Optimal Placement and Configuration of Roadside Units in Vehicular Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel optimization framework for Roadside Unit (RSU) deployment and configuration in a vehicular network. We formulate the problem of placement of RSUs and selecting their configurations (e.g. power level, types of antenna and wired/wireless back haul network connectivity) as a linear program. The objective function is to minimize the total cost to deploy and maintain the network of RSU´s. A user specified constraint on the minimum coverage provided by the RSU is also incorporated into the optimization framework. Further, the framework also supports the option of specifying selected regions of higher importance such as locations of frequently occurring accidents and incorporating constraints requiring stricter coverage in those areas. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of deployment on the campus map of Southern Methodist University (SMU). The efficiency and scalability of the optimization procedure for large scale problems are also studied and results shows that optimization over an area with the size of Cambridge, Massachusetts is completed in under 2 minutes. Finally, the effects of variation in several key parameters on the resulting design are studied.