Wireless Communications-Coverage Software (WC2S) for PCS Network Planning Involving Hills, Foliage, Urban, and Mixed Propagation Paths

Predicting the signal level and coverage area of radio frequency communication channels between base stations, vehicles and warfighters is a challenging problem. The physical channel may involve radio frequency interactions with hills, foliage, andbuildings. The paths may involve long distances over partially-forested hilly terrain or shorter distances involving interaction with urban building features. Some propagation paths may simultaneously involve hills, foliage, and urban areas. Forexample, a warfighter in an urban area may need to communicate with a command station located outside of the city. These mixed path links involving both urban and rural terrain are beyond the capability of any existing physics-based propagation model.Currently available models, including those developed by Remcom Inc., are applicable to paths where both the transmitting and receiving antennas are located in an outdoor urban environment, or indoors, or in rural areas. Development of fast and reliablemixed-path models will be an important part of the overall SBIR effort for development of the Wireless Communication Coverage Software (WC2S). Also important will be the design and implementation of a computer graphical user interface (GUI) that allowsfor efficient user-control of input of important data affecting network planning.Remcom has already developed a commercial quality radio propagation model called Wireless InSite. While a competitive product, improvements in its graphical display capability are needed. It is also important to extend the capabilities of Wireless InSiteto include propagation prediction over irregular terrain with area coverage capability. Finally, extending Wireless InSite propagation prediction to mixed paths would greatly increase its competitive advantage. At present there is no commercial networkplanning software product that will predict radio propagation over paths that simultaneously involve irregular terrain and foliage, irregular terrain and urban features, or other combinations of features. The market for such a network planning softwaretool is large, including both commercial and DoD applications.