Parameterization of WINNER channel model at 60 GHz

Abstract

Future wireless communication systems are calling for increasing data rates and capacity. To achieve the requirements of high capacity and data rates, one possibility is to use large bandwidth. The millimeter-wave frequency band at 60 GHz is one of the good options to address the future data rates and capacity requirements. However, the characterization of wireless channel becomes more challenging as compared to lower frequencies due to the short wavelength in the order of millimeters at 60 GHz. Therefore, in order to characterize the 60 GHz channel, there is a need of more accurate channel models as compared to the existing channel models. The currently recognized and widely used channel models, for instance, 3GPP/3GPP2 Spatial Channel Model (SCM), WINNER, and ITU-R IMT-Advanced are designed for frequencies of up to 6 GHz. They have not been tested on the 60 GHz frequency range. Thus, it is unknown how these channel models will behave at higher frequencies.

In this work, out of several channel models, we have selected WINNER channel model for testing and parametrization at 60 GHz. The reason of selecting the WINNER channel model is that it supports large bandwidth and thus can be a good choice of a channel model that can fulfill the requirements of 60 GHz systems. As a part of WINNER model's testing and parametrization, channel measurements were performed in two different environments, indoor cafeteria and outdoor square. Performing channel measurement is the first step in the creation of channel models. However, real time channel data extracted from the channel measurements is not sufficient to characterize the channel. Therefore, deterministic field prediction based on point cloud method is used to increase the channel data. Based on channel data, some of the important WINNER parameters, such as path-loss and shadowing, delay spread, angular spread, K-factor and delay scaling parameters were extracted, and, as a result, the WINNER model was parameterized at 60 GHz. The parametrization of WINNER model can be used to simulate the behavior of 60 GHz channel in different environments. Furthermore, the parametrization of WINNER model gives us a clear idea about how a particular parameter is changed when the frequency is increased to 60 GHz.