VALIDATION OF MULTIPLE PATH LOSS MODELS THROUGH FIELD MEASURMENTS

A propagation path loss model (PLM) is an important tool in wireless network planning that allows network planners to optimize the cell towers? distribution and meet expected service level requirements. In this thesis project, different path loss models (PLMs) like Hata-Okumura model, Log-distance p

Project Title

VALIDATION OF MULTIPLE PATH LOSS MODELS THROUGH FIELD MEASURMENTS

Project Area of Specialization

Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Project Summary

A propagation path loss model (PLM) is an important tool in wireless network planning that allows network planners to optimize the cell towers’ distribution and meet expected service level requirements. In this thesis project, different path loss models (PLMs) like Hata-Okumura model, Log-distance path loss model and Lognormal shadowing model will be analyzed and compared with field measurement data. Field measurements are carried out in Nawabshah, Pakistan, receiving signals from three base stations (BTSs) located in the Nawabshah region. In wireless networks, theoretical PLMs are largely based on single slope PLM, which falls short in accuracy while capturing the fading effects of the physical propagation environment. However, the analysis of the measurement data will show better agreement with this multi-path model. The impact of the multi-slope model shall be evaluated using field measurements. Finally, the better model for the region of Nawabshah will be proposed on behalf of the error for different considered model. 

Project Objectives

Major contributions of this thesis project are listed as under:
•    To obtain the field measurements, a drive test is conducted for three different cell sites selected for Nawabshah region, Sindh, Pakistan. By utilizing the field measurements, the path loss and path loss exponent will be measured.
•    Field measurements are compared with the theoretical PLMs such as the Hata- Okumura model, Log-distance path loss model and Lognormal shadowing model.
•    The theoretical models that are considered in this thesis project are primarily based on single slope PLM. Since the pathloss is not accurately estimated by single slope PLM, therefore, a multi-slope PLM is used to overcome the shortcoming of single slope PLM.
•    Multi-slope PLM is used for estimation of path loss error (PLE).
•    For this purpose, the following three PLMs are used and analyzed at different frequency bands 900MHz, 1800 MHz and may be at 2100 MHz.
•    Hata-Okumura Pathloss Model
•    Log-distance Pathloss Model
•    Lognormal Shadowing Pathloss Model
 

Project Implementation Method

A drive test shall be conducted with the help of a smart phone which will be pre-installed with g.net track lite Pro, cell mapper applications and enabled sim. The vehicle is driven at a speed of 50 km per hour while the cell mapper will record the RSS continuously. Many measurements (maybe 100) are taken at multiple distances (0.1 km, 0.2 km, 0.3 km up to 4km, 2km and 2km) for site-1, site-2, and site-3 respectively. By utilizing the field measurements, the path loss is analyzed for each site in MATLAB software. For comparison and analysis, existing PLMs such as Hata-Okumura, log-distance and Lognormal shadowing models are analyzed in MATLAB. Finally, a comparison of predictive PLMs with measurement results is made on the basis of path loss. Based on the comparison, the best-estimated PLM is proposed. Afterwards, we perform a comparison of single slope PLM with multi-slope PLM. In this regard, the multi-slope lognormal shadowing PLM is proposed. Moreover, the distribution of field measurements is analyzed by using the lognormal distribution. The hardware used to gather the measurements will be smart mobile phone along with the other application tools.
The following applications shall be used to obtain the field measurements:
•    G-Net Track Lite Pro.
•    Cell Mapper.
•    Google Earth Map.
•    MATLAB
G-net track application is a wireless monitor and drive test tool for android mobile devices. This application allows monitoring and logging of mobile network parameters without using specialized tools. Cell mapper is a cellular coverage application. In this application, we can check our own provider mobile network coverage. Also, we can see our provider mobile locations of the tower on the map. The google earth map is a 3D representation of earth-based primarily on satellite imagery. This can be used to measure the exact distances between different sites.

Benefits of the Project

Benefits of our project are the following:
•    To improve the coverage area of the selected base stations (BTSs).
•    To propose the better model for utilization on other base stations in the region of Nawabshah.
•    The collected field measurements may be utilized for improving the coverage area of other base stations of the Nawabshah region.
•    To propose the better location(s) for upcoming installation of base stations in Nawabshah region.
•    To propose the path loss exponent of the Nawabshah region which will provide guidelines for installing new base stations by the engineers in future. 
•    To provide guidelines for future engineers for finding an appropriate path loss model using field measurements for upcoming 5g and 6G cellular communications with latest Machine learning algorithms and other softwares.
 

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

A drive test shall be conducted with the help of a smart phone which will be pre-installed with g.net track lite Pro, cell mapper applications and enabled LTE sim. The vehicle is driven at a speed of 50 km per hour while the cell mapper will record the RSS continuously. Many measurements are taken at multiple distances for three base stations By utilizing the field measurements, the path loss exponent and path loss is analyzed for each base station site in MATLAB software. For comparison and analysis, existing PLMs such as Hata-Okumura, log-distance and Lognormal shadowing models are analyzed in MATLAB. Finally, a comparison of predictive PLMs with measurement results is made on the basis of pathloss. Based on the comparison, the best-estimated PLM is proposed. Afterwards, we perform a comparison of single slope PLM with multi-slope PLM. In this regard, the multi-slope lognormal shadowing PLM is proposed. Moreover, the distribution of field measurements is analyzed by using the lognormal distribution. The hardware used to gather the measurements will be smart mobile phone along with the following applications which shall be used to obtain the field measurements:
•    G-Net Track Lite Pro.
•    Cell Mapper.
•    Google Earth Map.
•    MATLAB
G-net track application is a wireless monitor and drive test tool for android mobile devices. This application allows monitoring and logging of mobile network parameters without using specialized tools. Cell mapper is a cellular coverage application. In this application, we can check our own provider mobile network coverage. Also, we can see our provider mobile locations of the tower on the map. The google earth map is a 3D representation of earth-based primarily on satellite imagery. This can be used to measure the exact distances between different base station sites.
 

Final Deliverable of the Project

Software System

Core Industry

Telecommunication

Other Industries

Security

Core Technology

Augmented & Virtual Reality

Other Technologies

Artificial Intelligence(AI)

Sustainable Development Goals

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Required Resources

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