Improving mobile communications with antennas that map the channel and move to local maxima

Abstract

AbstractA technique is proposed that improves wireless communication channels in fading environments. The device creates a map of channel measurements. The device then moves its antenna to positions of the previously measured maximum within its reach. Proof‐of‐concept measurements were performed for smartphone‐sized devices in an office environment. A quarter‐wavelength monopole antenna for the 2.4 GHz frequency band successfully kept the channel at local maxima. The results show that small antenna movements over half of a wavelength are sufficient to keep the channel in local maxima, to avoid deep fading notches, and to improve channels over state‐of‐the‐art antennas that move with their devices. A channel model for the wireless communication channel of mobile devices with channel maximum antennas is proposed based on the measurement results.