Stochastic Delay Analysis for Train Control Services in Next-Generation High-Speed Railway Communications System

The communication delay of train control services has a great impact on the track utilization and speed profile of high-speed trains. This paper undertakes stochastic delay analysis of train control services over a high-speed railway fading channel using stochastic network calculus. The mobility model of high-speed railway communications system is formulated as a semi-Markov process. Accordingly, the instantaneous data rate of the wireless channel is characterized by a semi-Markov modulated process, which takes into account the channel variations due to both large- and small-scale fading effects. The stochastic service curve of high-speed railway communications system is derived based on the semi-Markov modulated process. Based on the analytical approach of stochastic network calculus, the stochastic upper delay bounds of train control services are derived with both the moment generating function method and the complementary cumulative distribution function method. The analytical results of the two methods are compared and validated by simulation.