Smart antenna arrays - a geometrical explanation of how they work

Peter F. Driessen Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Victoria Victoria B.C. Canada www.driessen.ca

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Introduction
With multiple antennas at both ends of a radio link, Channel capacity grows linearly with number of antennas by
sending different messages on each antenna on the same carrier frequency, and Separating the messages using the multiple antennas at the receiver

8 antennas yield 8 times the capacity Generalized polarity

Introduction (2)
If send same message on each antenna Then we get only the power gain of the antenna array, and Capacity grows only logarithmically with the number of antennas 8 antennas yield 3 times the capacity

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Channel capacity
nT transmit antennas, nR receive antennas

Channel transfer function is a matrix nT x nR of complex scalars

Channel capacity
Generalized Shannon capacity for matrix channel

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Ricean channels

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Line of sight
Close antenna spacing Wide antenna spacing
3 examples

Narrow-wide spacing
Narrow spacing (constrained to practical size) at one end, wide spacing at the other end

LOS - close antenna spacing (1)

All elements have same amplitude and phase (e.g. all equal to 1)

LOS - close antenna spacing (2)

LOS - wide antenna spacing

T1

R1

T2

R2

T1

R2

T2

R1

Example 3

Narrow-wide spacing

For large number of array elements , arc = 126 degrees

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Street canyon
View from above

buildings street buildings

Capacity in street canyon

Ricean channels

Capacity calculation
H is a combination of LOS matrix of rank depending on geometry plus Rayleigh matrix

Minimum capacity, high correlation Large k, and close-spaced antennas

Small k, independent Rayleigh, antennas spaced sufficiently for small correlation

Maximum capacity, no correlation Large k, and wide-spaced antennas to a specific calculated spacing

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

System design options

Mobile cellular

System design options

Fixed wireless
Antennas spaced equally at both ends of link

Outline
Introduction Capacity expressions Ricean channels Line-of-sight channels Specified environments System design Summary

Summary
Geometric interpretation of multiple antenna systems
Transmitter antenna pattern has nulls on all but one receiver antenna Thus can have independent channels on the same carrier frequency