Energy-aware WLAN scanning in integrated IEEE 802.16e/802.11 networks

We consider an issue arising in a vertical handoff (VHO) between IEEE 802.16e and IEEE 802.11 networks, i.e., how efficiently the scanning operation can be controlled to find a target wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP). For this purpose, we propose that the 802.16e Base Stations (BSs) periodically broadcast the information about the density of 802.11 APs within their cell coverage. Based on this information, we develop a mathematical model which predicts the probability that any WLAN AP is found within a given scan time. The analytical model is validated via a comparison with the simulation results obtained for both random waypoint and city section mobility models. Based on the analytical model, we devise an energy-efficient scanning algorithm, which enables an mobile station (MSTA) to decide (1) whether to conduct a scan operation in the current 802.16e cell, and (2) if so, how to configure the inter-scan interval considering the energy consumption due to the scan operation. An intensive simulation study shows that our proposed scanning algorithm indeed works well as designed.

[1]  Tracy Camp,et al.  A survey of mobility models for ad hoc network research , 2002, Wirel. Commun. Mob. Comput..

[2]  F. A. Seiler,et al.  Numerical Recipes in C: The Art of Scientific Computing , 1989 .

[3]  Ieee Microwave Theory,et al.  Part 16: Air Interface for Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access Systems — Amendment for Physical and Medium Access Control Layers for Combined Fixed and Mobile Operation in Licensed Bands , 2003 .

[4]  Sunghyun Choi,et al.  Service Charge and Energy-Aware Vertical Handoff in Integrated IEEE 802.16e/802.11 Networks , 2007, IEEE INFOCOM 2007 - 26th IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications.

[5]  Qian Zhang,et al.  Efficient mobility management for vertical handoff between WWAN and WLAN , 2003, IEEE Commun. Mag..

[6]  Wen-Tsuen Chen,et al.  Active application oriented vertical handoff in next-generation wireless networks , 2005, IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2005.

[7]  Philippe Godlewski,et al.  Performance of a hierarchical cellular network with mobility-dependent hand-over strategies , 1996, Proceedings of Vehicular Technology Conference - VTC.

[8]  Janise McNair,et al.  Vertical handoffs in fourth-generation multinetwork environments , 2004, IEEE Wireless Communications.

[9]  William H. Press,et al.  The Art of Scientific Computing Second Edition , 1998 .

[10]  Marko Jurmu,et al.  Towards connectivity management adaptability: context awareness in policy representation and end-to-end evaluation algorithm , 2004, MUM '04.

[11]  N. Nasser,et al.  Generic vertical handoff decision function for heterogeneous wireless , 2005, Second IFIP International Conference on Wireless and Optical Communications Networks, 2005. WOCN 2005..

[12]  William H. Press,et al.  Book-Review - Numerical Recipes in Pascal - the Art of Scientific Computing , 1989 .

[13]  Mikio Hasegawa,et al.  MIRAI: a solution to seamless access in heterogeneous wireless networks , 2003, IEEE International Conference on Communications, 2003. ICC '03..

[14]  Héctor L. Velayos,et al.  Techniques to Reduce IEEE 802 . 11 b MAC Layer Handover Time , 2003 .

[15]  Christian Bettstetter,et al.  On the minimum node degree and connectivity of a wireless multihop network , 2002, MobiHoc '02.

[16]  Jörg Ott,et al.  Drive-thru Internet: IEEE 802.11b for "automobile" users , 2004, IEEE INFOCOM 2004.

[17]  Arun Venkataramani,et al.  Web search from a bus , 2007, CHANTS '07.

[18]  P. Mahonen,et al.  Optimization scheme for mobile users performing vertical handoffs between IEEE 802.11 and GPRS/EDGE networks , 2001, GLOBECOM'01. IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference (Cat. No.01CH37270).