Experimental characterisation of ultra-wideband off-body radio channels considering antenna effects

Experimental investigation to characterise the ultra-wideband (UWB) off-body radio propagation channel for body-centric wireless communication is presented. The measurements were performed in an indoor environment using active UWB wireless tags. Two different kinds of receiver antennas have been used; namely a small form factor (SFF) antenna and miniaturised co-planar waveguide-fed tapered slot antenna to investigate their effects on the radio channel behaviour. Statistical analysis is performed on the radio channel data and the results demonstrated that the lognormal distribution provides the best fit for off-body propagation channel path-loss models. Comparison of results shows that a reduction of 29% path-loss exponent is noticed for the SFF antenna. In addition to this, second-order channel parameters such as fade probability, level-crossing rate and average fade duration are also investigated and compared for the two antennas.

[1]  Yang Hao,et al.  Compact body-worn coplanar waveguide fed antenna for UWB body-centric wireless communications , 2007 .

[2]  G. Troster,et al.  UWB for noninvasive wireless body area networks: channel measurements and results , 2003, IEEE Conference on Ultra Wideband Systems and Technologies, 2003.

[3]  A. Sani,et al.  Modeling of path loss for ultrawide band body-centric wireless communications , 2009, 2009 International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications.

[4]  Yang Hao,et al.  Effect of the indoor environment on the UWB on-body radio propagation channel , 2009, 2009 3rd European Conference on Antennas and Propagation.

[5]  Yang Hao,et al.  Arm movements effect on ultra wideband on-body propagation channels and radio systems , 2009, 2009 Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference.

[6]  Y. Hao,et al.  Time domain UWB radio channel characterisation for body-centric wireless communications in indoor environment , 2008 .

[7]  William G. Scanlon,et al.  Off-body UWB channel characterisation within a hospital ward environment , 2010, Int. J. Ultra Wideband Commun. Syst..

[8]  William G. Scanlon,et al.  Link characteristics for an off-body UWB transmitter in a hospital environment , 2009, 2009 Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference.

[9]  V. Tarokh,et al.  A statistical path loss model for in-home UWB channels , 2002, 2002 IEEE Conference on Ultra Wideband Systems and Technologies (IEEE Cat. No.02EX580).