A satellite-to-indoor channel model for pedestrian applications

Accurate channel models are necessary to develop advanced receiver positioning algorithms able to cope with the effects of signal propagation. In this contribution, we propose a novel and accurate wideband satellite-to-indoor channel model applicable for testing and validating range estimation algorithms in positioning applications. The advantage of the channel model compared to the state of the art is the ability to reproduce the spatial characteristics for a moving receiver. To model satellite-to-indoor propagation, a novel hybrid approach combining physical-deterministic mechanisms and stochastic methods is used. In this context, components occurring due to diffraction and transmission by walls, windows and doors are treated using physical-deterministic near field methods. For paths occurring due to indoor multipath propagation, a hybrid approach is used combining physical-deterministic and stochastic methods. A comparison of the proposed channel model to measured channel sounder data shows the accuracy of the satellite-to-indoor simulator.