MIMO wireless multipath ray parameter estimation from channel transfer matrix measurements

In MIMO wireless communication using space-time coding techniques, it is important to understand channel characteristics so that optimum coding schemes, array configurations, and performance analysis can be developed. Increasingly, understanding of MIMO channels is being aided by direct channel probing experiments to measure transfer matrix, H. An alternate channel representation based on propagating ray parameters has many advantages. We propose an algorithm to compute high precision estimates of channel ray parameters directly from H measurements. Examples are presented where rays are identified, and departure angles, arrival angles, and complex path gains are estimated.