Reflected wireless signals under random spatial sampling

Abstract

We present a propagation model showing that a transmitter randomly positioned in space generates unbounded peaks in the histogram of the resulting power, provided the signal strength is an oscillating or non-monotonic function of distance. Specifically, these peaks are singularities in the empirical probability density that occur at turning point values of the deterministic propagation model. We explain the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon through a concise mathematical argument. This observation has direct implications for estimating random propagation effects such as fading, particularly when reflections off walls are involved. Motivated by understanding intelligent surfaces, we apply this fundamental result to a physical model consisting of a single transmitter between two parallel passive walls. We analyze signal fading due to reflections and observe power oscillations resulting from wall reflections -- a phenomenon long studied in waveguides but relatively unexplored in wireless networks. For the special case where the transmitter is placed halfway between the walls, we present a compact closed-form expression for the received signal involving the Lerch transcendent function. The insights from this work can inform design decisions for intelligent surfaces deployed in cities.