Broadband Extended Array Response-Based Subspace Multiparameter Estimation Method for Multipolarized Wireless Channel Measurements

The clustered delay line channel model, in which each cluster consists of a number of rays, is widely used for link-level evaluations in mobile communications. Multiple parameters of each ray, including delay, amplitude, cross polarization ratio (XPR), initial phases of four polarization combinations and the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival and departure, shall be known. These parameters are measured using a channel sounder. The number of rays in every cluster is usually greater than the number of elements in the antenna array of the channel sounder, which represents a challenging issue in multipolarized channel measurements. A new subspace estimation method based on the broadband extended array response of an electromagnetic vector antenna array is proposed to resolve a large number of rays. The interelement spacing of the array can be greater than half the carrier wavelength, which reduces interelement coupling and simplifies the array design, especially for millimeter wave bands. First, the delay of each cluster is estimated using the reference antenna element. Then, the 2D angles of every ray are estimated using the classic rank-deficient multiple signal classification (MUSIC). Lastly, the initial phases, XPR and amplitude of every ray is estimated. Simulation results validate the proposed method.