CrossWave Propagation Model

August 2011

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What is CrossWave?
CrossWave is the Atoll version of the Orange Labs propagation model
Developed by Orange Labs
Distributed and supported by Forsk as an option to Atoll

High performance universal propagation model

All wireless technologies
All propagation situations and environments
Automatic model tuning using CW measurements

Proven and field-tested

CrossWave is being used by the Orange Group
Statistically pre-calibrated using measurements from different countries and
environment types

CrossWave Principles
CrossWave models the three propagation phenomena
Vertical diffraction
Horizontal guided propagation
Reflection on mountains

Orange Labs experience

Propagation modeling
Automatic tuning

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CrossWave Specifications
Multi-technology and frequency bands
All technologies (GSM, UMTS, CDMA, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, LTE)
Supports frequency range from 200 MHz to 5GHz

Works for any type of cells

Micro cells, Mini cells, Macro cells
Works for any type of environment
Dense urban, Urban, Rural.

Geo Data needed

DTM, Clutter classes, DHM
Supports all Atoll raster formats
And optionally:

3D building vectors (TAB)

Line vectors (TAB) for railway track
predictions

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CrossWave Configuration (Geo data)

Morphologies
Strongly recommended, improve accuracy
Generated from DTM and Clutter classes
Accurate environment modelling to the
propagation context:

Describes environment (100m resolution file)

and allows model to apply different optimization
for each morphology

Pre-processing needed, only once

Increases speed

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CrossWave Configuration (Geo data)

Facets
Allow to model reflection phenomena for macro cells
Useful in mountainous area, not in hilly terrain (vegetation not taken into account)
Facets are used to find all paths from transmitters to the receiver,
Generated from DTM data
Pre processing needed, only once

Remains optional
Can take time (depends on area size and relief)

Requirements/Limitations
Not available in urban environment when
3D building vectors are used
Receiver and the transmitter must not be
in visibility (no line-of-sight)

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CrossWave Configuration (Geo data)

Graphs
Generated from the building shapes (3D building vectors), only once (preprocessing can take time..)
Used to find all paths from transmitter to receiver (propagation paths)
For better modeling of guided propagation in micro-cellular environment
(Crosswave automatically determines the micro cellular context according to the
average roof height and number of building around transmitter)
Produce files which classify main streets with their width (TAB file, picture below )

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CrossWave Calculation Settings

Radial mode
For each transmitter, CrossWave uses
Atoll path loss matrix resolution and
radius, for main and extended matrices

Dual resolution
Secondary resolution can be used
beyond threshold distance, for path
loss matrix calculated with CrossWave
Alternative will be to use in Atoll both
main and extended matrices with
different resolutions, and unique
resolution in CrossWave model

Automatic backward distance

No path loss calculation behind
transmitter to increase calculation speed,
especially in case of directional antenna
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CrossWave Radio Propagation Parameters

Options with 3D building data
Can take into account reflection
behind receiver along Tx/Rx profile
Graphs usage can be restricted to
a specific area around Tx

Optimize propagation on water

Diffraction in horizontal Plane
For any obstacle with height greater
than its width (i.e. skyscraper),
where calculation should not only
consider Vertical plane for dominant
path (improves accuracy in DU area)

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CrossWave Indoor Propagation Parameters

Indoor calculation
Model defined penetration:

Default attenuation values from Orange Labs

measurements (formulas which take into
account incidence angles and frequency band)

Penetration attenuation can be user

defined :

by polygon type (buildings, vegetation) with

values from vector file
globally

Calculate only inside buildings

Indoor to outdoor propagation

For an antenna inside a building, specific
treatment to take into account the
propagation inside this building.
Several virtual transmitters are identified,
and the one which generates the lowest
losses is considered
Attenuation can be user defined, by
polygon or globally

CrossWave Advanced Settings

Antenna correction
Warning message if located inside
building polygon
Automatic update of transmitter position,
exported to a text file (Atoll database is
not updated)

Railway Predictions
Prediction only along railway tracks
Reception level inside train, according to
train type
Supports vectors files (TAB format)

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CrossWave Calibration
Auto Tuning
Automatic filtering of inconsistent
points (i.e. inside buildings)
no
need of manual filtering in Atoll except
general filters like min/max signal
level
Choice between two modes of
calibrations

Standard ( provides the best performance

results)
Advanced calibration (more robust thanks
to combination with default parameters of
model)

Single calibration for macro/micro

environment : all CW files can be
processed simultaneously

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CrossWave Calibration
Auto Tuning
User can perform several calibrations
and select the best one

Try different scenario for

calibration/verification sites
Standard or advanced mode

Results split per:

CW file
Morphology (Help to determine if more
than one model is needed for the area
thanks to the performance available per
morphology)

Generating optimization coefficients

embedded in propagation model
(User specific)
Or use Statistically pre-calibrated
coefficients using measurements
(Model default)
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CrossWave Calibration
Accuracy depends on Geo data available (
availability of morphologies,
facets, graphs)
Minimum
Standard
Advanced
Optimum
requirements

configuration

configuration

Height (DTM)
Clutter class
Building raster
(DHM)

configuration

3D Building vector

CrossWave accuracy
When 3D building vectors are available, Clutter heights (DHM raster) remain optional
(CrossWave does not use DHM, see Optimum configuration*)

CrossWave can work without calibration with reasonable accuracy

Default parameters obtained from high number of points from CW measurements

Macro and micro cell

Outdoor/indoor.
LOS/NLOS.

Model uses default optimisation coefficients for each morphology

Crosswave can extrapolate coefficients in other frequencies from a tuned model
(ie model tuned with CW in 1800Mhz can be easily reused in 2100Mhz)
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CrossWave Performance with Calibration

Macro cellular context (900MHz) in a Dense
Urban/Urban area
DTM (resolution 2m) and Clutter classes
(20m)
3D Building vectors
Pre processing :

3D building vectors for graphs

DTM/clutter classes for morphologies

9 CW files (52k samples)

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CrossWave Performance without Calibration

Performances obtained without calibration and in Macro cellular conditions
in a large city (average on all three frequency bands 900/1800/2100)
Morphologies bring the highest gain (building vectors and graphs not really useful
here due to the macro cellular context)
With morphology

Not used

Not used

used

used

With graphs

Not used

used

Not used

used

Performance

Mean = -5 STD =6.2

Mean = 1.7 STD =6.6

Mean = -1.2 STD =6.4

Mean = 1.2 STD =6.5

CrossWave accuracy

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Visual Comparison without Tuning (macro cell)

Standard Hata model tuned

(only DTM + Clutter classes)

Standard Hata model tuned

(DTM + Clutter classes + DHM)

CrossWave without tuning

(DTM + Clutter classes + DHM with Morphologies)

CrossWave without tuning

(DTM+ Clutter + DHM + 3D vectors with Morphologies + graphs)

Conclusion : CrossWave can be used without calibration to provide realistic predictions

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Visual Comparison with Tuning (macro cell)

All path loss resolution and coverage
plot = resolution 2m
DTM/DHM resolution = 2m

CrossWave with tuning

(DTM + Clutter class+ DHM with Morphologies)

Standard Hata model tuned

(DTM + Clutter classes + DHM)

CrossWave with tuning

(DTM+ Clutter class + DHM + 3D vectors with Morphologies + graphs )
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Visual Comparison with Tuning (micro cell)

CrossWave outdoor prediction of a micro cell (H=10m) with tuning in macro cell context
(DTM+ clutter Class + DHM + 3D vectors with Morphologies / graphs)

Conclusion : CrossWave can work for micro cells with a calibration

performed in macro cell conditions, thanks to its default coefficients
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Indoor Propagation
Indoor penetration parameters can be defined globally or per polygon
Attenuation values defined as attributes in building shape files

Predictions can be calculated only inside buildings

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CrossWave Model : Key Points

Accurate, Fast - both in tuning and prediction computations

Easy filtering process in Atoll compared to others Cost Hata models

Easy tuning (no parameter consistency checking, clutter offset extrapolation)

Statistically pre-calibrated using measurements from different environment

types (rural/urban, micro/macro, indoor/outdoor...)

If CW measurements points are missing in some environments (i.e. forest..) ,

model can use its default coefficients

Versatile - compatible with all technologies/frequencies

Model selects the frequency band from the transmitters one

Models propagation on water better than a Hata type Model (i.e. Atoll SPM)
thanks to specific correction calibrated with experimental measurements
Models mountainous areas better thanks to facets data
Used in the Orange Group since several years (25 operators amongst 32)
Robust - able to tackle very large areas
Reduction of maintenance and development costs
With a limited number of models, specific requests are processed more quickly
(i.e. in France, Orange now uses only one tri band model)
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Thank You!