Improving MIMO Capacity with Directive Antennas for Outdoor-Indoor Scenarios

In general, MIMO systems are associated with high scattering isotropic propagation while the use of directive antennas is associated with free space or narrow angular spread conditions. We found outdoor-indoor channels to be in between these two extremes, in the sense that we observed directivity - and - MIMO gain, for the same ensemble of channels. Our observation is based on measurements with directive (8 dB gain) and dipole antennas. Median MIMO capacities were found to be 80% of the ideal (Rayleigh i.i.d.), at 5 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR), with no significant difference resulting from the choice of antenna. On the other hand, using properly aimed directive antennas, the SNR was found on average to be 5.4 dB above that obtainable with dipoles, somewhat less than the 7 dB antenna gain difference. Thus, isotropic propagation, which would have negated directivity gains, cannot be justified in general. The combination of MIMO processing and angular search with directive antennas resulted on average in gains of 69% over the median capacities obtained with dipoles. Since MIMO and directivity can combine effectively, it may in some cases be convenient to arrange subgroups of antennas for beamforming, and then process the thus reduced number of radio channels for MIMO gain.