Path loss and cell coverage of urban microcells in high-rise building environments

This paper proposes an RF propagation model to predict the sector average signal (or path loss) for the low base station antennas proposed for microcellular systems in high-rise building environments. The model predicts the signal for both the line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS cases. For non-LOS paths, rays that are diffracted at the building corners, as well as reflected rays are accounted for. The results agree with available experimental data. Using this model, we show how the signal on non-LOS paths depends on the specific location of the base station. It is found that the received signal suffers 15 to 20 dB loss when the mobile turns a corner from the LOS street containing the base station into a cross street, or from a cross street into a street parallel to the LOS street