Frequency-Domain In-Vehicle UWB Channel Modeling

This paper aims to present a simple but robust model characterizing the frequency-dependent transfer function of an in-vehicle ultrawideband (UWB) channel. A large number of transfer functions spanning the UWB (3–11 GHz) are recorded inside the passenger compartment of a four-seated sedan. It is found that the complex transfer function can be decomposed into two terms, the first term being a real-valued long-term trend that characterizes frequency dependence with a power law and the second term forming a complex correlative discrete series that may be represented via an autoregressive (AR) model. An exhaustive simulation framework is laid out based on empirical equations characterizing trend parameters and AR process coefficients. The simulation of the transfer function is straightforward as it involves only a handful of variables; however, it is in good agreement with the actual measured data. The proposed model is further validated by comparing different channel parameters, such as coherence bandwidth, power delay profile, and root-mean-square delay spread, obtained from raw and synthetic data sets. It is also shown how the model can be compared with existing time-domain Saleh–Valenzuela-influenced models and related IEEE standards.