A New Scheme for Seamless Inter-Cluster Handoffs in Wireless ATM Networks

Many schemes to reduce the inter-cluster handoff delay in wireless ATMnetworks have been proposed, but the previous schemes waste relativelylarge network resources to decrease the path rerouting delay. In thispaper, we propose the 2-layered cluster concept, where the seamlessinter-cluster handoff can be supported regardless of path reroutingtime. As a result, the waste of wired resources and the rate of theinter-cluster handoff can be reduced. From the performance analysisand simulation, the inter-cluster handoff rate for non-real-timetraffic is only about 1/3 of the conventional result. Suchadvantageous features of the proposed scheme neither incur anyincrease of the total handoff rate nor require additional ATMswitches.