A Sixty GHz Intra-Car Multi-Media Communications System

In order to realize intra-car multimedia communications systems composed of entertainment which requires several hundred Mbps to 1 Gbps capacity and monitoring signal transmission between many parts of the car which requires high reliability and low latency, this paper proposes a millimeter wave system which has high capacity and low latency transmission capability. To clarify the feasibility of millimeter wave systems applications to intra-car multimedia communications, propagation characteristics inside a car have been extensively measured and analyzed. The proposed system sets a car navigator as the center of Intra-car multimedia communications with an Omni antenna and receivers are assumed at front seats, back seats and the luggage space behind the back seats in a typical SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). The measured results show i. Front seat communications are no worry with simple single carrier (SC) modems without any equalizer, ii. Back seats communications may need beam forming capability for better receive signal power (an Omni antenna system still works with a simple SC modem with a simple rake receiver but without any equalizer, iii. "Luggage space communications may require a directive / beam forming antenna for better receive signal power. The maximum delay spread observed is 6 to 7 ns and no equalizer necessity has been found for Omni antenna receivers inside a car. Further advancement to beam forming antenna will have only 1 - 2 ns maximum delay spread inside a car. Thus, this paper has proved the feasibility of millimeter wave intra-car multimedia communications system by employing a simple single carrier modem without any equalizers but with simple rake receivers.