Line-of-Sight Detection for 5G Wireless Channels

With the rapid deployment of 5G wireless networks across the globe, precise positioning has become essential for many vertical industries reliant on 5G. The predominantly non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation instigated by the obstacles in the surrounding environment, especially in metro city areas, has made it particularly difficult to achieve high estimation accuracy for positioning algorithms that necessitate direct line-of-sight (LOS) transmission. In this scenario, correctly identifying the line-of-sight condition has become extremely crucial in precise positioning algorithms based on 5G. Even though numerous scientific studies have been conducted on LOS identification in the existing literature, most of these research works are based on either ultra-wideband or Wi-Fi networks. Therefore, this thesis focuses on this hitherto less investigated area of line-of-sight detection for 5G wireless channels. This thesis examines the feasibility of LOS detection using three widely used channel models, the Tapped Delay Line (TDL), the Clustered Delay Line (CDL), and the Winner II channel models. The 5G-based simulation environment was constructed with standard parameters based on 3GPP specifications using MATLAB computational platform for the research. LOS and NLOS channels were defined to transmit random signal samples for each channel model where the received signal was subjected to Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), imitating the authentic propagation environment. Variable channel conditions were simulated by randomly alternating the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal. The research mainly focuses on machine learning (ML) based LOS classification. Additionally, the threshold-based hypothesis was also deployed for the same scenarios as a benchmark. The main objectives of the thesis were to find the statistical features or the combination of statistical features of the channel impulse response (CIR) of the received signal, which provide the best results and to identify the most effective machine learning method for LOS/NLOS classification. Furthermore, the results were verified through actual measurement samples obtained during the NewSense project. The results indicate that the time-correlation feature of the channel impulse response used in isolation would be effective in LOS identification for 5G wireless channels. Additional derived features of the CIR do not significantly increase the classification accuracy. Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) were found to be more appropriate than Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) for LOS/NLOS classification. The study reinforced the significance of selecting the most suitable machine learning algorithm and kernel function as relevant for the task of obtaining the best results. The medium Gaussian support vector machines ML algorithm provided the overall highest precision in LOS classification for simulated data with up to 98% accuracy for the Winner II channel model with PRS. The machine learning algorithms proved to be considerably more effective than conventional threshold-based detection for both simulated and real measurement data. Additionally, the Winner II model with the richest features presented the best results compared with CDL and TDL channel models

Statistical millimeter wave channel modelling for 5G and beyond

Millimetre wave (mmWave) wireless communication is one of the most promising technologies for the fifth generation (5G) wireless communication networks and beyond. The very broad bandwidth and directional propagation are the two features of mmWave channels. In order to develop the channel models properly reflecting the characteristics of mmWave channels, the in-depth studies of mmWave channels addressing those two features are required. In this thesis, three mmWave channel models and one beam alignment scheme are proposed related to those two features. First, for studying the very broad bandwidth feature of mmWave channels, we introduce an averaged power delay profile (APDP) method to estimate the frequency stationarity regions (FSRs) of channels. The frequency non-stationary (FnS) properties of channels are found in the data analysis. A FnS model is proposed to model the FnS channels in both the sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequency bands and cluster evolution in the frequency domain is utilised in the implementation of FnS model. Second, for studying the directional propagation feature of mmWave channels, we develop an angular APDP (A-APDP) method to study the planar angular stationarity regions (ASRs) of directional channels (DCs). Three typical directional channel impulse responses (D-CIRs) are found in the data analysis and light-of-sight (LOS), non-LOS (NLOS), and outage classes are used to classify those DCs. A modified Saleh-Valenzuela (SV) model is proposed to model the DCs. The angular domain cluster evolution is utilised to ensure the consistency of DCs. Third, we further extend the A-APDP method to study the spherical-ASRs of DCs. We model the directional mmWave channels by three-state Markov chain that consists of LOS, NLOS, and outage states and we use stationary model, non-stationary model, and “null” to describe the channels in each Markov state according to the estimated ASRs. Then, we propose to use joint channel models to simulate the instantaneous directional mmWave channels based on the limiting distribution of Markov chain. Finally, the directional propagated mmWave channels when the Tx and Rx in motion is addressed. A double Gaussian beams (DGBs) scheme for mobile-to-mobile (M2M) mmWave communications is proposed. The connection ratios of directional mmWave channels in each Markov state are studied

XXV Congreso Argentino de Ciencias de la Computación - CACIC 2019: libro de actas

Trabajos presentados en el XXV Congreso Argentino de Ciencias de la Computación (CACIC), celebrado en la ciudad de Río Cuarto los días 14 al 18 de octubre de 2019 organizado por la Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI) y Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales - Universidad Nacional de Río CuartoRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic