A sixty GHz vehicle area network for multimedia communications

In order to realize a vehicle area network for multimedia entertainment systems, which demand capacities of up to 1 Gbps, and vehicle control links between many parts of the car, which demand high reliability and low latency, this paper proposes a millimeter-wave system that offers high capacity and low latency transmission. Propagation measurement results show the maximum delay spread of 6 - 7 ns can be achieved with omni antennas without complicated equalizers. Feasible advances in beam forming antenna performance will reduce the maximum delay spread inside the car to only 1 - 2 ns. This paper proves that millimeter-wave vehicle area networks can support multimedia communications as well as control links by employing a basic single carrier modem with simple rake receivers; no equalization is needed.