Millimeter Wave Path Loss Modeling for 5G Communications Using Deep Learning With Dilated Convolution and Attention

An accurate and efficient path loss modeling method for millimeter wave communications plays a significant role in the large-scale deployment of a fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication system. Conventional path loss modeling methods such as deterministic methods, empirical methods, and machine learning-based methods, in practice, cannot achieve the desired level of performance in terms of accuracy. This paper proposes a novel path loss model for 5G communications in suburban scenarios using deep learning with dilated convolution and attention. Dilated convolution is used to alleviate the locality of feature extraction and capture the global information on input images. Attention rendered by global context blocks helps the attention-enhanced convolutional neural network (AE-CNN) model utilize the global information on inputs to extract essential features of propagation environments. A distance-embedded local area multi-scanning algorithm which generates input images that can improve learning the latent features with dependency on distance is proposed. The experimental results indicate that the AE-CNN model can outperform state-of-the-art deterministic and empirical methods in terms of root mean square error in test scenarios.