Lecture 12: Fading Channel

Models & Their

Characterizations

Todays Lecture: Outline

Application of Statistical Distributions
Description of Fading Channel Models

Normal (Gaussian) Model

Log-Normal Model

Rayleigh Fading Model

Suzuki Fading Model

Nakagami-Rice Model
Simulation of Rayleigh Fading Model

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Learning Objectives
Discuss the Application of Statistical
Distributions in Wireless Communications
Systems
Characterization of Fading Channel
Models for various Propagation
Environments
Discuss the Importance of Simulations in
Wireless Communications

Definitions
PDF- For an random variable X, the probability of
X taking a value between interval a and b is
denoted by p(x).
CDF- is the probability that a random variable X
takes a value less x; denoted by F(x).

PDF and CDF and related to each other:

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Normal (Gaussian) Model
The PDF and CDF of Normal Distribution is given by

The CDF is normally tabulated for mean 0 and standard

deviation of 1.

Log Normal Distribution

The distribution of positive variable whose logarithm
has Gaussian Distribution

The CDF is

Where m is mean of (logarithm value) and is standard

deviation

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Log Normal Distribution
The main properties of log-normal distribution are:

Normal & Log-Normal (Plot)

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 Rayleigh Distribution

PDF CDF

The main properties of Rayleigh distribution are:

Rayleigh Distribution (Plot)

The plot of PDF and CDF of Rayleigh distribution:

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Rayleigh Distribution
When there is no LOS in wireless link the fading is best
approximated by Rayleigh distribution. For variable
signal in volts, its square is proportional to the power of
the signal, that is, the signal power is decreased by 10
dB per decade of probability. This is an important
characteristics of Rayleigh distribution.
Rayleigh distribution is plotted on probability paper in
the Figure shown. In the figure the 0 dB standard
deviation is shown in terms of signal level w.r.t. 0 dB
reference on the y-axis. This normally refers to un-faded
signal in wireless link.

Convoluted Rayleigh-Normal
In mobile radio communication, troposphere-scatter and
for some microwave LOS system (long path lengths with
insufficient clearance) there is fast Rayleigh fading
superimposed on slow fading.
The slow fading could be caused due to:

k-factor diffraction (in LOS links),

Refractive changes in troposcatter radio,

Shadowing by hills or by tall building in mobile
radio or cellular radio.

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Convoluted Rayleigh-Normal
Slow fading component can be characterized by normal
distribution with mean and standard deviation. A family
of distributions with different values of standard
deviations is shown in Figure 1.
In cellular radio, for example, the standard deviation is
dependent on factors like, frequency band of operation
and the environment (e.g., sub-urban, urban or high rise
density areas).
In mobile propagation literature these distributions
are named the Suzuki Distributions.

Figure 1
Rayleigh
Distribution (0
dB standard
deviation) and
Convoluted
Rayleigh-
Normal
Distribution (for
different value of
standard
deviations)

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Nakagami-Rice Distributions
Nakagami-Rice fading distributions could be in mobile
radio or microwave LOS systems. It is modeled as a sum
of fixed vector (LOS component) and a random vector
that has Rayleigh Distribution. It is sometimes called
Rician Distributions.
Two main applications:

Reflection off a rough surface (e.g., sea)

For multipath propagation with a dominant LOS
path, when the combined power of fixed and
random component is constant.

Nakagami-Rice Distributions
The length of fixed vector is designated as a and
is the length of random Rayleigh vector. The
total power is normalized to 1 (i.e. a2 + 22 = 1).

Let a = cos, hence /2 = sin. The ratio of total

power carried by random vector by total combined
total power of two vectors is given by r2 = 22/1
= sin2.
In Figure 2, Nakagami-Rice fading distribution for
various ratios (r2 = 22/1 = sin2) is shown.

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Figure 2
Nakagami-Rice
Distribution for
constant total power
for different ratio r2

The curve approaches

to Rayleigh
Distribution when r2 =
0.5.

For low values of r2
the distribution is
more like Log-Normal

Impulse Response
The impulse response, denoted by h(t; ), completely
characterize the multipath fading channel. Where t
represents the time variations and is the channel
multipath delay. The discrete version of impulse response
can be given by:

It is useful to use discrete excess delay bins, that is, i = i

;
where i
= 0 ,, N 1, and N is total number of equally spaced multipath
components. The excess delay is the relative delay of ith multipath
component w.r.t. first arriving multipath component. The maximum
excess delay of multipath channel is given by N.

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Impulse Response
The power delay profile of the channel can be found by taking the
spatial average of |hb(t; )|2 over a local area. By making several local
measurements in different locations, we can build of ensemble of
power delay profiles, each representing a small-scale multipath
channel state.

Slow & Fast Fading

Notice that the signal fades rapidly as the receiver moves,
but the local average signal changes slowly with distance.

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Discrete Channel: Example
Assume a discrete channel impulse response is used to
model an urban radio channel with excess delay of 100 s
and microcellular channels with excess delay no longer than
4 s. If the number of multipath bins is fixed at 64, find (a)
, (b) the maximum channel bandwidth the two channels
represent. Repeat the exercise for a indoor channel with
excess delay of 100 ns.

Use the relationship N= N.

ANS: 1.5265 s and 0.32 MHz, 62.5 ns and 8 MHz, and
7.815 ns and 8 MHz,

Simulation of Rayleigh Fading

Channels
Two independent Gaussian noise sources are used to
produce in phase and quadrature fading signal. By using a
Doppler filter time domain waveform can be obtained using
inverse Fourier Transform.

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Simulation of Rayleigh Fading
Channels
Simulation can also be performed at baseband. For
this we need two Baseband Doppler Filters.

Simulation of Rayleigh Fading

Channels
A frequency domain implementation of Rayleigh Fading
Simulator at baseband is shown below.

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Simulation of Rayleigh Fading
Channels

Specify the number of frequency domain points (N) of the
Doppler Filter. N is usually power of 2.

Compute the spectral line spacing ( f)=2fm/(N-1) and
T=1/f.

Generate complex random variables each of N/2 positive
frequency components of noise source

Construct the negative frequency components by conjugating
the positive frequency components of noise source

Multiply the in phase and quadrature value of fading
spectrum

Performa a iFFT and compute the sum of squares of each
signal

Take the square root of the sum obtained

This gives a N point time series of Rayleigh Fading Channel

Simulation of Rayleigh Fading

Channels
Several Rayleigh Fading Simulators may be used in
conjunction with variable gain and time delay to produce
frequency selective effects.

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