A Random Geometric Model of Blockages in Vehicular Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a stochastic geometric model for line-of-sight blockage in vehicular networks, enabling analysis of LOS probability and coverage crucial for applications like positioning and mmWave communications.

Contribution

It proposes a novel spatially consistent framework modeling obstacles and LOS paths in vehicular networks using stochastic geometry, addressing a gap in existing models.

Findings

Derived LOS probability for typical vehicles.

Analyzed LOS coverage for mmWave and positioning applications.

Framework applicable to LOS-critical vehicular network scenarios.

Abstract

This paper presents a novel spatially consistent approach for modeling line-of-sight (LOS) paths in vehicular networks. We use stochastic geometry to model transmitters, obstacles, and receivers located in three parallel lines, respectively. Their geometric interactions are leveraged to characterize the existence of LOS paths. Specifically, the proposed approach focuses on the role of obstacles in blocking one or more LOS paths, which has been overlooked in most statistical models for blockage. Under the proposed framework, we derive the probability that a typical vehicle is in LOS with respect to transmitters with received signal-to-noise ratios greater than a threshold. The proposed framework and LOS coverage analysis are instrumental to the analysis of LOS-critical applications such as positioning or mmWave communications in vehicular networks.