An enhanced modified multi wall propagation model

Abstract

This article proposes a variation of Motley-Keenan multi-wall radio propagation model. Proposed model incorporates the polarization and angle of the incidence of the beam into this model. This is achieved by using image processing techniques to automatically detect the walls and their orientation from a blueprint image. Hence, various wall types with different attenuating characteristics can be defined. By acquiring the orientation of the walls, their attenuations are defined as a function of the angle of incidence. The main advantages of this implementation are (i) no 3D model of the environment is required (ii) manual preprocessing of the blueprint is eliminated (iii) Accuracy of the propagation model is improved. This approach hence simplifies and improves the radio propagation modeling for indoor environments without requiring a 3D model of the environment or defining walls with vector equations. To validate the model, practical measurements are compared against Motley-Kennan model, both with and without the angle of the incident. IT is concluded that this modification improved the accuracy of the Motley-Keenan model for estimating the path attenuation by an average of 0.5 dB per measurement location.