Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Wideband mobile radio channel characterization

Caractérisation du canal à large bande pour radiocommunications avec les mobiles

  • Published:
Annales Des Télécommunications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wideband mobile radio channel characterization has generally been carried out by employing sounders. These systems transmit either narrow periodic pulses or pseudo random binary sequences (prbs) with either matched filters or cross-correlators for compression at the receiver. Recently, frequency modulated continous wave (fmcw or chirp) sounders have been applied to wideband mobile radio channel characterization. The paper briefly reviews the theory of wideband channel characterization and relates the known analytical expressions to the necessary processing to extract the mobile radio channel parameters. Different architectures of chirp sounders are compared and the implementation advantages of the heterodyne detector of chirp sounders are highlighted. These are demonstrated by presenting indoor and outdoor wideband measurements.

Résumé

La caractérisation à large bande des canaux radioélectriques est réalisée à partir de sondeurs. Ces systèmes émettent soit une impulsion, soit une suite pseudo-aléatoire dit prbs (pseudo random binary sequences) et utilisent en reception une technique de compression s’appuyant sur unfiltre adapté ou sur un corrélateur. Récemment une technique de modulation de fréquence (fmcw ou chirp) a été mise en ozuvre dans ces sondeurs. Cet article présente une brève revue de la theorie liée à la caracterisation des canaux à large bande et relie les expressions analytiques connues aux traitements nécessaires pour obtenir les paramètres caractéristiques de ces canaux. Les différents types d’architectures de sondeurs chirp sont comparés et les avantages d’une technique hétérodyne du sondeur chirp sont soulignés. Ceci est illustré par la présentation de mesures à large bande à l’intérieur ou à l’extérieur des bâtiments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Young (W. R.), Lacy (L. Y.). Echoes in transmission at 450 megacycles from land-to-car radio units,Proc. IRE,38, pp. 255–258, (March 1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Turin (G. L.), Clapp (F. D.), Johnston (T. L.), Fine (S.B.), Lavry (D.). A statistical model of urban multipath propagation,IEEE Trans.VT,21, no 1, pp. 1–9, (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  3. De Lange (O. E.). Propagation studies at microwave frequencies by means of very short pulses,BSTJ, pp. 91–103, (Jan. 1952).

  4. Van Rees (J.). Measurements of the wideband radio channel characterization for rural, residential, and suburban areas,IEEE Trans. VT,36, no 1, pp. 2–6, (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Rappaport (T. S.). Characterization of uhf multipath radio channels in factory buildings,IEEE Trans. AP,37, no 8, pp. 1058–1069, (Aug. 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cox (D. C.). Delay Doppler characteristics of multipath propaga- tion at 910 MHz in a suburban mobile radio environment,IEEE Trans. AP,20, no 5, pp. 625–635, (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bajwa (A. S.). Wideband characterization of uhf mobile radio channels in urban areas,PhD Thesis, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Birmingham, (1979).

  8. Devasirvatham (D. M. J.). Time delay spread and signal level measurements of 850 MHz radio waves in building environments,IEEE Trans. AP,34, no 11, pp. 1300–1305, (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Fannin (P. C.), Molina (A.), Swords (S.), Cullen (P.). Digital signal processing techniques applied to mobile radio channel sounding,IEEProc. F,138, no 5, pp. 502–508, (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Parsons (J. D.), Demery (D. A.), Turkmani (A. M. D.). Sounding techniques for wideband mobile radio channels: a review,IEE Proc. -1,138, no 5, pp. 437–446, (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  11. *** An improved channel sounding technique applied to wideband mobile 900 MHz propagation measurement.Cost 231 TD (90) 31.

  12. *** A device for high precision real-time channel measurement.Cost 231 TD (90) 40.

  13. Nche (C.), Turkmani (A. M. D.), Arowojolu (A. A.). Channel sounder forpcn networks,IEE Colloquium, Digest No1993/233, pp. 5/1–5/6.

  14. Price (R.), Green (P. E. Jr.). A communication technique for multipath channels,Proc. IRE,46, pp. 555–570, (1958).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Vilar (E.),Moulsley (T.J.),Austin (J.),Hewitt (A.),Norbury (J. R.),Barton, (S. K.). A system to measure los atmospheric transmittance at 19 GHz,Agard Conf. proc. 346, Spatind, Norway, (1983).

  16. Salous (S.).If digital generation of fmcw waveforms for wideband channel characterization,IEE Proc. I,139, no 3, pp. 281–288, (June 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bailey (R.), Summers (G.). Radio channel characterization for the digital European cordless telecommunications systems,British Telecom Technology,8, no 1, pp. 25–30, (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Schwarz (U. M.),Schussler (H. W.). Devices for propagation measurement in mobile radio channels,Fourth International Symposium on personal, indoor and mobile radio communications, Yokohama, Japan, pp. 8–11, (1993).

  19. Lovnes (G.),Paulsen (S. E.),Raekken (R. H.). A millimetre wave channel sounder based on the chirp/correlation technique,IEE Colloquium, Digest No.1993/233, pp. 8/1–8/6.

  20. Salous (S.),Bajj (N.),Nikandrou (N.). Wideband channel characterisation with a chirp sounder,IEE Colloquium, Digest No1996/239, pp. 2/1–2/5.

  21. Nobles (P.),Ashworth (D.),Halsall (F.). Propagation measurements in an indoor radio environment at 2, 5 and 17 GHz,IEE Colloquium, Digest No.1993/233, pp. 4/1–4/6.

  22. Howard (S. J.), Pahlavan (K.). Measurement and analysis of the indoor radio channel in the frequency domain,IEEE Trans. IM,39, no 5, pp. 751, (Oct. 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Smulders (P. F. M.), Wagemans (G. A). Frequency-domain measurement of the millimeter wave indoor radio channel,IEEE Trans. IM,44, pp. 1017–1021, (Dec. 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Salous (S.).Fmcw channel sounder with digital processing for measuring the coherence of widebandHf radio links,IEE proc. pt. F, 5(133), pp. 456–462, (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Bello (P.). Characterization of randomly time-variant linear channels,IEEE Trans. Comm. Sys.,11, pp. 360–393, (Dec. 1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Zadeh (L.). Frequency analysis of variable networks,Proc. IRE,38, pp. 291–299, (March 1950).

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  27. Klauder (J.),Price (A.),Darlington (S.),Albersheim (W.). The theory and design of chirp radars,Bell Sys. Tech., J.39, pp. 745–808.

  28. Cook (C.). Pulse compression key to more efficient radar transmission,Proc. IRE.,48, pp. 310–316, (March 1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Barrick (D. E.).Fmcw radar signal and digital processing,Noaa technical report, ERL 283-WPL 26.

  30. Salous (S.),Bertel (L.). Analysis of propagation effects on uhf mobile radio signals, to be presented at theInternational Symposium of PSIP, Paris, (Jan. 1999).

  31. Raekken (R. H.),Eskedal (B. E.).dect performance in multipath environments,Telenor, TF N 27/95.

  32. Greenwald (R. A.), Baker (K. B.), Hutchins (R. A.), Hanuise. An hf pahses array radar for studying small scale structure in the high latitude ionosphere,Radio Sci.,20, no 1, pp. 63–79, (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Poole (A. W.). Advanced sounding 1. TheFmcw alternative,Radio Sci,6, pp. 1609–1616, (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Salous (S.), Nikandrou (N.), Bajj (N.). Digital techniques for mobile radio chirp sounders,IEE Proceedings Communications,145, no 3, pp. 191–196, (June 1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Zollinger (E.). Measured inhouse radio wave propagation characteristics for wideband communication systems,Eurocon 88, pp. 314–317.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, Umist, 88, Manchester M60 1QD, UK

    Sana H. Salous

Authors
  1. Sana H. Salous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sana H. Salous.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Salous, S.H. Wideband mobile radio channel characterization. Ann. Télécommun. 54, 103–113 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02998652

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02998652

Key words

Mots clés

Search

Navigation