Techniques for expeditiously predicting electromagnetic wave propagation
First Claim
1. A method for optimizing the prediction of RF propagation in a three-dimensional environment comprising a plurality of surfaces, each surface having (i) a reflection coefficient specifying the ratio of reflected to incident RF energy, and (ii) a transmission coefficient specifying the ratio of RF energy transmitted through the surface to RF energy incident upon the surface, the method including the following steps:
- (a) selecting a reference transmitter location within the three-dimensional environment;
(b) selecting a plurality of reference receiver locations within the three dimensional environment;
(c) for each reference receiver location, determining at least one RF propagation path between the reference receiver location and the reference transmitter location, the reference transmitter location representing a propagation path endpoint, and the reference receiver locations each representing propagation path endpoints;
(d) partitioning the three dimensional environment into a plurality of intervals along any one of the three dimensions using a plurality of parallel planes;
(e) for each interval, projecting the RF propagation paths and the surfaces within each interval into a two-dimensional cross-sectional area;
(f) inserting a plurality of line segments into each cross-sectional area to form a plurality of triangle walls, the plurality of triangle walls and the projected surfaces together forming a plurality of triangular areas;
(g) for each projected RF propagation path, tracing the projected RF propagation path through n triangular areas in the cross-sectional area by locating an nth triangular area selected from the plurality of triangular areas containing a first propagation path endpoint;
(h) for each of n triangular areas, determining the triangle wall intersecting the propagation path, and identifying an (n-1)th triangular area sharing this triangle wall;
(j) decrementing n by one, and recursively repeating the determination and identification steps set forth in (h) until a second propagation path endpoint is reached.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for optimizing the prediction of RF propagation. A three-dimensional environment, such as a building, is modeled as a plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional areas including a plurality of surfaces. Each surface is associated with a reflection coefficient and a transmission coefficient. A reference transmitter location and a plurality of reference receiver locations are selected. For each reference receiver location, RF propagation paths are determined with respect to the reference transmitter location. The reference transmitter location and the reference receiver locations represent propagation path endpoints. A plurality of parallel planes are used to partition the three-dimensional environment into a plurality of intervals. The RF reflective surfaces and propagation paths within each interval are projected into a cross-sectional area. A plurality of line segments are positioned in the cross-sectional area to form a plurality of triangular areas.
33 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing the prediction of RF propagation in a three-dimensional environment comprising a plurality of surfaces, each surface having (i) a reflection coefficient specifying the ratio of reflected to incident RF energy, and (ii) a transmission coefficient specifying the ratio of RF energy transmitted through the surface to RF energy incident upon the surface, the method including the following steps:
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(a) selecting a reference transmitter location within the three-dimensional environment; (b) selecting a plurality of reference receiver locations within the three dimensional environment; (c) for each reference receiver location, determining at least one RF propagation path between the reference receiver location and the reference transmitter location, the reference transmitter location representing a propagation path endpoint, and the reference receiver locations each representing propagation path endpoints; (d) partitioning the three dimensional environment into a plurality of intervals along any one of the three dimensions using a plurality of parallel planes; (e) for each interval, projecting the RF propagation paths and the surfaces within each interval into a two-dimensional cross-sectional area; (f) inserting a plurality of line segments into each cross-sectional area to form a plurality of triangle walls, the plurality of triangle walls and the projected surfaces together forming a plurality of triangular areas; (g) for each projected RF propagation path, tracing the projected RF propagation path through n triangular areas in the cross-sectional area by locating an nth triangular area selected from the plurality of triangular areas containing a first propagation path endpoint; (h) for each of n triangular areas, determining the triangle wall intersecting the propagation path, and identifying an (n-1)th triangular area sharing this triangle wall; (j) decrementing n by one, and recursively repeating the determination and identification steps set forth in (h) until a second propagation path endpoint is reached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for predicting RF propagation in a three-dimensional environment including the following steps:
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(a) selecting a reference transmitter location and at least one reference receiver location; (b) determining a plurality of propagation paths between said reference transmitter location and each of said reference receiver locations;
said propagation paths including at least one direct path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations along a straight-line path, and at least one reflection path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations via at least one surface;(c) associating each of said surfaces with a reflection coefficient specifying the ratio of reflected to incident RF energy, and a transmission coefficient specifying the ratio of RF energy transmitted through the surface to incident RF energy; (d) projecting the three-dimensional environment and the plurality of propagation paths into a plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional areas; (e) partitioning the two-dimensional cross-sectional areas into a plurality of triangular regions; (f) for each propagation path, calculating a propagation path component representing propagation loss relative to free-space propagation of RF energy from a reference transmitter at the reference transmitter location producing a reference RF power level, the propagation loss being equal to the product of the magnitude squared of the reflection and transmission coefficients; and (g) for each reference receiver location, calculating a local mean of received power equal to the scalar sum of the powers of all of the propagation path components corresponding to the reference receiver location. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method for predicting RF propagation in a three-dimensional environment including the following steps:
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(a) selecting a reference transmitter location and at least one reference receiver location from within the three-dimensional environment;
the three-dimensional environment comprising a plurality of surfaces, each surface having (i) a reflection coefficient specifying the ratio of reflected to incident RF energy, and (ii) a transmission coefficient specifying the ratio of RF energy transmitted through the surface to RF energy incident upon the surface;(b) determining a plurality of propagation paths between said reference transmitter location and each of said reference receiver locations;
said propagation paths including at least one direct path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations along a straight-line path, and at least one reflection path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations via at least one surface;
the reference transmitter location representing a propagation path endpoint, and the reference receiver locations each representing propagation path endpoints;(c) partitioning the three dimensional environment into a plurality of intervals along any one of the three dimensions using a plurality of parallel planes; (d) for each interval, projecting the RF propagation paths and the surfaces within each interval into a two-dimensional cross-sectional area; (e) inserting a plurality of line segments into each cross-sectional area to form a plurality of triangle walls, the plurality of triangle walls and the projected surfaces together forming a plurality of triangles; (f) for each projected RF propagation path, tracing the projected RF propagation path through n triangles in the cross-sectional area by locating an nth triangle selected from the plurality of triangles containing a first propagation path endpoint; (g) for each of n triangles, determining the triangle wall intersecting the propagation path, and identifying an (n-1)th triangle sharing this triangle wall; (h) decrementing n by one, and recursively repeating the determination and identification steps set forth in (g) until a second propagation path endpoint is reached; (j) for each propagation path, calculating a propagation path component representing propagation loss relative to free-space propagation of RF energy from a reference transmitter at the reference transmitter location producing a reference RF power level, the propagation loss being equal to the product of the magnitude squared of the reflection coefficients and the transmission coefficients associated with the surfaces of the propagation path; and (k) for each reference receiver location, calculating a local mean of received power equal to the scalar sum of the powers of all of the propagation path components corresponding to the reference receiver location.
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10. A method for predicting RF propagation in a three-dimensional environment including the following steps:
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(a) selecting a reference transmitter location and at least one reference receiver location; (b) determining a plurality of propagation paths between said reference transmitter location and each of said reference receiver locations;
said propagation paths including at least one direct path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations along a straight-line path, and at least one reflection path joining said reference transmitter location to one of said reference receiver locations via at least one reflective surface;(c) associating each of said reflective surfaces with a reflection coefficient specifying the ratio of reflected to incident RF energy, and a transmission coefficient specifying the ratio of RF energy transmitted through the surface to incident RF energy; (d) partitioning the three dimensional environment into a plurality of intervals along any one of the three dimensions using a plurality of parallel planes; (e) for each interval, projecting the RF propagation paths and the surfaces within each interval into a two-dimensional cross-sectional area; (f) inserting a plurality of line segments into each cross-sectional area to form a plurality of triangle walls, the plurality of triangle walls and the projected surfaces together forming a plurality of triangles; (g) for each projected RF propagation path, tracing the projected RF propagation path through n triangles in the cross-sectional area by locating an nth triangle selected from the plurality of triangles containing a first propagation path endpoint; (h) for each of n triangles, determining the triangle wall intersecting the propagation path, and identifying an (n-1)th triangle sharing this triangle wall; (j) decrementing n by one, and recursively repeating the determination and identification steps set forth in (h) until a second propagation path endpoint is reached; (k) for each propagation path, calculating a propagation path component representing propagation loss relative to free-space propagation of RF energy from a reference transmitter at the reference transmitter location producing a reference RF power level, the propagation loss being equal to the product of the magnitude squared of the reflection and transmission coefficients; and (m) for each reference receiver location, calculating a local mean of received power equal to the scalar sum of the powers of all of the propagation path components corresponding to the reference receiver location.
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Specification