Towards Realistic High-Speed Train Channels at 5G Millimeter-Wave Band—Part I: Paradigm, Significance Analysis, and Scenario Reconstruction

The upcoming fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication system is expected to support high mobility up to 500 km/h, which is envisioned in particular for high-speed trains. Millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum is considered as a key enabler for offering the “best experience” to highly mobile users. Despite that channel characterization is necessary for the mmWave system design and validation, it is still not feasible to directly do extensive mmWave mobile channel measurements on moving high-speed trains (HST) at a speed up to 500 km/h in the present. Thus, rather than conducting mmWave HST channel sounding directly with high mobility, this study proposes a viable paradigm for realizing the realistic HST channels at the 5G mmWave band. We first propose the whole paradigm. Then, we define the scenario of interest and select the main objects and materials. Afterwards, the electromagnetic and scattering parameters of the materials are measured and estimated between 26.5 GHz and 40 GHz. With this information, the most influential materials are determined through significance analysis. Correspondingly, we reconstruct the three-dimensional mmWave outdoor HST and tunnel scenario models. Through extensive ray-tracing simulations, we determine the main propagation mechanisms in these two scenarios, the channel models based on that are validated by measurements. This verifies the whole paradigm proposed in this paper.