Combination of the Three Types of Diversity to Design High-Capacity Compact MIMO Terminals

Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) schemes designed to increase channel capacity face strong limitations when a large number of antennas must be deployed in a terminal due to size constrains. This letter discusses how the different combinations of the three types of diversities-namely spatial, radiation pattern, and polarization diversity-can be used to get an improved capacity in compact terminals. The study compares realistic combinations that overcome the need for a large number of radiating elements in the user terminal.