Maximizing Mobile Coverage via Optimal Deployment of Base Station and Relays

Deploying relays and/or mobile base stations is a major means of extending the coverage of a wireless network. This paper presents models, analytical results, and algorithms to answer two related questions: The first is where to deploy relays in order to extend the reach from a base station to the maximum; the second is where to deploy a mobile base station and how many relays are needed to reach any point in a given area. Simple time-division and frequency-division scheduling schemes as well as an end-to-end data rate requirement are assumed. An important use case of the results is in the Public Safety Broadband Network, in which deploying relays and mobile base stations is often crucial to provide coverage to an incident scene.