scope:

Introduction

This Report identifies the key adaptive antenna concepts and describes their technical aspects. The traditional approach to the analysis and design of wireless systems has generally been to address antenna systems separately from other key systems aspects, such as:

− propagation issues;

− interference mitigation techniques;

− system organization (access techniques, power control, etc.);

− modulation.

Adaptive antenna technologies are best implemented with an overall system approach, where all the system components, including the antenna system, are integrated in an optimal way, leading to substantial coverage improvements (e.g. larger coverage area, reduced "holes" in coverage) for each cell, vastly superior mitigation of interference problems, and substantial system capacity improvements.

This Report reviews the various concepts of adaptive antennas, including the concept of "spatial channels", provides a theoretical analysis of the potential of the technology and identifies the key characteristics. Attached as Annex 1 is a glossary of relevant terminology for adaptive antenna systems.