A statistical model of space-time radio propagation in indoor environments

Previously, simulation algorithms based upon the ray tracing technique have provided the only means for developing a detailed description of the joint space-time properties of microwave radio propagation. Although widely accepted, ray tracing suffers several drawbacks, such as the need for an accurate physical database, and precise knowledge of the site-specific construction parameters. This paper describes an empirical study conducted in two distinct indoor environments. The study comprised the acquisition of 500 data sets using an antenna array, and the high-resolution post-processing of each to recover its space-time impulse response. The results of the study are used to derive a new statistical channel model, suitable for performance analysis of smart antenna and geolocation systems. The accuracy of the new model is evaluated by comparing it with the sample statistics, as well as two other models which have been previously proposed.