Investigation of massive MIMO scenarios involving rooftop propagation by bidirectional ray-tracing

The average downlink data-rate in massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) networks within realistic urban environments is characterized by means of ray-tracing simulations. The links between the receivers and transmitters are mostly established through rooftop propagation, which requires special treatment due to multiple diffractions near the optical boundaries. The bidirectional ray-tracing method is utilized in order to simulate these effects accurately. The average downlink data-rate is also calculated according to an empirical rooftop propagation model and the differences as well as the similarities with the bidirectional ray-tracing results are demonstrated. Additionally, an iterative Shooting and Bouncing Rays (SBR) algorithm, which improves the computational efficiency of the bidirectional ray-tracing, is introduced. The algorithm aims to maximize the number of rays, which contribute to the result, by setting specific launch directions. The results show that noticeable improvements in the computation time are possible.