A Wideband Channel Model for Intravehicular Nomadic Systems

François Bellens,François Horlin,François Quitin,Aziz Benlarbi-Delaï,Philippe De Doncker,Jean-Michel Dricot

doi:10.1155/2011/468072

Abstract

The increase in electronic entertainment equipments within vehicles has rendered the idea of replacing the wired links with intra-vehicle personal area networks. Ultra-wideband (UWB) seems an appropriate candidate technology to meet the required data rates for interconnecting such devices. In particular, the multiband OFDM (MB-OFDM) is able to provide very high transfer rates (up to 480 MBps) over relatively short distances and low transmit power. In order to evaluate the performances of UWB systems within vehicles, a reliable channel model is needed. In this paper, a nomadic system where a base station placed in the center of the dashboard wants to communicate with fixed devices placed at the rear seat is investigated. A single-input single-output (SISO) channel model for intra-vehicular communication (IVC) systems is proposed, based on reverberation chamber theory. The model is based on measurements conducted in real traffic conditions, with a varying number of passengers in the car. Temporal variations of the wireless channels are also characterized and parametrized. The proposed model is validated by comparing model-independent statistics with the measurements.

Highlights

Interest in wireless personal area networks (WPANs) for intravehicle communications (IVCs) has significantly increased
A nomadic system where a base station placed in the center of the dashboard wants to communicate with fixed devices placed at the rear seat is investigated
In addition to sensor networks used to perform vehicle maintenance, WPANs are considered as a possibility for interconnecting entertainment equipment within the vehicle

Summary

Introduction

Interest in wireless personal area networks (WPANs) for intravehicle communications (IVCs) has significantly increased. . .) are connected using wired or fiber-optic links The replacement of those wired links by wireless networks will decrease installation cost and time and increase the network flexibility. A solution must be found that provides sufficient data rate, has low power consumption, and if possible, has low cost. The standard allows communication in the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz frequency band and defines different transmission modes to support high data rates (up to 480 Mbps). Another emerging solution that can offer sufficient data rate is the 60 GHz communication systems, which operates in the 57–66 GHz band. Different alliances and consortiums have published their own standard or specification such as the ECMA [2], the Wireless HD consortium [3], and the Wireless Gigabit Alliance [4]

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Conclusion