Analysis of statistical uncertainties involved in estimating ergodic MIMO capacity and diversity gain in Rayleigh fading environment

Paper i proceeding, 2010

Statistical uncertainties involved in the evaluation of ergodic MIMO capacity and diversity gain in a fading environment is investigated. The study is based on results from a numerical simulation tool called "Rayleigh-Lab. " This tool can be used for accuracy investigation of MIMO capacity and diversity gain, and to determine the number of independent samples needed to estimate them with a reasonable level of confidence. The MIMO capacity is evaluated using Shannon's channel capacity formula. Two different methods of evaluating diversity gains are compared: based on CDF curves, and based on estimating correlation and radiation efficiency and then using them in a newly available compact formula for calculating the diversity gain. Rayleigh-Lab emulates Rayleigh channels by generating sequences of random complex numbers and it provides a convenient graphical user-interface for a pedagogical study of average power level (proportional to antenna efficiency), correlation, diversity gain and maximum available capacity.