Channel Model Validation for the Relay-Mobile Link in Microcell Environment

Relaying technique is a key technical enhancement in 3GPP LTE-Advanced proposed for the improvement of system performances such as spectral efficiency and throughput. In order to evaluate system performance, propagation path loss models for the links between the Base Station-Relay Station (BS- RS), the Base Station-Mobile Station (BS-MS) and the Relay Station-Mobile Station (RS-MS) must be investigated. This paper compares the Path Loss (PL) models for the RS-MS link to measurement data. The analysis shows that the COST231 WI and WINNER+ PL models overestimate the PL prediction. Models proposed by 3GPP and ITU give the best performance according to our measurements. In addition, this article calculates the Line of Sight / Non-Line of Sight (LOS/NLOS) probability and compares it to the probabilities proposed by WINNER II and 3GPP.