Daniel D. Stancil

Mobile Vehicle-to-Vehicle Narrow-Band Channel Measurement and Characterization of the 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) Frequency Band

This study presents narrow-band measurements of the mobile vehicle-to-vehicle propagation channel at 5.9 GHz, under realistic suburban driving conditions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our system includes differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receivers, thereby enabling dynamic measurements of how large-scale path loss, Doppler spectrum, and coherence time depend on vehicle location and separation. A Nakagami distribution is used for describing the fading statistics. The speed-separation diagram is introduced as a new tool for analyzing and understanding the vehicle-to-vehicle propagation environment. We show that this diagram can be used to model and predict channel Doppler spread and coherence time using vehicle speed and separation.

Efficient simulation of Ricean fading within a packet simulator

Packet level network protocol simulators use simple channel models for computational efficiency. A typical method for doing this is to compute a packet error probability assuming a certain fading distribution without taking into account time-correlation. This paper introduces work that has been done to model the effect of small-scale fading (Rayleigh and Ricean) within the ns network simulator. It allows for the faithful simulation of a complete fading envelope. The fading models have the appropriate statistics and also time correlational properties obtained from the Doppler spectrum. An efficient implementation based on a simple table lookup is described.

Toward understanding characteristics of dedicated short range communications (DSRC) from a perspective of vehicular network engineers

IEEE 802.11p-based Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) is considered a promising wireless technology for enhancing transportation safety and improving highway efficiency. Here, using a large set of empirical measurement data taken in a rich variety of realistic driving environments, we attempt to characterize communication properties of DSRC as well as to analyze the causes of communication loss. Specifically, from a perspective of vehicular network engineers, the fundamental characteristic of DSRC communications is Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR). We investigate the impact of both uncontrollable environmental factors and controllable radio parameters on DSRC characteristics. Moreover, we also examine temporal correlation, spatial correlation and symmetric correlation of DSRC characteristics under realistic vehicular environments.

Propagation model for the HVAC duct as a communication channel

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts in buildings are typically hollow metal pipes which can be used as waveguides to carry signals and provide network access to offices. Knowledge of channel properties is crucial to designing such a communication system. The paper presents a propagation model for a straight HVAC duct terminated at both ends. At high frequencies, this duct behaves as a multimode waveguide with a transmitting antenna coupling in and a receiving antenna coupling out. We derive a simple analytical expression for the frequency response of this channel using conventional techniques. Experimental data taken on real circular ducts excited by monopole probe antennas confirm the theoretical results. This model represents an initial step toward the development of a tool for planning a wireless distribution system using building HVAC ducts.

High-speed Internet access via HVAC ducts: a new approach

We report a novel technique for inexpensive high-speed Internet access in buildings. Our work shows that, one can use heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts for indoor wireless transmission systems and networks. Measurements and system calculations show that coverage distances in excess of 100 meters from the base station and data rates of up to 100 Mbps should be possible, when HVAC system is used in conjunction with OFDM technology.

GrooveSim: a topography-accurate simulator for geographic routing in vehicular networks

Vehicles equipped with wireless communication devices are poised to deliver vital services in the form of safety alerts, traffic congestion probing and on-road commercial applications. Tools to evaluate the performance of vehicular networks are a fundamental necessity. While several traffic simulators have been developed under the Intelligent Transport System initiative, their primary focus has been on modeling and forecasting vehicle traffic flow and congestion from a queuing perspective. In order to analyze the performance and scalability of inter-vehicular communication protocols, it is important to use realistic traffic density, speed, trip, and communication models. Studies on multi-hop mobile wireless routing protocols have shown the performance varies greatly depending on the simulation models employed. We introduce GrooveSim, a simulator for geographic routing in vehicular networks to address the need for a robust, easy-to-use realistic network and traffic simulator. GrooveSim accurately models inter-vehicular communication within a real street map-based topography. It operates in five modes capable of actual on-road inter-vehicle communication, simulation of traffic networks with thousands of vehicles, visual playback of driving logs, hybrid simulation composed of real and simulated vehicles and easy test-scenario generation. Our performance results, supported by field tests, establish geographic broadcast routing as an effective means to deliver time-bounded messages over multiple-hops.

A Measurement Study of Time-Scaled 802.11a Waveforms Over The Mobile-to-Mobile Vehicular Channel at 5.9 GHz

We have studied the effects of the mobile vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) channel on scaled versions of the current IEEE 802.11 a standard to investigate how readily they can be applied to vehicular networks. In particular, measured parameters for the V2V channel at 5.9 GHz in suburban, highway, and rural environments are studied in the context of critical parameters for OFDM. Actual performance of scaled OFDM waveforms with bandwidths of 20 MHz (bandwidth of IEEE 802.11 a), 10 MHz (bandwidth of the draft IEEE 802.11 p), and 5 MHz (halved bandwidth of IEEE 802.11 p) are described and interpreted in light of the channel parameters. At 20 MHz the guard interval is not long enough, while at 5 MHz errors increase from lack of channel stationarity over the packet duration. For these choices of the scaled 802.11 a OFDM waveform, 10 MHz appears to be the best choice.

Imaging of optical field confinement in ridge waveguides fabricated on very-small aperture laser

Optical field confinement in a ridge waveguide nanostructure (“C” aperture) designed for ultrahigh-density recording was observed using an apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope. The aperture was fabricated on a commercial edge-emitting semiconductor laser as the light source. High-contrast near-field images at both 1× and 2× lock-in detection frequencies were obtained. The emission patterns are in agreement with theoretical simulation of such structures. A 90 nm×70 nm full width half maximum spot size was measured and is comparable to the ridge width of the aperture.

Guided-wave electro-optic beam deflector using domain reversal in LiTaO/sub 3/

We have fabricated and demonstrated the operation of electro-optic beam deflectors using domain reversal in planar waveguides fabricated on LiTaO/sub 3/ substrates. The planar waveguides were made using proton exchange on z-cut substrates, and proton exchange with subsequent rapid thermal annealing was used to form the inverted domains. The deflection sensitivity of the device was measured to be about 6.7 mrad/kV. Calculations indicate that the deflection sensitivity should be increased by a factor of 25 to 30 with improvements in device geometry. >

Highway and rural propagation channel modeling for vehicle-to-vehicle communications at 5.9 GHz

In this article, we have reported experimental studies of signal strength as a function of vehicle separation for outdoor vehicle-to-vehicle propagation at 5.9 GHz. Statistical measurement campaigns were conducted in highway and rural driving environments. These measurements were used to obtain parameters for a dual-slope log-normal propagation model. The effects of antenna pattern variations for passing vehicles were also discussed.