Dynamic modeling of a wireless LAN with access node beamformers to increase capacity

In the IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard users transmit and receive within a common frequency band to achieve frequency re-use, but this creates capacity limitations. In this paper we investigate using a single array of sensors at the access node to provide spatial re-use, and hence, increased capacity. Multiple independent beamformers are established at the base station. Specifically, parallel generalized sidelobe cancellers are implemented. The impact of a mobile user traversing an accurately scaled indoor trajectory is of particular interest. System performance is characterized in terms of time varying link SNR and the resulting link availability. Beamformer and angle-of-arrival processor update rates are varied to determine degradation thresholds.