Implementation framework and validation of cluster-nuclei based channel model using environmental mapping for 6G communication systems

With the research of the upcoming sixth generation (6G) systems, new technologies will require wider bandwidth, larger scale antenna arrays and more diverse wireless communication scenarios on the future channel modeling. Considering channel model is prerequisite for system design and performance evaluation of 6G technologies, we face a challenging task: how to accurately and efficiently model 6G channel for various scenarios? This paper tries to answer it. Firstly, the features of cluster-nuclei (CN) and principle of cluster-nuclei based channel model (CNCM) are introduced. Then, a novel modeling framework is proposed to implement CNCM, which consists four steps: propagation environment reconstruction, cluster-nuclei identification, multipath parameters generation, and channel coefficients generation. Three-dimensional environment with material information is utilized to map CN with scatterers in the propagation pathway. CN are identified by geometrical and electric field calculation based on environmental mapping, and multipath components within CN are calculated by statistical characteristics of angle, power and delay domains. Finally, we present a three-level verification structure to investigate the accuracy and complexity of channel modeling comprehensively. Simulation results reveal that CNCM can perform higher accuracy than geometry-based stochastic model while lower complexity compared with ray-tracing model for practical propagation environment.