Propagation models for multiple-antenna systems : methodology, measurements and statistics

The trend in wireless communications is towards utilization of multiple antenna systems. While techniques such as beam-forming and spatial diversity have been implemented for some time, the emergence of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) communications has increased commercial interest and development in multiple-antenna technology. Given this trend it has become increasingly important that we understand the propagation characteristics of the environments where this new technology will be deployed. In particular the development of low-cost, high-performance system architectures and protocols is largely dependent on the accuracy of available channel models for approximating realized propagation behavior. The first contribution of this thesis is a methodology for the modeling of wireless propagation in multiple antenna systems. Specifically we consider the problem of propagation modeling from the perspective of the protocol designer and system engineer. By defining the wireless channel as the complex narrow-band channel response h e C between two devices, we characterize the important degrees of freedom associated with the channel by modeling it as a function of its path-loss, multipath/frequency, time stability, spatial, and polarization characteristics. We then motivate this model by presenting a general set of design decisions that depend on these parameters such as network density, channel allocation, and channel-state information (CSI) update rate. Lastly we provide a parametrization of the environment into measurable factors that can be used to predict channel behavior including link-length, Line-Of-Sight (LOS), link topology (e.g. air-to-ground), building density, and other physical parameters. The second contribution of this thesis is the experimental analysis and development of this modeling space.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Herring, Keith, 1981-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David H. Satelin.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43027

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/43027