In the first step of the method, the Coverage Study Step, the array’s beamforming potential is evaluated in terms of spatial gain coverage using a MATLAB developed toolbox, the Antenna Pattern Analysis Toolbox (APA TBX), to create a coverage area percentage curve. Therefore, the mmWAESI combines them through a two-step metric that incorporates the real effects of mm-Wave antenna design constraints in 5G system performance evaluation. Despite being equally important to the feasibility of antenna array implementation in mm-Wave communications, these two approaches are usually studied separately. It does so by blending two dimensions of antenna performance analysis: multipath channel modeling and realistic antenna characterization and environment constraints. This paper proposes a methodology, the mm-Wave Antenna Evaluation for Smartphone Implementation (mmWAESI) method, a practical procedure intended to evaluate the performance of different MIMO mm-Wave antenna implementations in a 5G system for smartphone implementation. This prevents the impact evaluation of design parameters such as user influence, handset effects, and gain coverage, since there is not a reference for comparison. There is still no standardized method to design and implement these antennas in mobile phones due to the lack of knowledge on mm-Wave 5G wireless system benchmarks. Therefore, this new dynamic antenna behavior calls for a weaving of beam control and Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) functions.ĭespite the existence of mm-Wave antennas in radio infrastructures being deployed in the near future, mm-Wave antenna technologies for 5G cellular handsets are still at their early stages. 5G mm-Wave raises a major antenna paradigm shift, since it requires higher gain and beam steering ability. In the mm-Wave domain, contrary to sub-6 GHz antenna design for cellular hand held devices, the antennas take a much bigger part in the performance and feasibility of the system and should not be disregarded. However, the topic of 5G is still somewhat abstract when it comes to millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) antenna technologies. IntroductionĥG is the wireless technology being currently developed to sustain the high amounts of data rate, connections, bandwidth and low latency requirements that come with more users, devices, and ambitious endeavors such as Smart Cities or Autonomous Vehicles. Their performance is compared under similar conditions, revealing that, unless array switching is employed, the smartphone’s form factor and user influence will mask any potential advantage of the unperturbed array characteristics.
The method is illustrated for two different 4-element linear arrays at 39 GHz, based on patch or monopole elements, integrated into smartphones. For enhanced accuracy, mmWAESI accounts simultaneously for several communication aspects: antenna type, realistic radiation patterns, mobile phone form factor constraints, phone orientation, and user influence.
Then, it evaluates the antenna’s influence on the MIMO performance, using a discrete, time-variant geometrical MIMO channel simulator to recreate any mm-Wave propagation scenario. First, it analyzes the spatial distribution of the smartphone-integrated beam steering array’s radiated power. This work proposes a two-step assessment metric, the mmWAESI, to evaluate mm-Wave antennas’ potential and limitations regarding their impact on system performance. Extending mm-Wave communications to smartphones requires first a comprehensive study to identify the antenna design/smartphone implementation challenges that impact the quality of communications. Despite providing unprecedented data rates, mm-Waves also suffer high path loss, atmospheric absorption, and higher fluctuating channel conditions, sparking numerous paradigm shifts in the smartphone industry. A critical challenge for 5G is transitioning to the mm-Wave spectrum.