Characterization of fast fading vector channels for multi-antenna communication systems

In a wireless communication environment, multipath propagation and mobile user motion result in a dispersive time-varying communication channel. In order to analyze the performance of wireless communication systems, it is necessary to define models which reasonably approximate the time varying impulse response of the radio channel. Many widely accepted scalar channel (single antenna) statistical models have been reported. In order to analyze performance for real time adaptive antenna array techniques, it is necessary to extend existing scalar channel statistical models to the vector channel (multiple antenna) case. The paper develops a statistical, time varying, dispersive, wireless vector channel model which is based on the physical propagation environment. The model is shown to be consistent with the known characteristics of the wireless communication channel. Antenna pattern interference rejection as a function of update rate is presented as an application example for the vector channel model.< >