Maximizing Coverage for Indoor NLoS mmWave Links by Deployment of Reflectors

The usage of spectrum in the millimeter wave (mmWave) bands can significantly increase communication capacity. However, the high propagation loss and high sensitivity to obstacles of mmWave communication make it extremely dependent on Line-of-Sight (LoS) conditions. One of the efficient methods to improve the transmission condition is to deploy passive reflectors strategically. In this paper, we study an indoor coverage enhancement scenario with a passive reflector. We consider an indoor L-shaped corridor scenario, where the LoS link is blocked. To achieve the maximum coverage, we propose the Maximum Coverage using Reflectors (MCR) algorithm to find the optimal deployment position of the reflector, and we leverage Ray-Tracing (RT) software Wireless Insite to simulate the indoor experimental environment. Analytical and simulation results show that the optimal deployment location is within a range, and that the coverage trend with reflector size is independent of the transmit power, which are counter-intuitive findings.