Spatial channel model with a three-dimensional cloud of scatterers

1. A method implemented in a wireless communication system, comprising:

accessing, in a computer system, information that characterizes a scattering environment proximate a mobile unit and information indicating a configuration of a plurality of antennas;

generating, in the computer system, a three-dimensional scattering cloud model using said information, the three-dimensional scattering cloud model representing the scattering environment as seen by the plurality of antennas; and

determining, in the computer system, at least one correlation between portions of signals received at the plurality of antennas using the three-dimensional scattering cloud model, wherein determining said at least one correlation comprises determining at least one of a temporal correlation of portions of a time series of the signal, a spatial correlation between portions of the signal, and a polarization correlation between portions of the signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model comprises generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model based on at least one of a coordinate of the mobile unit, a number of scattering entities proximate the mobile unit, an angle spread of the scattering entities, and a distribution of the scattering entities.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model comprises determining the information that characterizes the scattering environment based on at least one of a field test, empirical data, and theoretical data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model comprises generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model based on at least one of a polarization associated with at least one of the plurality of antennas and a coordinate of at least one of the plurality of antennas.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model comprises generating the three-dimensional scattering cloud model that has a selected number of model scatterers and a selected distribution of model scatterers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the spatial correlation comprises determining a first effective distance between at least two of the plurality of antennas and determining the polarization correlation comprises determining a second effective distance between at least two of the plurality of antennas.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said at least one correlation comprises concurrently determining the temporal correlation, at least one spatial correlation, and at least one polarization correlation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said at least one correlation comprises determining said at least one correlation based on at least one of a wavelength or a frequency associated with a received signal, a velocity of the mobile unit, and a Doppler shift associated with at least one model scatterer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said at least one correlation comprises determining at least one angle of arrival associated with at least one model scatterers and at least one of the plurality of antennas.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one fading coefficient associated with at least one of the plurality of antennas based on said at least one correlation.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a plurality of three-dimensional scattering cloud models based on the scattering environment proximate the mobile unit and the configuration of the plurality of antennas.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the plurality of three-dimensional scattering cloud models comprises determining a plurality of three-dimensional scattering cloud models corresponding to a plurality of resolvable paths from the mobile unit to at least one of the plurality of antennas.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining fading coefficients for channels between the mobile unit and each of the plurality of antennas using the three-dimensional scattering cloud model.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the fading coefficients comprises using ray tracing to calculate a plurality of channels that connect the mobile unit with each antenna via each scatterer in the three-dimensional scattering cloud model.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the fading coefficients comprises forming a linear superposition of the channels calculated using ray tracing.