Deploying Millimetre Wave Indoor Wireless Systems

Abstract

Rapid growth in wireless communication technologies and the introduction of smart phones has resulted in an unprecedented increase in the demand for data. Present systems operating at sub-6 GHz frequencies are not capable of addressing this increased data demand from future wireless communication systems, owing to the limited bandwidth available and spectral congestion at these frequencies. The potential for using largely unallocated frequency spectrum available at millimetre wave frequencies to address this increased data demand has been studied recently. To overcome the increased propagation and penetration losses at millimetre wave frequencies, integrated circuit technologies and signal processing techniques are being developed in order to make millimetre wave communication a reality. In wireless system deployment, the system planner must deploy base station antennas at the most appropriate locations to maximize system performance. In this research, the effect of transmitting antenna deployments on system performance in single room office environments at millimetre wave frequencies is investigated using a three-dimensional implementation of Geometrical Optics and the Uniform Theory of Diffraction (GO/UTD). Multiple antenna deployments and artificial environmental modifications (such as planar and non-planar reflectors, hemispherical array reflectors and reflectarrays) are also investigated in order to quantify how such techniques could improve system performance. A quantitative estimate of shadowing inside the office volume indicated that there are significant shadow regions that cannot be eliminated by simply increasing the transmitted power. It is shown that such regions can be significantly reduced in size if an appropriate deployment of multiple antennas or passive reflectors is adopted.