Accuracy vs. Complexity for mmWave Ray-Tracing: A Full Stack Perspective

Abstract

The millimeter wave (mmWave) band will provide multi-gigabits-per-second connectivity in the radio access of future wireless systems. The high propagation loss in this portion of the spectrum calls for the deployment of large antenna arrays to compensate for the loss through high directional gain, thus introducing a spatial dimension in the channel model to accurately represent the performance of a mmWave network. In this perspective, ray-tracing can characterize the channel in terms of Multi Path Components (MPCs) to provide a highly accurate model, at the price of extreme computational complexity (e.g., for processing detailed environment information about the propagation), which limits the scalability of the simulations. In this paper, we present possible simplifications to improve the tradeoff between accuracy and complexity in ray-tracing simulations at mmWaves by reducing the total number of MPCs. The effect of such simplifications is evaluated from a full-stack perspective through end-to-end simulations, testing different configuration parameters, propagation scenarios, and higherlayer protocol implementations. We then provide guidelines on the optimal degree of simplification, for

A Tutorial on Mathematical Modeling of 5G/6G Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Cellular Systems

“…For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ affect the efficiency of simulation techniques. At the physical layer, the extreme mmWave and THz propagation sensitivity to different surfaces naturally call for ray tracing techniques for precise modeling [25], [26] inducing accuracy-complexity trade-off [27], [28]. Further, accounting for blockage requires capturing not only static scenario geometry and tracking UEs having active sessions but accounting for all of the dynamic objects in the channel, e.g., humans, vehicles.…”

A Tutorial on Mathematical Modeling of Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Cellular Systems

“…As discussed in [22], [23], [24] the multi-path propagation and as well as dynamic blockage phenomena drastically affect the efficiency of simulation techniques. At the physical layer, the extreme mmWave and THz propagation sensitivity to different surfaces naturally call for ray tracing techniques for precise modeling [25], [26] inducing accuracy-complexity trade-off [27], [28]. Further, accounting for blockage requires capturing not only static scenario geometry and tracking UEs having active sessions but accounting for all of the dynamic objects in the channel, e.g., humans, vehicles.…”