Parametric Modelling and Estimation of Distributed Diffuse Scattering Components of Radio Channels

We introduce an extended data-model for high resolution channel parameter estimation and parametric channel modeling. Other than the well-known ray-optical based data models which contain only discrete (specular) propagation paths, we additionally introduce distributed diffuse scattering components. To this end a simple parametric data model of the diffuse scattering distribution in the delay domain is proposed. Furthermore, we develop an estimator for those model parameters and derive their Cramér-Rao lower bound. Finally we discuss implementation related issues, which arise if the extended channel model is integrated into existing high-resolution parameter estimation algorithms (such as ESPRIT, RIMAX, or SAGE) for the estimation of discrete propagation paths. It is demonstrated that also the reliability of high-resolution parameter estimation results in channel sounding measurements can be considerably enhanced.