A hybrid (N/M)CHO soft/hard vertical handover technique for heterogeneous wireless networks

In this paper we investigate the potentiality and the benefits of a soft Vertical Handover (VHO) mechanism, compared with the traditional hard approach. More specifically, we present an analytical scheme for seamless service continuity in a heterogeneous network environment, modeled by means of a multi-dimension Markov chain. The call blocking probabilities, as well as the soft and hard vertical handover probabilities, are computed for specific networks (i.e., UMTS and WLAN). We propose a soft/hard VHO technique working either as (i) a Mobile Controlled Handover, on the basis of a reward and cost model, which consider the data rate and the bandwidth allocation, or (ii) as a simple Network Controlled Handover scheme, by assuming a probabilistic approach as the handover decision metric. Simulation results validate the benefits of the proposed handover algorithm when operating in soft mode, which outperforms the traditional hard approach in terms of network performance and limitation of unwanted and unnecessary handovers. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is proven with respect to other single and multi-parameter VHO techniques, by extensive simulations.

[1]  Ibrahim Muhammad,et al.  IEEE 802.21 based vertical handover in WiFi and WiMAX networks , 2012 .

[2]  Yang Li,et al.  Soft Vertical Handoff Scheme Based on Location Information in Heterogeneous Networks , 2006, COIN-NGNCON 2006 - The Joint International Conference on Optical Internet and Next Generation Network.

[3]  Geyong Min,et al.  Performance analysis of a dynamic handoff scheme in wireless networks with heterogeneous call arrival processes , 2008, Telecommun. Syst..

[4]  S. Glisic,et al.  Advanced Wireless Networks: 4G Technologies , 2006, 2006 IEEE Ninth International Symposium on Spread Spectrum Techniques and Applications.

[5]  Yuguang Fang,et al.  Call admission control schemes and performance analysis in wireless mobile networks , 2002, IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol..

[6]  Martin L. Puterman,et al.  Markov Decision Processes: Discrete Stochastic Dynamic Programming , 1994 .

[7]  Yuguang Fang,et al.  Channel Occupancy Times and Handoff Rate for Mobile Computing and PCS Networks , 1998, IEEE Trans. Computers.

[8]  Antti Toskala,et al.  WCDMA for UMTS: Radio Access for Third Generation Mobile Communications , 2000 .

[9]  Samuel Pierre,et al.  On the impact of soft vertical handoff on optimal voice admission control in PCF-based WLANs loosely coupled to 3G networks , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[10]  Alessandro Neri,et al.  A Cross-Layer Location-Based Approach for Mobile-Controlled Connectivity , 2010, Int. J. Digit. Multim. Broadcast..

[11]  Yong Huat Chew,et al.  Improvement in the grade-of-service in a cooperative overlay heterogeneous network , 2007, 2007 6th International Conference on Information, Communications & Signal Processing.

[12]  Zhang Ping,et al.  Vertical Handover Decision in an Enhanced Media Independent Handover Framework , 2008, 2008 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference.

[13]  M. D. Baba,et al.  IEEE 802.21 based vertical handover in WiFi and WiMAX networks , 2012, 2012 IEEE Symposium on Computers & Informatics (ISCI).

[14]  Josep Mangues-Bafalluy,et al.  VoIP Performance in SIP-Based Vertical Handovers Between WLAN and GPRS/UMTS Networks , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Conference on Communications.

[15]  Dharma P. Agrawal,et al.  Handoff in wireless mobile networks , 2002 .

[16]  G. Cunningham,et al.  Soft, vertical handover of streamed video , 2004 .

[17]  Wooshik Kim,et al.  A study on the MCHO method in hard handover and soft handover between WLAN and CDMA , 2005, 2005 Digest of Technical Papers. International Conference on Consumer Electronics, 2005. ICCE..

[18]  Alessandro Neri,et al.  A Location-Based Vertical Handover Algorithm for Limitation of the Ping-Pong Effect , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Wireless and Mobile Computing, Networking and Communications.

[19]  Prashant Rana,et al.  Fuzzy Rule Based Vertical Handoff Decision Strategies for Heterogeneous Wireless Networks , 2014 .

[20]  Hwang Soo Lee,et al.  Analysis of vertical handover latency for IEEE 802.21-enabled Proxy Mobile IPv6 , 2011, 13th International Conference on Advanced Communication Technology (ICACT2011).

[21]  Thomas F. La Porta,et al.  Network Integration in 3G and 4G Wireless Networks , 2010, 2010 Proceedings of 19th International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks.

[22]  Juan-Carlos Cano,et al.  MACHU: A novel vertical handover algorithm for vehicular environments , 2012, Wireless Telecommunications Symposium 2012.

[23]  Ahmed H. Zahran,et al.  Signal threshold adaptation for vertical handoff in heterogeneous wireless networks , 2006, Mob. Networks Appl..

[24]  Woo-Jae Kim,et al.  An efficient multi-dimensional handover scheme for next-generation networks , 2008, PM2HW2N '08.

[25]  Pin-Han Ho,et al.  A Study on Vertical Handoff for Integrated WLAN and WWAN with Micro-Mobility Prediction , 2006, 2006 3rd International Conference on Broadband Communications, Networks and Systems.

[26]  Ben Liang,et al.  Efficient Structured Policies for Admission Control in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks , 2007, Mob. Networks Appl..

[27]  Juan-Carlos Cano,et al.  An overview of vertical handover techniques: Algorithms, protocols and tools , 2011, Comput. Commun..

[28]  Song Mei,et al.  An Intelligent Seamless Handover Mechanism Based on IEEE 802.21 , 2008, 2008 International Conference on MultiMedia and Information Technology.

[29]  Saewoong Bahk,et al.  Hierarchical Markov chain analysis of an adaptive bandwidth reservation algorithm in wireless communication systems , 2008, Perform. Evaluation.

[30]  K. Kyamakya,et al.  A Context-Aware Vertical Handover Decision Algorithm for Multimode Mobile Terminals and Its Performance , 2006 .

[31]  Aggeliki Sgora,et al.  Handoff prioritization and decision schemes in wireless cellular networks: a survey , 2009, IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials.

[32]  Sami Tabbane,et al.  Vertical handover based on IEEE802.21 and Mobile IPv6 in UMTS/WLAN networks , 2009, 2009 First International Conference on Communications and Networking.

[33]  M. Ismail,et al.  Multi-criteria vertical handover decision in heterogeneous network , 2012, 2012 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA).

[34]  Young-Chon Kim,et al.  Channel Allocation Scheme for Handoff Call Based on Markov Chain with Hysteresis , 2009, 2009 First International Conference on Information Science and Engineering.

[35]  Sathya Narayanan,et al.  A survey of vertical handover decision algorithms in Fourth Generation heterogeneous wireless networks , 2010, Comput. Networks.

[36]  Lotfi Kamoun,et al.  Heterogeneous Wireless Networks: Configuration and Vertical Handoff Management , 2010, Wirel. Pers. Commun..

[37]  Keith Knightson,et al.  NGN architecture: generic principles, functional architecture, and implementation , 2005, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[38]  Jingming Li Salina,et al.  Next Generation Networks: Perspectives and Potentials , 2008 .

[39]  G. Sivaradje,et al.  An optimized fast vertical handover strategy for heterogeneous wireless access networks based on IEEE 802.21 media independent handover standard , 2012, 2012 Fourth International Conference on Advanced Computing (ICoAC).

[40]  Anna Maria Vegni,et al.  A Combined Vertical Handover Decision Metric for QoS Enhancement in Next Generation Networks , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Wireless and Mobile Computing, Networking and Communications.

[41]  Alessandro Neri,et al.  On modeling speed-based vertical handovers in vehicular networks: “Dad, slow down, I am watching the movie” , 2010, 2010 IEEE Globecom Workshops.

[42]  Djamal Zeghlache,et al.  An enhanced media independent handover framework for vertical handover decision making based on networks' reputation , 2012, 37th Annual IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks - Workshops.

[43]  Sumit Maheshwari,et al.  QoS-aware fuzzy rule-based vertical handoff decision algorithm incorporating a new evaluation model for wireless heterogeneous networks , 2012, EURASIP J. Wirel. Commun. Netw..

[44]  Michael Devetsikiotis,et al.  A survey on next generation mobile WiMAX networks: objectives, features and technical challenges , 2009, IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials.

[45]  Xia Liu,et al.  A novel vertical handoff algorithm based on fuzzy logic in aid of grey prediction theory in wireless heterogeneous networks , 2012 .

[46]  Fredrik Rusek,et al.  Iterative receivers with channel estimation for multi-user MIMO-OFDM: complexity and performance , 2012, EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking.

[47]  Vincent W. S. Wong,et al.  An MDP-Based Vertical Handoff Decision Algorithm for Heterogeneous Wireless Networks , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.