Real-time Millimeter Wave Omnidirectional Channel Sounder Using Phased Array Antennas

TL;DR

This paper introduces a rapid, omnidirectional millimeter wave channel sounder using phased arrays, enabling detailed characterization of vehicular channels with high spatial and temporal resolution in dynamic urban environments.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel 360-degree millimeter wave channel sounder capable of fast, comprehensive measurements using four phased arrays simultaneously, suitable for vehicular communication studies.

Findings

Beam selection reduces pathloss exponent to 1.6 in LOS conditions.

Channel sounder captures multipath-rich environments with high temporal resolution.

Measurements conducted in urban environments demonstrate practical applicability.

Abstract

Characterization of the millimeter wave wireless channel is needed to facilitate fully connected vehicular communication in the future. To study the multipath-rich, rapidly varying nature of the vehicular propagation environment, fast millimeter wave channel sounders are required. We present a channel sounder design capable of covering 360 degrees in azimuth and 60 degrees in elevation with 200 individual beam directions in 6.25 ms by using four phased arrays simultaneously. The channel measurements are accompanied by high resolution positioning and video data, allowing channel sounding to be conducted while either the transmitter, or the receiver, or both are moving. Channel sounding campaigns were conducted at multiple urban locations with light traffic conditions in Austin, Texas. Preliminary results show that beam selection at the receiver can lower the effective pathloss exponent to 1.6 for line-of-sight and 2.25 for non line-of-sight.