Modeling and analysis of propagation characteristics of WBAN in hospital ward scenarios

Abstract

To explore the feasibility of high-frequency indoor wireless body area network (WBAN) communications, the propagation characteristics of WBAN in simulated hospital ward scenarios at 11 GHz are studied. Based on the extensive measured data, the impact of the patient's lying angle (LA) on channel characteristics has been analyzed, such as statistical characteristics of path loss (PL), shadowing effect, and root mean square delay spread. Moreover, a PL model with LA factor is presented for the hospital ward scene, and the influence of LA on PL in the presence of height difference is also analyzed. The research results indicate that, the PL caused by LA (abbreviated as P_LA) follows a power function with respect to the LA in case of a fixed distance between the transmitter and receiver. When the LA is fixed, P_LA exhibits a cubic function relationship with the distance between the transmitter and receiver. In addition, the presence of patient's LA can cause more significant multipath effect. However, the impact of LA gradually weakens as the height difference increases when there is a height difference. The research results provide a theoretical basis and practical basis for utilizing the 11 GHz frequency band in indoor WBAN in the future.