mmWave Communications for Indoor Dense Spaces: Ray-Tracing Based Channel Characterization and Performance Comparison

Abstract: In this paper, the indoor dense space (IDS) channel at 28 GHz is characterized through extensive Ray-Tracing (RT) simulations. We consider IDS as a specific type of indoor environment with confined geometry and packed with humans, such as aircraft cabins and train wagons. Based on RT simulations, we characterize path loss, shadow fading, root-mean-square delay spread, Rician K-factor, azimuth/elevation angular spread of arrival/departure considering different RT simulation scenarios of the fuselage geometry, material, and human presence. While the large-scale fading parameters are similar to the state-of-the-art channel models, the small-scale fading parameters demonstrate richer multipath scattering in IDS, resulting in poorer bit error rate performance in comparison to the 3GPP indoor channel model.