Wide-band measurement and ray-tracing simulation of the 1900-MHz indoor propagation channel: Comparison criteria and results

The results of a wide-band indoor measurement campaign are compared with th e corresponding simulation results provided by a 3-D ray-tracing field pred iction model. A novel comparison criterion based on the "scale level" conce pt is presented and used in the present work. On the basis of the cited cri terion, the validity domain of the ray-tracing tool, the degree of accuracy of the prediction as a function of the scale level, and future necessary i mprovement of the model have been identified and discussed. The comparisons refer to a variety of propagation parameters such as path loss, delay spre ad, coherence bandwidth, etc. The influence of environment description (wit h or without furniture) is also analyzed. The paper shows that the 3-D ray tracing model can be a useful tool for the analysis of indoor propagation a nd for the design and the implementation of indoor, wide-band applications.