• ETRI Journal
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.234-244
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• 2017

Research interest in three-dimensional multiple-input multiple-output (3D-MIMO) beamforming has rapidly increased on account of its potential to support high data rates through an array of strategies, including sector or user-specific elevation beamforming and cell-splitting. To evaluate the full performance benefits of 3D and full-dimensional (FD) MIMO beamforming, the 3D character of the real MIMO channel must be modeled with consideration of both the azimuth and elevation domain. Most existing works on the 2D spatial channel model (2D-SCM) assume a wide range for the distribution of elevation angles of departure (eAoDs), which is not practical according to field measurements. In this paper, an optimal FD-MIMO planar array configuration is presented for different practical channel conditions by restricting the eAoDs to a finite range. Using a dynamic network level simulator that employs a complete 3D SCM, we analyze the relationship between the angular spread and sum throughput. In addition, we present an analysis on the optimal antenna configurations for the channels under consideration.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.4759-4780
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• 2017

Full Dimension multiple input multiple output (FD-MIMO) architecture employs a planar array design at the Base Station (BS) to provide high order multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) via simultaneous data transmission to large number of users. With FD-MIMO, the BS can also adjust the beam direction in both elevation and azimuth direction to concentrate the energy on the user of interests while minimizing the interference leakage to co-scheduled users in the same cell or users in the neighboring cells. In a typical highly populated macrocell environment, modelling the elevation angular characteristics of three-dimensional (3D) channel is critical to understanding the performance limits of the FD-MIMO system. In this paper, we study the throughput performance of FD-MIMO system with varying elevation angular spread and inter-element spacing using a 3D spatial channel model. Our results show that for a typical urban scenario, horizontal beamforming with correlated antenna spacing achieves optimal performance but by restricting the spread of elevation angles of departure, elevation beamforming achieves high array gain with wide inter-element spacing. We also realize significant gains due to spatial array processing via modelling the elevation domain and varying the inter-element spacing for both the transmitter and receiver.