A terminal‐controlled vertical handover decision scheme in IEEE 802.21‐enabled heterogeneous wireless networks

The seamless internetworking among heterogeneous networks is in great demand to provide ‘always‐on’ connectivity services with quality of service (QoS) provision, anywhere at anytime. The integration of wireless‐fidelity (Wi‐Fi) and wireless metropolitan area networks (WiMAX) networks can combine their best features to provide ubiquitous access, while mediating the weakness of both networks. While it is challenging to obtain optimized handover decision‐based dynamic QoS information, users can improve their perceived QoS by using the terminal‐controlled handover decision in a single device equipped with multiple radio interfaces. The IEEE 802.21 aims at providing a framework that defines media‐independent handover (MIH) mechanism that supports seamless handover across heterogeneous networks. In this paper, an multiple attributes decision making‐based terminal‐controlled vertical handover decision scheme using MIH services is proposed in the integrated Wi‐Fi and WiMAX networks to provide ‘always‐on’ connectivity QoS services. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme provides smaller handover times and lower dropping rate than the RSS‐based and cost function‐based vertical handover schemes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Proactive Fuzzy-Guided Link Labeling Algorithm Based on MIH Framework in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

Future wireless networks aim to provide a seamless connectivity among different communication networks, while offering a rich range of services with variable bandwidth and quality of service anytime and anywhere. Media independent handover (MIH) represents a successful deployment method towards the integration between heterogeneous wireless networks. It can provide the information about the parameters that affect on the events generation. An efficient system that generates links trigger mechanism will extensively impact the handover performance. This paper proposes a proactive fuzzy-guided algorithm with dynamic links triggering for vertical handover initiation based on the neighbor network information from the information server of MIH. The result shows that the proposed solution can avoid unnecessary handover and service interruption in the heterogeneous wireless network.     

Dynamic inter-domain MDS approach with secure seamless handover based on IEEE 802.21 MIH

The accessibility of available wireless access technologies with increasing demand for real time multimedia application becomes an essential part for mobile communication. Mobile users resourcefully utilize the heterogeneous environment for best quality of service (Qos) anywhere and anytime. Efficient handover optimization and intelligent mobility management is a key requirement for designing next generation wireless networks. Therefore, a novel IEEE 802.21 media independent handover (MIH) standard is adopted to provide an associated service for intelligent handover procedures. In addition, dynamic mobility management decision server (MDS) and IEEE 802.21a security extension for MIH services are also integrated in the proposed architectures to support fast, seamless and secure handover optimization in inter-domain mobility. Simulation results prove that the presented work resourcefully minimizes the packet loss, unnecessary handover probability and vertical handover delay by avoiding time consuming scanning process for target network discovery. The system thus achieves Qos guarantee by balancing the network load and throughput improvement for different applications with Proxy MIPv6 mobility management protocol.     

基于区域感知贝叶斯决策的5G超密集异构网络联合垂直切换技术研究

针对无线通信异构网络切换中最优接入网的选择问题,现有研究主要集中于解决在两个网络间选择切换,而对于未来5G（5th Generation）通信系统中超密集网络的切换问题研究较少.本文就研究了5G无线通信系统中超密集异构网络的选择切换.文中提出了一种基于区域感知贝叶斯决策的联合垂直切换方式,该方案通过选择超密集异构接入网络的最优切换概率从而解决超密集网络切换问题.通过对移动用户（mobile station）从宏基站进入超密集服务小区,以及在小区内和小区间移动的不同场景进行仿真分析,研究结果表明本文决策方式能够准确地选择要切换的网络,因而该方案能够适用于超密集网络的应用场景.     

垂直交换管理的集合架构

Recent advances in hardware technology have made it possible for mobile devices to interface with multiple networks of different types. In this paper, an IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) based handover management architecture containing four modules is proposed and the multihoming technology is adopted to achieve Make-Before-Break vertical handover. Then the paper presents the performance analysis of the architecture and simulation in ns-2. The results substantiate the effi cacy of the architecture in improving the handover performance signifi cantly compared with the traditional Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) based vertical handover. Besides, we design and implement this handover management architecture in our test-bed. The experimental results in a real network environment show that our proposed architecture can not only support the Make-before-break handover, but also guarantee the scalability because of the modulized design.     

基于媒体独立切换并提供QoS保证的跨UMTS和WiMAX无线异构网络的网络切换方案

The rapid growth and innovation of the various mobile communication technologies have caused a change in the paradigm of internet access. Wireless technologies such as WiMAX, WiFi and UMTS/LTE networks have shown great potential in dominating the wireless access markets. The existence of various access technologies requires a means for seamless internetworking to provide anywhere, anytime services without interruption in the ongoing session, especially in multimedia applications with rigid Quality of Services (QoS) requirements. The IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) working group was formed to develop a set of mechanisms under a standard framework with the capability to support migration of mobile users across heterogeneous networks. Therefore, the implementation of handover is extremely important in the heterogeneous network environment. In order to guarantee various QoS requirements during handover execution especially in multimedia applications, in this paper we propose a novel MIH-based capacity estimation algorithm to execute handover with QoS provision supporting both horizontal and vertical handovers across UMTS and WiMAX networks. Simulation shows that the proposed mechanism achieves lower call dropping rate (highest approximate 3% ) and higher system throughput (average 92% ) than the basic handover method does.     

A handover-aware seamless video streaming scheme in heterogeneous wireless networks

With the development of wireless technologies, video streaming services over heterogeneous wireless networks have become more popular in recent years. Video streaming schemes for heterogeneous networks should consider vertical handover in which the link capacity is varied significantly, because the quality experienced for a video streaming service is affected by the network status. When a vertical handover occurs, an abrupt bandwidth change and substantial handover latency lead to bursty packet loss and discontinuity of the video playback. In this paper, we propose a handover-aware video streaming scheme to provide seamless video streaming services over heterogeneous wireless networks. The proposed scheme adjusts its sending rate and the quality level of the transmitted video streams according to the significant bandwidth variation that occurs in a vertical handover. To expedite the response to the bandwidth variation due to a handover, our scheme uses an explicit notification message that informs the streaming server of a client's handover occurrence. In order to evaluate the performance, we use a simulation environment for a vertical handover between wireless local area networks and cellular networks. Through the simulation results, we prove that our scheme improves the experienced quality of video streaming in vertical handovers.     

基于MIH的WLAN/WiMAX宏移动性研究

下一代无线网络将是异构IP网络,为了提供无缝切换服务,结合IETF提议的移动IPv6(MIPv6)协议与IEEE802.21工作组提出介质独立切换(MIH)标准,设计出一种基于MIH异构网络宏移动性的垂直切换方案。在NS-2仿真环境中,验证了此方案的可用性,详细分析了网络切换时延和丢包率,并根据分析结果提出进一步研究方向。     

A quality-of-service signaling architecture for seamless handover support in next generation,IP-based mobile networks

The coupling of signaling protocols for mobility management and resource reservation plays an important role to achieve Quality-of-Service (QoS) in wireless environments. When performing a handover, request and allocation of resources have to be done in the shortest possible time to avoid disruptions for the user service. Therefore, it is preferable to ensure resource availability in advance, which we call anticipated handover. This approach for providing seamless handovers in turn poses challenges for the overall design of the QoS architecture and its associated QoS signaling protocol. This article describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive QoS architecture and a suitable QoS signaling protocol. It discusses intrinsic problems of reservations in IP based networks such as session ownership as well as a number of protocol design issues regarding the integration of QoS signaling with other protocols, such as Mobile IP. In particular, we define an end-to-end QoS architecture and a mobility-aware reservation signaling protocol Mobility Aware Reservation Signaling Protocol (MARSP) that supports anticipated handover, thus enabling seamless services over heterogeneous wireless access networks. The presented architecture and protocol were implemented and evaluated by measurements. They show that anticipated handovers not only outperform hard handovers regarding handover latency, but that they also provide functional and robustness advantages. Authors Hillebrand and Prehofer changed their affiliation in the meantime, the work described in this paper was carried out during their employment at DoCoMo Communications Laboratories Europe.     

Analysis and performance evaluation of an efficient handover algorithm for cognitive HetNets

Cognitive heterogeneous network is a promising technology to meet the requirements of future wireless networks in cost and energy efficiency. By using vertical handover (VHO) between different network tiers, such as macro and femto, the traffic congestion can be potentially alleviated, and the spectral efficiency is significantly increased. However, performing VHO for a cognitive handover user (CHU) and simultaneously guaranteeing the quality of service of the primary user (PU) is the most challenging issue in such a network. This paper proposes an efficient VHO strategy in a cognitive heterogeneous network, which considers both adaptive average received signal and spectrum availability, namely, average received signal and spectrum availability. To analyse the performance of the proposed average received signal and spectrum availability algorithm, several metrics are investigated. First, the assignment probability of a CHU from a macro base station to a femto base station is evaluated and simplified in a closed‐form expression. Then, the outage probability of a CHU and collision probability of the PU are theoretically investigated for the proposed algorithm and are compared with 2 well‐known algorithms, the modified received signal strength–α and the received signal strength and wireless transmission loss. We also introduce a new performance metric, referred to as figure of merit, which jointly considers the assignment and outage probability of a CHU, collision probability of a PU, and the number of unnecessary handovers of a CHU. Figure of merit effectively shows the superiority of the proposed handover algorithm to conventional ones.     

Heterogeneous Vehicular Communication Architecture and Key Technologies

Vehicular networks have traditionally been used in specific scenarios, such as Electronic Toll Collection (ETC). New vehicular networks, however, support communication of safety information between vehicles using self-organized ad-hoc technology. Because of limitations in network architecture, current vehicular networks only provide communication for mobile terminals in a vehicle cluster. Vehicles cannot exchange information with an Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) control center nor can they access broadband wireless networks. This paper proposes a novel heterogeneous vehicular wireless architecture based on Wireless Access in Vehicular Environment (WAVE, IEEE 802.11 p) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX,IEEE 802.16e). A new network infrastructure and system model is introduced, and key technologies are discussed. For WAVE, these technologies include adaptive multichannel coordination mechanism and scheduling algorithm; and for WiMAX, these technologies include group handover scheme and two-level resource allocation algorithm.     

Handover approaches for seamless mobility management in next generation wireless networks

Next generation wireless networks (NGWN) will be an integration of heterogeneous wireless access networks that will interwork over an IP‐based infrastructure. This all‐IP vision has led to the development of handover mechanisms to support seamless mobility for active network services among the different interworking wireless networks in order to ensure network access ubiquity in NGWN. These handover mechanisms need to ensure that mobile devices continue to receive ongoing communication without any noticeable disruption during handover events among the heterogeneous networks. This paper gives a qualitative and quantitative review of current handover approaches of IP mobility management protocols for NGWN with an objective to introduce a new way of further optimizing the handover performance. In particular, the paper focuses on handover approaches of mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) based mobility management protocols. Thus, the need, benefits, and limitations of these handover approaches are explored. Thereafter, dynamic handover coordination is introduced as a new viable solution that exploits the benefits and mitigates the limitations of these handover approaches hence improving handover performance in terms of handover delay, packet loss, and signaling overhead. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Handover management in integrated WLAN and mobile WiMAX networks [recent advances and evolution of WLAN and WMAN standards]

Recently there has been much effort, in both academia and industry, to integrate a plethora of wireless technologies in order to provide ubiquitous broadband access to mobile users. Handover management is still one of the most challenging issues to be solved for seamless integration of wireless networks. This article addresses the integration of IEEE 802.11 WLANs and IEEE 802.16 WMANs, focusing mainly on the handover management aspects. First, we describe architectures, futuristic application scenarios such as the envisioned heterogeneous multihop wireless networks (HMWNs) and moving networks, as well as the related research issues. Second, we present IEEE 802.21, a new emerging standard aimed at providing a framework for media-independent handover (MIH) among heterogeneous networks. Finally, we discuss how the MIH framework can help handover management for the integrated network.     

IPTV QoS adaptation for multi-homed mobile terminals in a new IMS based architecture

With the emergence of multimedia applications that have real constraints, ensuring a satisfying quality of service to mobile users presents a big challenge in heterogeneous wireless networks. In such environment, the asymmetry of the available resources as well as user’s mobility can cause offered QoS degradation. In this paper, we propose the use of the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) within a QoS adaptive IPTV services in a novel IMS architecture. The multi-homing feature and the partial reliability extension allow improving the network performance and increasing the user satisfaction. In addition, we have proposed an mSCTP based mobility scheme to guarantee service continuity during handover to IPTV users over IMS. The handover decision includes Perceived QoS (PQoS) measurement reflecting the user satisfaction and Media Independent Handover (MIH) information. An analytical study of the time required to perform IPTV adaptation, show that our approach improves the performance by minimizing the delay and maximizing the user satisfaction.     

下一代无线通信网络中异构网络切换技术浅议

通过对无线通信网络的体系结构,运营方式,切换技术实现细节等方面的分析,研究和探讨异构网络之间的切换技术,最终提出一个面向下一代无线通信网络的新型的基于IP的综合切换(IH)框架,以实现全球无线网络覆盖范围的低时延、高带宽、宽切换域、开销低和QoS保证的不同网络间顺畅的无缝切换。     

A middleware architecture supporting seamless and secure multimedia services across an intertechnology radio access network - seamless content delivery in the future mobile internet

This article presents a middleware architecture to support multimedia services across intertechnology radio access networks in a secure and seamless manner. The proposed architecture uses the media-independent handover framework, where the handover decision function is based on triggering/collecting statistics from the physical, network, and application layers so that an ongoing multimedia session (video) can be transferred seamlessly and securely (using context transfer) across intertechnology radio access networks. Simulation results show that when a vertical handover is based on the proposed MIH framework (including the context transfer of AAA information), handover latency is reduced by 38 percent during WiFi to UMTS handover and 20 percent during UMTS to WiFi handover compared to a non-MIH-based handover scheme.     

Fast-Handover Mechanism between 802.11 WLAN and 802.16 WiMax with MIH in PMIPv6

As the wireless Internet services become widely available, users become able to use various Internet services without restriction in location. In particular, the demands on wireless Internet services are becoming greater, because mobile devices that support high mobility are getting smarter. However, if a user uses various wireless networks, much limitation occurs in network setting when they move a network different each other. This is because there are few appropriate handover mechanisms to support a heterogeneous network. We propose a fast-handover for heterogeneous networks that utilizes MIH in PMIPv6 to support heterogeneous networks and to reduce the handover latency time. And the performance evaluation for the proposed method was done separately for low speed and high speed mobility. The result presented shows that the suggested method has reduced latency time by 26 % and packet losses by 90 % (Avg.).     

SDN/NFV‐based handover management approach for ultradense 5G mobile networks

With the great increase of connected devices and new types of applications, mobile networks are witnessing exponential growth of traffic volume. To meet emerging requirements, it is widely agreed that the fifth‐generation mobile network will be ultradense and heterogeneous. However, the deployment of a high number of small cells in such networks poses challenges for the mobility management, including frequent, undesired, and ping‐pong handovers, not to mention issues related to increased delay and failure of the handover process. The adoption of software‐defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) technologies into 5G networks offers a new way to address the above‐mentioned challenges. These technologies offer tools and mechanisms to make networks flexible, programmable, and more manageable. The SDN has global network control ability so that various functions such as the handover control can be implemented in the SDN architecture to manage the handover efficiently. In this article, we propose a Software‐Defined Handover (SDHO) solution to optimize the handover in future 5G networks. In particular, we design a Software‐Defined Handover Management Engine (SDHME) to handle the handover control mechanism in 5G ultradense networks. The SDHME is defined in the application plane of the SDN architecture, executed by the control plane to orchestrate the data plane. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared with the conventional LTE handover strategy, the proposed approach significantly reduces the handover failure ratio and handover delay.     

可重配置系统中的联合负载控制及其终端选择算法

该文基于现有端到端可重配置系统架构,提出了一种改进的动态门限联合负载控制方法,以适应不同负载条件下对负载均衡的要求,达到资源的有效利用。同时,结合终端的可重配置特点及业务要求的多样性,在执行网络发起的垂直切换过程中采用了基于层次分析法的终端选择算法,从而在均衡异构网络负载的同时减少系统开销和对用户的影响。仿真结果表明,该方法能够在保证用户满意度的同时有效地减轻重叠覆盖区域的网络拥塞,提高系统性能。     

A pairing‐free identity‐based handover AKE protocol with anonymity in the heterogeneous wireless networks

Nowadays, seamless roaming service in heterogeneous wireless networks attracts more and more attention. When a mobile user roams into a foreign domain, the process of secure handover authentication and key exchange (AKE) plays an important role to verify the authenticity and establish a secure communication between the user and the access point. Meanwhile, to prevent the user's current location and moving history information from being tracked, privacy preservation should be also considered. However, existing handover AKE schemes have more or less defects in security aspects or efficiency. In this paper, a secure pairing‐free identity‐based handover AKE protocol with privacy preservation is proposed. In our scheme, users' temporary identities will be used to conceal their real identities during the handover process, and the foreign server can verify the legitimacy of the user with the home server's assistance. Besides, to resist ephemeral private key leakage attack, the session key is generated from the static private keys and the ephemeral private keys together. Security analysis shows that our protocol is provably secure in extended Canetti‐Krawczyk (eCK) model under the computational Diffie‐Hellman (CDH) assumption and can capture desirable security properties including key‐compromise impersonation resistance, ephemeral secrets reveal resistance, strong anonymity, etc. Furthermore, the efficiency of our identity‐based protocol is improved by removing pairings, which not only simplifies the complex management of public key infrastructure (PKI) but also reduces the computation overhead of ID‐based cryptosystem with pairings. It is shown that our proposed handover AKE protocol provides better security assurance and higher computational efficiency for roaming authentication in heterogeneous wireless networks.