Single-Anchor Localizability in 5G Millimeter Wave Networks

Fifth generation networks utilizing millimeter wave frequencies enable single-anchor localization to be performed via a line-of-sight (LOS) path or, as recently suggested, via non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths exclusively. Thus, for a single base station-mobile pair, under a Boolean model (random positions, sizes, and orientations) of reflectors, and considering first-order reflections (in addition to the LOS path), this letter analytically derives the probability that the mobile is able to obtain an unambiguous location estimate (i.e., the mobile's localizability). This analysis also reveals that localization, via NLOS signals exclusively, is a relatively small contributor to the mobile's overall localizability.