Downlink SDMA for IEEE 802.11A/G: A Means for Improving Legacy Mobile Throughput Using a Multi-Antenna Access Point

We address the problem of downlink throughput improvement for IEEE 802.11a/g systems by using a modified access point (AP) equipped with multiple antennas. The main restriction is that the standard terminals should not be modified in any way. An alternating time-offset space division multiple access (SDMA) solution is considered for a conference room scenario. A simulation is based on channel models approved by the IEEE 802.11 Standard Group and takes into account the main features of the IEEE 802.11a/g standard. It is demonstrated that a near doubling of downlink capacity can be achieved in a conference room environment.