Experimental studies of SDMA schemes for wireless communications

Abstract

This paper presents some preliminary results of experimental studies of space-division-multiple-access (SDMA) systems for wireless communications to expand capacity, increase coverage, and improve quality. Although SDMA schemes have been studied by a number of researchers, most of these studies are based on theoretical analyses and computer simulations. Very few real RF or microwave experiments have been conducted to validate the feasibility of various signal processing algorithms, such as direction finding and signal copy techniques. Also, no extensive experiments have been conducted to study the channel propagation associated with multiple antennas. The purpose of this paper is to present our preliminary experimental results using our recently developed antenna array testbed. We will also discuss the implications of these results on various array signal processing algorithms.