Maximization of the Channel-Based Key Establishment Rate in MIMO
Systems
Abstract:
Keys for symmetric encryption can be established by generating key bits
from the mutually-observed randomness present within estimates of a
reciprocal wireless channel. We consider this approach for key
establishment in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems and
provide a channel estimation strategy that increases the key rate, or the
mutual information between the channel estimates at the two nodes. The
technique applies MIMO transmit and receive beamformers derived from
the eigenvectors of the covariance matrix and then iteratively optimizes the
power allocated to each transmit beamformer. Simulation results
demonstrate the iterative behavior and the achieved performance of the
proposed algorithm.