgoing signals DTMF or pulse
dialing.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the FXO interfaces (Table FXO interface
card – LEDs):
Lock Blinking OFF Interface does not detect line voltage (e.g. broken line) and is
slowly locked in order to not be committed
At the LB interface card all ports are LB interfaces to connect local battery devices or analog recorder.
All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the LB interfaces (Table LB interface card
– LEDs):
At the E&M PHONE interface card every second port (labeled 0, 2, 4, 6) are E&M interfaces to connect
phones (Rx and Tx; PTT and Squelch). Every other second port (labeled 1, 3, 5, 7) are used for service
purposes only. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The E&M phone interface (2/4wires) supports signaling Type I-V and for register signaling R2 and DTMF
digits.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the E&M interfaces (E&M phone interface
card – LEDs):
At the ATS-R2 (MFC-R2) interface card every second port (labeled 0, 2, 4, 6) ) is an ATS-R2 (MFC-R2)
interface to connect ATS-R2 (MFC-R2) lines to other VCSs. Every other second port (labeled 1, 3, 5, 7)
is used for service purposes only. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface
card.
The ATS-R2 (MFC-R2) interface follows EUROCONTROL recommendation and supports supplementary
services (priority calls/interruption).
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the MFC-R2 interface card (Table ATS-R2
(MFC-R2) interface card – LEDs):
On the ATS-N5 interface card every second port (labeled 0, 2, 4, 6) is an ATS-N5 interface to connect
ATS-N5 lines to other VCSs. Every other second port (labeled 1, 3, 5, 7) is used for service purposes
only. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The ATS-N5 interface follows EUROCONTROL “ATS R2 and ATS No.5 Signaling Protocol
Specifications”.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the ATS-N5 interface card (table below):
Not installed OFF OFF OFF OFF Correct type of interface card, but
slot disabled
Not Blinking Blinking OFF OFF Interface card does not receive the
configured slowly slowly configuration from CPU card
Configuration Blinking Blinking OFF OFF Incorrect HW type of interface card
error fast fast in relation to configuration stored in
CPU card
Idle ON OFF OFF OFF Properly configured interface, but
no activity on the interface
Call ON ON OFF OFF Interface has opened the voice
channel
Call + ON ON ON Blinking Interface transmits the frequency
Signaling forward
ON ON Blinking ON Interface detects the frequency
backward
On the ATS-QSIG interface card all ports are ATS-QSIG interfaces to connect ATS-QSIG lines following
ECMA-312 “Profile Standard for the Use of PSS1 (QSIG) in Air Traffic Services Networks”. All ports are
RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the ATS-QSIG interface card (table below):
At the ISDN BRI interface card all ports are ISDN BRI interfaces to connect ISDN BRI lines.
Each individual ISDN BRI interface can be configured by the management system in two operational
modes:
Terminal equipment mode - Connect to local office exchanges (PSTN) or legacy PBX and
behave like an ISDN terminal/phone
Network terminal mode:
Connect up to two ISDN terminals/phones (via 4wire S 0-bus) and behave like a local office
exchanges (PSTN) or legacy PBX
Maximum two parallel calls at the same time can be handled at one S 0-bus
The terminal equipment devices need to provide their own local power supply
In order to support different S 0-bus topologies with respect to cable lengths and number of supported
terminal equipment devices, bus adaptor resistors can be added/removed at the ISDN BRI interface card
using jumpers.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the ISDN BRI interface card (Table ISDN
BRI interface card – LEDs):
Table 8.9: ISDN BRI Interface Card - LEDs
Status Green LED Status description
on port 0,1,2,3
Synchronized ON Synchronized interface with mate ISDN equipment
Not Synchronized OFF Not synchronized interface with mate ISDN equipment
On the ambient recording interface card all ports are ambient recording interfaces to connect ambient
microphones via the amplifier. All ports are RJ45. The RESET button is used to reboot the interface card.
The LEDs at RJ45 connectors indicate the following status of the ambient recording interfaces (table
below):
CPU+E1 Card
In contrast to the Radio Gateway, the two E1 links at the R&S GW5430 Telephony Gateway can handle
up to 60 voice channels. In the configuration mode as two redundant gateways, one R&S GW5430
Telephony Gateway can handle up to 30 voice channels. The second E1 link will be used to connect to
the second gateway (see Figure below). This way of cascading two gateways allows continuing
communication via the same E1 link, even if one gateway fails. In case one gateway fails (also in case
of complete outage or power failure), relays at the CPU card of gateway A switch the E1 link
transparently through to the gateway B and communication can continue via the second gateway after
redialing the destination.
The two fully redundant Ethernet interfaces connect to the IP infrastructure and can be linked to two
independent Ethernet switches in the R&S VCS-4G IP network. In case of any network failure, the
Ethernet interfaces switch from main to standby producing no call drops for connected calls. All
communication between Telephony Gateway and the entire R&S VCS-4G (transmit and receive of
digitalized voice, signaling, configuration, recording and monitoring data) is performed via these
redundant Ethernet interfaces.
In order to support legal recording following EUROCAE ED137 for all channels at the R&S GW5430
Telephony Gateway, the R&S VS5400 VoIP Telephony Server platform has to be installed as proxy. In
case that only 8 or less channels shall be recorded, ED137 compliant legal recording to two legal
recorders can be performed directly by the R&S GW5430 Telephony Gateway.
8.13. Deployment
The installation location of the R&S GW5420 and R&S GW5430 Telephony Gateways is very flexible.
Depending on the network requirements/capabilities the Telephony Gateways can be installed in the VCS
technical room in the ACC/airport or at a remote office location, as shown in figure below:
In this way, also the Telephony Gateways provide the ANSP the flexibility to install them wherever it fits
best within the ANSP’s infrastructure, protecting as much as possible/necessary the existing investment
but also introduce the new capabilities of IP technology.
9. VCS Gateway
The R&S GW5450 VCS Gateway is used to connect radios with an EUROCAE ED137 compliant VoIP
interface to an existing traditional VCS. Two different types of VCS Gateways are supported:
VCS Gateway supporting 4 radio channels via analog E&M interface towards a traditional VCS
VCS Gateway supporting 4 radio channels via E1 interface towards a traditional VCS
In both cases the communication with the VoIP radios is ensured via two fully redundant Ethernet
interfaces. Each VCS Gateway runs intelligent software application for call signaling and media handling.
Both VCS Gateways appear in a 19”, 1HU casing as presented in figure above.
In the VCS Gateway with the E&M interfaces, the card on the top is the processor card (CPU card),
providing also the redundant Ethernet interfaces and a service port. The card on the bottom is the actual
interface card providing the E&M interfaces towards the traditional VCS. In the VCS Gateway with the E1
interfaces, the card on the top is the processor card, providing besides the redundant Ethernet interfaces
and a service port also the redundant E1 interfaces towards the traditional VCS. The second slot is
empty.
The VCS Gateway supports 2/4w E&M interfaces. The E&M board supports all the signaling types
available on radio interface:
Out-of-band and in-band PTT and Squelch are supported. While out-of-band PTT and Squelch is based
on contact closure or floating input, in-band signaling is using by default 2040Hz for PTT and 2440Hz for
Squelch. For the received signal, the VCS Gateway will provide the following in-band tones to the
traditional VCS based on RSSI value received from the VoIP radio:
Other PTT and Squelch in-band frequencies to support different radio types are supported:
For the E&M interfaces, the selection to use out-of-band or in-band signaling is done on a per radio basis.
The E1 interface (ITU-T G.703, G.704, G.705, G.711 and G.796) is supporting CAS multiframe. The PCM
coded audio signal (A-law) for the four radio channels is transmitted in the first four timeslots TS1-TS4.
The related PTT and Squelch signaling is transmitted in timeslot TS16. The channel associated signaling
(CAS) used in TS16 is specified below (signaling is coded in bits A, B, C, D (first bit = A)):
CAS coding for direction from the traditional VCS to the radio transmitter (TX)
CAS coding for direction from radio receiver (RX) to the traditional VCS
The CAS signaling settings for Park Air Radios can be configured during system setup. In-band signaling
is not supported for E1 links.
The power supply status indication at the VCS Gateway is done with 7 LEDs: three of them present the
status of internal power provisioning (-48V, -5V, +5V) and the other four LEDs present the status of
external power supply. In the default configuration, the VCS Gateway is provided with one AC and two
DC power feeds for external power supply. Project specific, the VCS Gateway can also be provided with
two AC power feeds.
At the VCS Gateway, the CPU card will also hold a local configuration of the gateway. In this way no
extra database is required. In case of several VCS Gateways in one ATC infrastructure interconnected
via an IP network, also the R&S DB5400 Server platform can be introduced in order to ease the
configuration, monitoring and maintenance for all the VCS Gateways from one central location.
To support the legal recording aspects, the CPU card will copy each received and transmitted audio
stream and send it to one or two VoIP based legal recorder following ED137 standard.
Similar as at the Radio Gateway, the E1 interface in the VCS Gateway will only use the first 4 time slots,
one for each radio channel. In this way it will be avoided, that in case of a VCS Gateway failure, more
than 4 radio channels are lost. If more than 4 radio channels are located at one radio site, several VCS
Gateways will be deployed. If such a radio site is connected via one E1 link only, standard COTS E1
Multiplexer or CrossConnects will be used to combine the E1 links from the VCS Gateways to one E1
trunk towards the traditional VCS.
At the VCS Gateway the CPU card with E1 interface will also hold a local configuration of the gateway. In
this way no extra database is required. In case of several VCS Gateways in one ATC infrastructure
interconnected via an IP network, also the R&S DB5400 Server platform can be introduced in order to
ease the configuration, monitoring and maintenance for all the VCS Gateways from one central location.
To support the legal recording aspects, the CPU card with E1 interface will copy each received and
transmitted audio stream and send it to one or two VoIP based legal recorder following ED137 standard.
9.4. Deployment
The installation location of the R&S GW5450 VCS Gateway is very flexible. As shown in figure below,
depending on the network requirements/capabilities the VCS Gateways can be installed in the VCS
technical room in the ACC/airport or at the radio site, similar as for R&S GW5410 Radio Gateway. In this
way, the VCS Gateway provides the ANSP the flexibility to install it wherever it fits best within the
ANSP’s infrastructure, protecting as much as possible/necessary the existing investment but also
introduce the new capabilities of IP technology.
In case of main radio failure or main VCS Gateway failure, controller can switch to the standby resources
available at the standby VCS Gateway. This avoids single point of failure and supports even the case of
split site radio installations.
Depending on the number of VCS equipments, multiple Ethernet switches can be used.
Depending on the configuration, the Ethernet Switch has 24 or 48 ports. The types of the Ethernet ports
are: 10/100 Base-T or 10/100/1000 Base-T.
R&S VCS-4G solution is based on an Ethernet Switching Core built on COTS Fast Ethernet 10/100
Base-T switches with different capacities according to the number of required ports.
Each R&S VCS-4G component has two Ethernet interfaces, for redundant connection of the respective
unit to two Ethernet switches.
Network redundancy is supported in hard- and software. The hardware redundancy is assured by the
physical duplication of the switching devices. The software redundancy is based on the bonding
capability for Ethernet interfaces of the R&S®VCS-4G devices which allows an automatic failover to the
standby Ethernet link in case the main link becomes unavailable due to failure of the respective
interface, the cable or the main Ethernet switch altogether.
The Ethernet devices used are state-of-the-art switches that improve LAN operating efficiency by
combining industry-leading ease of use and high resiliency. The switching devices can be stacked in
order to allow customers to build a unified, highly resilient switching system.
The switches are equipped with 24 or 48 Ethernet ports (10/100 Base-T) as shown in figure above, which
operate in any combination of half-duplex, full-duplex, 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s. They are able to set duplex
auto negotiation in accordance with IEEE 802.3ab (the default setting is auto negotiation). On the front
panel there is a series of LEDs for monitoring the switch and its performance. Further all LEDs are visible
through the application management GUI accompanying the switch.
On power-up, the switch runs a series of automated tests and the status is shown by the state and color
of the LEDs. The switch can be configured through a standard web interface, via the well-known, industry
standard command line interface or more conveniently via a web-based frontend.
With an optimized design for flexibility and scalability as well as low power consumption, the OmniSwitch
6250 runs the field-proven Alcatel-Lucent Operating System (AOS), providing an outstanding edge
solution for highly available, self-protective, easily managed and eco-friendly networks.
All models in the OmniSwitch 6250 switch family are stackable, with a half-rack width (19’’/2.), fixed-
configuration chassis in a 1HU form factor (see figure above). Backup power supplies come in the form
of a power brick in either AC or DC variant respectively and may be mounted to the rear of the chassis
using the power shelf with securing brackets.
If audio is encapsulated in 10ms frames, each G.711 frame contains 640bits (80Bytes) of voice payload.
In the R&S VCS-4G, the voice payload size per packet is configurable for each component but it must
be consistent system-wide. The default setting is to use 20 ms and the available settings for the sample
interval are 10, 20, and 30 ms.
Experience has shown that a 20ms audio sample size is a good compromise between the audio quality
and the bandwidth usage.
The one-way voice delay for ground-ground communication must be less than 150ms, in compliance with
ITU-T recommendation G.114 (05/03) and the one-way ground transmission voice delay for a radio call
must be less than 130ms, according to ED-136 (VoIP ATM Operational and Technical Requirements).
When a voice equipment receives a VoIP audio stream, it must compensate for the jitter it
encounters. The mechanism that handles this function is the jitter buffer, which must buffer the packets
and then play them out in a steady stream to the DSPs, which converts them back to an analog audio
stream.
The VCS equipments use adaptive jitter buffer with sizes from 20 to 200 ms.
12.1.1. Equipments
Equipments are internal logical elements that are directly related with one instance of the VCS software.
The relation between a logical equipment and the VCS software instances is one to one. Note that a
hardware equipment is different from a logical equipment. In practice, it is possible to have the following
cases:
One hardware equipment with one logical equipment, ie hardware equipments on which a single
software instance is running; e.g. CWP, radio gateway, telephony gateway
One hardware equipment with two or more logical equipments, ie hardware equipments on which
two or more software instances are running; e.g. hardware server hosting Session Border
Controller, SIP Server and Telephony Server software.
Two hardware equipments configured in redundant mode share the same logical equipment; e.g.
redundant Radio/SIP/Telephony Servers, etc
Each logical equipment has a unique ID, defined in the management system.
12.1.2. Cards
Cards are internal logical elements of two types:
Hardware cards from hardware equipments; e.g. CPU/E1, FXS, FXO, E&M, etc
Software cards; e.g. RTP Proxy
12.1.3. Ports
Ports are internal logical elements of two types:
Hardware slots from hardware cards; ie TDM slots
Software positions from software cards; ie IP RTP slots
12.1.4. Users
Users are internal logical elements of the following types:
SIP = users assigned to standard SIP phone
CWP = users assigned to CWP equipments
TDM = users assigned to TDM ports from hardware cards
IP = users assigned to remote SIP IP:Port, e.g. IP radios
12.1.5. Classes
The classes are a group of users or ports. The settings made on a class apply to all the users or ports
from that class. For example, you can group all the users into the USERS_GROUP, 15 ports from E1
card to E1_IN and the other 15 ports of E1 card to E1_OUT.
12.1.6. Access In
Access In is the IP access list built in each software instance installed in the VCS call control
equipments. Access In applies only to the incoming SIP trunk IP calls. Based on the incoming IP class,
IP port, signaling protocol and called number prefix, a call is assigned to an incoming class (see Call
flows below).
12.1.7. Routes
The routing table allows to specify the destination of the calls based on the incoming class, equipment id
and prefix. The routing prefix is specified by using regular expressions. The destination of a call can be:
Outgoing class
Outgoing group of classes/users (routing group)
Special service (e.g. IVR, Conference, Pickup, Play files etc)
For each route, it is possible to define the day time and day of week when it is active.
Multiple routes can be defined for the same prefix. In this case, the route is selected according to the
configured algorithm. For the outgoing classes group, another algorithm can be specified. For example:
the route algorithm is priority and the outgoing classes group algorithm is percent.
12.2.1. Examples
IP to IP = Access In -> In class -> Routing -> Out IP class
Users to IP = VCS user -> In users class -> Routing -> Out IP class
IP to Users = Access In -> In class -> Routing -> Out users class -> VCS user
Users to Users = VCS user -> In users class -> Routing -> Out users class -> VCS user
TDM to TDM = In TDM port -> In TDM class -> Routing -> Out TDM class -> TDM port
IP to TDM = Access In -> In class -> Routing -> Out TDM class -> TDM port
TDM to IP = In TDM port -> In TDM class -> Routing -> Out IP class
Users to Service = VCS user -> In users class -> Routing -> Service
IP to Service = Access In -> In Class -> Routing -> Service
TDM to Service = In TDM port -> In TDM Class -> Routing -> Service
A sector always equals a specific unique three-dimensional part of the airspace. Each sector has a
name, frequency and can be managed by the area supervisor (if set) or other supervisor role.
A sector is composed of one or more roles. Each role is addressable by one unique MFC/PSTN/VoIP
number, which is published in LoA´s (Letter of Agreement) between neighboring ANSP´s.
The frequency assigned to a sector becomes the main frequency for the controller role of that sector.
14.2. Missions
A mission is a combination of zero, one or more than one role. There are three types of missions:
User
Preconfigured
Generic
Preconfigured missions are used to define which buttons are displayed and where on the GUI interface,
when multiple roles are assigned to a user mission. Each time a role is added/removed to/from a CWP
user, the preconfigured missions list is searched in order to find the best match (find mission with
maximum number of roles included), based on the current available roles.
14.3. Roles
Roles are allocated to users via missions.
Role uses case cannot be changed during VCS operation. Usually, the role use case is selected when
the VCS system is installed. Changing a role use case requires restarting all the equipments from the
VCS system.
In this use case one role can be assigned to one or more CWP users.
In this use case, one role can be assigned to only one CWP user at a time.
In this use case, one role can be assigned to one or more CWP users.
14.4. Buttons
Buttons can be assigned to roles or missions. One button can be assigned simultaneously to a mission
and a role. One button can be assigned to many missions and/or roles.
A frequency usually represents an air space sector and contains up to 16 channels. Each channel
supports type Rx, Tx or RxTx. On a channel it is possible to assign a destination number or a destination
user.
When the frequency is selected at CWP, simultaneous calls to each radio channel are initiated from
CWP to the specified channel number or user name. All answered channel calls remain simultaneously
connected until they are disconnected by the controller or by the remote party. When the CWP deselects
the frequency, the calls to the radio channels are disconnected.
When the Radio Server is used, the calls to radio frequency channels are made through the Radio
Server, when the first CWP selects a frequency. When the last CWP deselects the frequency, the calls
to the radio channels are disconnected.
BSS algorithm can be specified on Rx channels. On Tx channels it is possible to select the active
transmitter. The Automatic Transmitter selection can also be activated.
If a number is assigned, when the button on the GUI is touched, a telephone call to the specified number
is initiated.
If a user is assigned, when the button on the GUI is touched, a telephone call to the specified username
is initiated.
Resource is a group of destinations that are called simultaneously when the button is touched. All
answered calls are added to the preset conference.
15.3. RAID1
The Radio Server, VoIP Telephony Server and VCMS/RRMC Server have RAID 1 (Redundant Array of
Independent Disks; the data is written identically on the two drives) hard disks (HDD). The failure of one
HDD does not affect the server functionality. After the HDD replacement, the data is synchronized
automatically.
15.5. Virtual IP
The redundancy for the VCMS/RRMC Server, Radio Server and VoIP Telephony Server is achieved by
using two master/slave servers that share the same virtual IP. If the master fails, the virtual IP is
switched automatically on the slave server.
SIP Trapezoid
The Telephony Server is considered to be an integral part of the VCS system. However, if both of the
redundant Telephony Servers are down, the telephony calls are still possible in VCS. While both of the
redundant Telephony Servers are down, the race condition may appear when two simultaneous calls are
sent to same trunk group. In this case, the first call will pass through and the second call will be rejected
with a busy code. Another manual attempt on the second call will try to find another free TDM port from
the trunk group.
The VCMS Server is considered to be an integral part of the VCS system. However, if both of the
redundant VCMS Servers are down, the VCS will continue to function in the actual state without affecting
the normal operation. While both of the redundant VCMS Servers are down, no configuration
load/change/view is possible. This affects the following activities:
Starting a new VCS equipment
Restarting of a VCS equipment
Login/logout to/from CWP not allowed
Frequency deselection from CWP not allowed
Roles handover/selection not allowed
The redundancy for R&S VCS-4G means that each VCS equipment is equipped with two Ethernet ports
instead of a single one. The usage of the link aggregation on the switches side and NIC bonding on the
equipment side are methods of combining (aggregating) two network connections in parallel, in order to
provide redundancy in case one of the links fails. Each network interface card must be connected to a
different switch in order to achieve an effective, redundant architecture.
The IPv4 family of protocols provides underlying network communications between devices on the
ATM’s Intranet.
The IP protocol is based on industry standard specifications, implemented and supported in a wide range
of devices with more than two decades of deployment in government, academic and commercial
environments. It provides the unifying framework to make applications independent of the actual
transport technology.
Using IP WAN inter network technologies, a broad geographical area can be covered; also, the system
can take benefits of using Virtual Private Network (VPN) techniques for remote access.
The upgrade of the low level software requires the hardware restart of the VCS equipment.
The upgrade of the high level software does not require a hardware restart of the VCS equipment. Only
the software restart of the involved applications is required.
The upgrade for the redundant servers is performed by following the next steps:
First, the VCS servers are upgraded and after that, the VCS endpoints. Once a VCS endpoint is updated
and restarted, it is part of the new VCS system.
Also, planning about the splitting of the CWP, RGW and TGW resources between two VCSs has to be
considered.
G/G calls between the old and new VCS are possible during upgrade as interconnect inter VCS calls.
On both VCS endpoints and servers, the old software is not lost. This allows software rollback to older
versions at any time.
The software upgrade of the VCS endpoint equipments can be performed with the hardware restart, as
they are not critical parts of the VCS. The VCS endpoints are capable of storing locally two software
instances (old and new). On the VCS endpoints, only one software instance is active at a time. Switching
between instances requires a hardware restart.
The software upgrade of the VCS server equipments requires a different approach, as they are critical
parts of the VCS. In order not to affect the server redundancy, two upgrade procedures are used,
depending on the software level that needs to be upgraded.
In order not to affect the redundancy capabilities, the low level software upgrade requires two additional
hardware servers for each redundant server pair.
After the upgrade is finished, and all VCS endpoints are switched to the new software, the old servers
can be stopped.
The high level software upgrade does not require additional hardware servers. The VCS servers are
capable of storing locally two software instances (old and new). On each server, two software instances
are running simultaneously during the upgrade.
After the upgrade is finished and all VCS endpoints are switched to the new software, the old software
from the server can be stopped.
For all VCS equipments, the hardware replacement is possible by simply connecting them to the same
Ethernet ports and power sources.