Physical Modeling for Device-Free Localization exploiting Multipath Propagation of Mobile Radio Signals

Abstract

This work proposes a model to describe the impact of a target on the received power of a multipath component (MPC). The physical propagation path of an MPC is decomposed geometrically and is described by direct propagation paths between physical and virtual nodes. Using the scalar theory of diffraction, the impact of a target on the electric field can be calculated for each component, individually. Thereby, the model relates alternations of the received power of MPCs to the location and orientation of the target, which allows device-free localization systems to exploit multipath propagation. The model is evaluated for a single link scenario of one specular reflection. A comparison of modeled attenuation results to wideband measurement data qualitatively confirms the applicability of the proposed model representing target-induced attenuation.