Working with Pixel Maps in WinProp

AWE Communications GmbH

Otto-Lilienthal-Str. 36
D-71034 Bblingen
mail@awe-communications.com

Issue Date Changes

V1.0 April 2012 First version of document

Pixel Maps in WinProp 1

1 Introduction
Wave propagation predictions and radio network planning simulations are based on databases
describing the scenario and its details to be considered. For indoor environments, such databases
usually consist of arbitrarily orientated vector objects modeling the walls and further obstacles of
the scenario. However, the creation of such databases is often very time consuming, as the vector
objects have to be imported from other CAD file formats (e.g. AutoCAD) or modeled from scratch
based on scanned floor layout planes used as background images.

The WinProp software suite includes a module which offers the possibility to alternatively use Pixel
Maps, directly based on image files, to do wave propagation and radio network planning
predictions. Such images of floor layout planes (cf. Figure 1) are commonly available or can be
scanned very easily.

Figure 1: Bitmap image of a floor layout

This new approach makes it possible to do wave propagation predictions and radio network
planning simulations very quickly and with fair accuracy of results without the need to model a
detailed vector database.

Hint: Pixel maps and vector objects can be used in parallel within the same database.

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 2

2 Database Creation
In the first step the pixel map has to be imported using the WallMan application. After opening
either a new or an already existing indoor database, the import function for pixel maps can be
reached via File menu (File > Import > Pixel Map (Image Database)).

Figure 2: Import dialog for pixel maps

In Figure 2 the import dialog for pixel maps is shown. Pixel maps have to be assigned to floor
levels in order to adjust them to the correct height level (building story) within the database. In
case there are no floor levels available in the current document, the user has to define at least two
floor levels for the import of a pixel map using the button Define Floor.

Figure 3: Floor level definitions

These two floor planes define the ground and the ceiling of the building story, i.e. their difference
in height specifies the height of the story. After definition or if the current database already
contains at least two floor levels, one floor plane has to be selected to assign the pixel map.

Hint: More details about the definition and handling of floor levels can be found in the
user manual of the WallMan application.

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 3

After the selection of a desired floor to assign the pixel map, an arbitrary image file can be loaded
by clicking on the Import button (see Figure 2). Supported file formats for image databases
are *.bmp, *.jpg, *.png, *.gif and *.tif.
The lower section of the import dialog depicts the properties of the loaded pixel map, where the
xy-coordinate of the lower left corner as well as the extension of the image database can be
adjusted. However, the adjustment and scaling of the image database can be done also later (cf.
chapter 4).
Optionally the imported image database can be added to the list of background images in order to
visualize the pixel map as an image, i.e. independently of material definitions which have to be
done for the imported pixel map in the next step.

In case parts of the database have to be modeled in more detail, pixel maps can be combined with
additional vector objects within the same database as well. These vector objects can be imported
using various database converters available in the WallMan application (e.g. AutoCAD, MapInfo, )
or modeled directly using different mouse and Lego tools. Please refer to the WallMan manual for
more details about the creation and modeling of vector objects.

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 4

3 Material Definition for Pixel Maps

After importing a pixel map, material properties have to be specified for all relevant obstacles
contained in the image database (e.g. walls, doors, windows, ). Only database pixels whose
color is linked to a material will be considered during prediction. Therefore material properties
have to be specified for each color included in the pixel map which shall represent an obstacle
relevant for radio waves. Pixel colors representing background or further irrelevant obstacles, such
as description texts, etc. have to be ignored during the simulation and therefore set to the ignore
list.

Figure 4: Material definition dialog

The material definition dialog for pixel maps shown in Figure 4 opens automatically after the
import of the pixel map is completed. However, it can be opened also via Edit menu (Edit >
Materials Pixel Map) in order to change material definitions at a later stage.
All pixel map colors not assigned to a material definition yet are listed on the left side. Selecting
one or multiple color items from that list and pressing the Define Material button afterwards,
will generate material definitions for each selected color. Closely related colors can be merged into
one material definition by defining tolerance values for the red, green and blue color channel. This
option can be very usefully to reduce the number of different materials with almost the same color
(e.g. contained in compressed image files). Color items which shall be ignored during simulation
have to be marked and set to the ignore list by pressing the Ignore >>> button. Ignored colors
can be selected and transferred back to the list on the left side using the <<< Consider button.
All properties of the defined materials are initialized with default values. These material definitions
can be edited by pressing the Material Database button, which opens the standard material
dialog of the WallMan application. Using this option, it is also possible to delete already created
materials from the database. In this case, the corresponding color items will be transferred back to
the list on the left side and can be reassigned to materials again.

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 5

Optionally material properties can be defined for the horizontal floor planes as well in order to
consider transmission losses for the floors and ceilings of multi floor buildings. This can be done on
the properties dialog of a specific floor plane (Edit > Floors > Edit) by assigning a material
from the material database of the current project to the selected floor (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: Property dialog of floor level

In case no material is defined for a floor, i.e. the option Define Floor Material is unchecked; no
transmission loss is considered for this object during the simulation.

Hint: Further details about material definitions can be found in the user manual of the
WallMan application.

Figure 6 shows a pixel based database in the WallMan tool after material properties have been
assigned to the different pixel colors. This database is ready to be saved and used for wave
propagation and radio network planning simulations in the ProMan application now (see chapter
5).

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 6

Figure 6: Pixel map after material definition in WallMan

Hint: To visualize pixel maps in WallMan, the option Display Pixel Map has to be
enabled on the settings dialog.

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Pixel Maps in WinProp 7

4 Handling Pixel Maps in WallMan

Once pixel maps have been imported (cf. chapter 2), they are assigned to a floor level and can be
edited or deleted via the corresponding floor level definition. WallMan provides a drop down box in
the tool bar which is used to select and edit floor level properties. After selecting a floor level a
dialog opens, where the assigned pixel map (if any) can be edited or deleted (see Figure 7).

Figure 7: Access pixel map properties

Figure 8: Properties of pixel map

Figure 8 depicts the properties of the pixel map assigned to the floor level Ground Floor. The
coordinate of the lower left corner as well as the extension of the pixel map can be modified here.

Pixel maps can also be moved and scaled using WallMans mouse tools for images (Images >
Move Image and Images > Scale Image). In this case the dialog shown in Figure 9 opens,
where the pixel map to be moved or scaled can be selected from the list. The chosen pixel map
will be adjusted automatically after finishing the operation and leaving the mouse tool.

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Pixel Maps in WinProp 8

Figure 9: Selection of pixel map for mouse tools

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Pixel Maps in WinProp 9

5 Predictions based on Pixel Maps

It is a very simple task to use pixel maps instead of regular vector databases for wave propagation
predictions in ProMan. A new project is set up in the same way as regular projects: Please select
File > New Project in the ProMan menu and activate the radio button Indoor (or campus)
scenario in order to make sure you will create an indoor project. Click on Select button to open
your database with the pixel map (*.idb) you have generated with WallMan in the steps before.
Before the project is shown on the screen, the pixel maps are transformed for correct display in
the 2D and 3D view. This might take some seconds if the pixel maps are complex. In ProMan only
the contour of each pixel wall (connected pixels with same material properties) is displayed (see
Fig. 9). The interior of a wall is not filled.

Figure 10: New project based on pixel map in ProMan

After the project has been set up, the user can work with it like with each other ordinary project
also. This means the steps for the configuration of the project are the same:

Definition of prediction area, i.e. lower left corner, upper right corner, resolution, and
prediction heights works in the same way. Multi layer predictions are supported for pixel
maps.

Selection of outputs: Output of propagation paths is supported for pixel maps.

Configuration of transmitters: All types of transmitters are supported, i.e. isotroptic
antennas, sector antennas, leaky feeder cables, and satellites.

In contrast to projects based on vector databases, deterministic wave propagation models are not
supported for pixels maps. The following models can be used with pixel maps:

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012

Pixel Maps in WinProp 10

Modified Freespace Model

Motley Keenan Model

COST 231 Multi-Wall Model

Dominant Path Model

Deterministic models like IRT and SRT (both Ray Tracing models) are not supported as these
models require vector data for the computation of reflections and diffractions. The other models
mentioned above are working fine with pixel maps.

For consideration of transmission losses at pixel walls both interaction models, empirical and
deterministic, are supported. When the deterministic interaction model (Fresnel coefficients) is
used, the thickness of a penetrated wall is not taken from the material properties defined in
WallMan but its effective thickness (defined by the number of penetrated wall pixels and their size)
is taken into account. Other material properties (e.g. reflection loss, scattering loss) besides
transmission loss are not considered.

An example for a prediction result computed with the Dominant Path Model is shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 11: Prediction result based on a pixel map

by AWE Communications GmbH April 2012