Vertical handoff decision in 4G wireless networks using multi attribute decision making approach

Multi-interface terminal in heterogeneous wireless networks will have network access from diverse access technologies. Multiple attribute for decision making including user preference will increase the complexity of handoff process. Various approaches have been proposed to solve the complexity problem of handoff decision. In this paper, multi attribute decision making algorithms Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), Total Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) methods have been proposed for handoff decision in a WiMAX–WLAN environment to facilitate user with better quality of service. AHP has been used for calculation of weights of decision parameters. Numerical results show that SAW, TOPSIS and GRA provide almost similar performance. SAW is very simple to implement but probability of error is less in GRA because values of decision attribute are directly used for ranking of alternatives. TOPSIS is sensitive to the attribute with high score.     

Heterogeneous wireless network selection algorithm based on group decision

In the environment of heterogeneous wireless networks, it is vital to select a currently optimal network for applications and subscribers. The use of multiple attribute decision making （MADM） for heterogeneous network selection can provide subscribers with satisfactory service quality. Converting heterogeneous network selection into a MADM problem, the authors present an improved algorithm for MADM based on group decision theory. The algorithm combines weight vectors of multiple attribute decision making to obtain a combinational weight vector. Then the results＇ compatibility will be assessed. If they do not meet the requirements of compatibility, the judgment matrix will be modified until a comprehensive vector that satisfies compatibility requirements is produced. The vector is combined with simple weighting method （SAW） for network selection. Simulation shows that the algorithm can provide users with satisfactory quality of service （QoS）.     

Policy Based Mobility &; Flow Management for IPv6 Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

We propose a dynamic mobility management framework for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and policy enforcement enabled heterogenous wireless networks. Policies and policy rules are defined depending on network infrastructure facilities, service agreements and negotiation results. Each traffic is coupled with an identifiable traffic flow while the heterogenous interface flow bindings are regulated by polices. The network selection, flow distribution, handovers and mobility procedures are flexible and we propose to improve the decision making via Multiple Attributes Decision Making (MADM). Techniques considered in the framework include the IPv6 based Network Mobility (NEMO), multihoming capability, transparent vertical handovers, horizontal handovers and dynamic policy enforcement matching process to improve the Quality of Service (QoS), Quality of Experience (QoE) and ubiquitous connectivity. A experiment testbed and simulation models have been constructed to verify the mobility framework performance in a heterogeneous WiFi, WiMax and UMTS hybrid environment.     

Network selection based on multiple attribute decision making and group decision making for heterogeneous wireless networks

One of the key issues for radio resources management is network selection strategy in heterogeneous scenarios.In order to provide ubiquitous service,the paper puts forward a network selection algorithm based on multiple attribute decision making(MADM) and group decision making(GDM).Firstly,the proposed algorithm acquires attribute weights’ vectors of the subjective and objective decision makers based on MADM,and then the two attribute weights’ vectors are synthesized to be a new attribute weights’ vector by using GDM.Considering that the results of GDM should be reasonable and convincible,the criterion of consistency is adopted for judging the compatibility of group judgments.More specifically,the algorithm takes into account not only objective attributes of networks but also the preference of subscribers and traffic class.Hence it guarantees that the subscribers can not select the networks with poor performance depending on their preference.The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the handoff number and provide subscribers with satisfactory quality of service(QoS).     

Quality-aware Wi-Fi offload: analysis,design and integration perspectives

The rapid spread of smart wireless devices and expansion of mobile data traffic have increased the interest for efficient traffic offloading techniques in next-generation communication technologies. Wi-Fi offloading uses ubiquitous Wi-Fi technology in order to satisfy the ever increasing demand for mobile bandwidth and therefore is an appropriate methodology for mobile operators. As a matter of fact, design and integration of an offloading technology inside mobile network operators’ infrastructures is a challenging task due to convergence issues between the The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and non-3GPP networks. Therefore, a connectivity management platform is a key element for integrated heterogeneous mobile network operators in order to enable smart and effective offloading. In this paper, analysis, design and integration of a connectivity management platform that uses a Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) algorithm for efficient Wi-Fi Offloading in heterogeneous wireless networks is presented. In order to enhance the end-user’s quality-of-experience (QoE), we have especially concentrated on the benefits that can be achieved by exploiting the presence of integrated service provider platform. Hence, the proposed platform can collect several User Equipment (UE) and network-based attributes via infrastructure and client Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and decides on the best network access technology (i.e. 3GPP and non-3GPP) to connect to for requested users. We have also proposed multi-user extensions of the MADM algorithms for offloading. Through simulations and experiments, we provide details of the comparisons of the proposed algorithms as well as the sensitivity analysis of the MADM algorithm through an experimental set-up.     

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.     

基于层次分析法的WLAN/蜂窝网络切换判决算法

针对WLAN/蜂窝异构网络的特点,提出了基于层次分析法的网络切换判决算法。算法综合考虑了网络状态及用户业务特征,分别采用SAW法和TOPSIS法对网络组合权向量进行了计算,仿真表明基于层次分析法的TOPSIS法与SAW法相比,更适合时延敏感业务的网络切换判决。     

Spectrum handoff scheme with multiple attributes decision making for optimal network selection in cognitive radio networks

It is envisaged that in future Cognitive Radio (CR) networks deployment, multiple radio access networks may coexist. The networks may have different characteristics in terms of multiple attributes. CRs will have choices of selecting the optimal network out of the available networks. Optimal network selection is a challenging task that can be performed by spectrum handoff with Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM). The spectrum handoff decision with MADM provides wider and optimal choice with quality of service. This motivates the devolopment of a spectrum handoff scheme with MADM methods such as simple additive weighting, a technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution, a grey relational analysis and a cost function based method, which is the objective of this study. The CR preferences are based on voice, video and data services, called triple play services. The numerical results show that all MADM methods are effective for selecting the optimal network for spectrum handoff with a reduced complexity for the spectrum handoff decision. The paper shows that the proposed spectrum handoff scheme can be effectively implemented to select the optimal network according to triple play services in CR networks.     

TOPSIS‐based approach for network slice selection in 5G mobile systems

Fifth‐generation (5G) mobile networks can be perceived as highly manageable systems that provide increased performance while supporting a variety of services with widely diverse requirements. Recently, network slicing has been proposed by academia and industry as a resource provisioning technique capable to meet these requirements with reduced operating costs while opening new horizons for network efficiency. The aim of network slice selection function (NSSF) is an optimal selection of network instances serving the users, based on local configuration, and other available information including radio access networks (RANs) performances in the registration area. In this paper, NSSF based on Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is proposed. Here, the network slices are treated as alternatives while their performance indicators are considered as the criteria for decision making. The influences of various alternative techniques, taking into account all the three stages of decision making process, that is, normalization, weighting, and ranking, are analyzed through the rank reversal phenomenon and computational complexity. Simulation results reveal that the proposed techniques can significantly improve the network slice selection procedure.     

异构网络中多网络并行传输的网络选择算法

为了充分利用异构网络中的无线资源,提出了一种基于多网络并行传输的异构网络接入选择算法,该算法根据终端接收信号功率确定能够进行通信的无线网络,以这些无线网络的任意非空子集作为候选方案,计算各个方案对应的聚合属性,再根据吞吐量和功耗阈值条件限定候选网络方案,对这些方案建立多属性决策矩阵,采用基于用户偏好的逼近理想值排序法(TOPSIS)得到各个候选网络方案的效用函数值,从中选出与理想方案最接近的多网络接入方案。仿真结果表明该算法能有效改善用户服务质量,提高用户吞吐量,降低用户的单位吞吐量对应的功耗和费用,保证网络的负载均衡。      

5G mobile terminals with advanced QoS-based user-centric aggregation (AQUA) for heterogeneous wireless and mobile networks

In this paper we present an advanced QoS provisioning module with vertical multi-homing framework for future fifth generation (5G) mobile terminals with radio network aggregation capability and traffic load sharing in heterogeneous mobile and wireless environments. The proposed 5G mobile terminal framework is leading to high performance utility networks with high QoS provisioning for any given multimedia service, higher bandwidth utilization and multi-RAT capabilities. It is using vertical multi-homing and virtual QoS routing algorithms within the mobile terminal, that is able to handle simultaneously multiple radio network connections via multiple wireless and mobile network interfaces. Our 5G proposal is user-centric, targeted to always-on connectivity, maximal network utilization, maximal throughput, seamless handovers and performances improvement by using vertical multi-homing, as well as session continuity. The performance of our proposed mobile terminal framework for 5G is evaluated using simulations and analysis with multimedia traffic in heterogeneous mobile and wireless scenarios with coexistence of multiple radio access technologies, such as 3G, 4G as well as future 5G radio access networks.     

CAC-RD: an UMTS call admission control

The third wireless network generation (3G) aims to provide fast Internet access with quality of service (QoS) guarantees, especially to multimedia applications. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) is a kind of 3G networks. To provide QoS, the network must use an efficient admission control mechanism. This mechanism needs to prioritize network access to critical classes of applications. This work proposes an UMTS admission control mechanism, called CAC-RD (Call Admission Control—based on Reservation and Diagnosis). It is based on network diagnosis and on channel reservation for handovers. These techniques are associated with new calls blocking when the network reaches utilization thresholds. CAC-RD is a tool that prioritises handovers and conversational applications. The main CAC-RD goals are the handovers blocking reduction and the acceptable performance levels guarantee. Simulation results show that the CAC-RD channel reservation and the diagnosis techniques associated with the intrinsic network signal power control effectively reduces blockings while guarantying performance levels. Due to computational resource limits, simulations cannot answer related to admission control in big networks with thousands of users. This work presents a method to extrapolate scientific questions like CAC’s behavior with thousands of users and many antennas. An artificial neural network approach for CAC-RD in UMTS 3G networks is presented as an extension of the work.     

Policy‐based scanning with QoS support for seamless handovers in wireless networks

Supporting seamless handovers between different wireless networks is a challenging issue. One of the most important aspects of a seamless handover is finding a target network and point of attachment (PoA). This is achieved by performing a so‐called channel scanning. In most handovers, such as between universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), wireless local area network (WLAN), and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), channel scanning causes severe service disruptions with the current PoA and degrades the quality of service (QoS) during the handover. In this paper, a new architecture for QoS supported scanning that can be generalized to different wireless networks is proposed. It employs two techniques. The first is for determining a policy‐based order for the channel scanning sequence. With this technique, depending on the network costs and user requirements, the policy engine determines the channel scanning order for different network types and sets up a scanning sequence of PoAs for a given network type. This policy‐based scanning order provides a faster discovery of the target PoA that meets the QoS demands of the user. The second technique consists of a QoS supported dynamic scanning algorithm where the scanning frequency and duration are determined based on the user QOS requirements. Most importantly, the scanning duration is scheduled to guarantee the user QoS requirements while the scan progresses. Simulation results show that the proposed mechanism achieves relatively short service disruptions and provides the desired quality to users during the scanning period. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

异构无线网络中基于SINR和层次分析法的SAW垂直切换算法研究

B3G或者4G无线网络体系致力于集成各种异构无线接入网络,其中一个主要的设计课题是支持垂直切换的研究。该文将多属性QoS考虑在内,针对各业务特点,提出一种基于SINR(信干噪比)和层次分析法(AHP)的SAW(简单加权法)垂直切换算法(SASAW)。它综合考虑SINR的影响以及要获得同等数据速率情况下,目标网络需要的等效SINR数值、用户通信代价、网络可用带宽等来构造属性矩阵做切换判决。为了评估性能,考虑3GPP定义的4类业务,利用层次分析法中的特征向量法来决定各个QoS属性之间的权重关系,构造比较判决矩阵并检验其一致性;根据判决矩阵,利用特征根法获得权重向量;最后根据属性矩阵和权重向量,利用SAW垂直切换算法进行判决。通过对算法的通过率、丢话率、垂直切换次数、平均用户代价等的性能比较,结果表明该文提出的算法能够根据各业务特点综合考虑各属性间关系,获得优良的系统性能。     

MDP-Based Network Selection Scheme by Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing for Vertical-Handover in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

The hybrid algorithm for real-time vertical handover using different objective functions has been presented to find the optimal network to connect with a good quality of service in accordance with the user’s preferences. Markov processes are widely used in performance modelling of wireless and mobile communication systems. We address the problem of optimal wireless network selection during vertical handover, based on the received information, by embedding the decision problem in a Markov decision process (MDP) with genetic algorithm (GA), we use GA to find a set of optimal decisions that ensures the best trade-off between QoS based on their priority level. Then, we emerge improved genetic algorithm (IGA) with simulated annealing (SA) as leading methods for search and optimization problems in heterogeneous wireless networks. We formulate the vertical handoff decision problem as a MDP, with the objectives of maximizing the expected total reward and minimizing average number of handoffs. A reward function is constructed to assess the QoS during each connection, and the AHP method are applied in an iterative way, by which we can work out a stationary deterministic handoff decision policy. As it is, the characteristics of the current mobile devices recommend using fast and efficient algorithms to provide solutions near to real-time. These constraints have moved us to develop intelligent algorithm that avoid the slow and massive computations. This paper compares the formulation and results of five recent optimization algorithms: artificial bee colony, GA, differential evolution, particle swarm optimization and hybrid of (GA–SA). Simulation results indicated that choosing the SA rules would minimize the cost function, and also that, the IGA–SA algorithm could decrease the number of unnecessary handovers, and thereby prevent the ‘Ping-Pong’ effect.     

移动P2P流媒体中基于有效容量的邻居节点选择机制

For Peer-to-Peer (P2P) streaming services in mobile networks, the selection of appropriate neighbour peers from candidate peers with demanding data is an important approach to improve Quality-of-Service (QoS). This paper proposes a novel Effective Capacity Peer Se-lection (ECPS) scheme based on effective capacity. In the ECPS scheme, the neighbour peer selection problem was modeled using the Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) theory, which considered multiple factors of candidate peers, including Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR), residen-cy time, power level, security, moving speed, and effective capacity. This model could increase the suitability of ECPS for wireless mobile environments. Then, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solu-tion (TOPSIS) was used to solve the MADM problem and identify the preferred neighbour peers. Simulation results show that the ECPS scheme can improve the network throughput, reduce packet delay by about 82%, and al-most double the packet delivery ratio of the mobile P2P streaming service.     

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.     

超密集异构无线网络中基于位置预测的切换算法

在密集异构蜂窝网络和无线局域网络构成的超密集异构无线网络中, 变速移动的车辆终端会面临更加频繁的切换,导致用户服务质量(QoS)变差。该文针对上述问题,首先,利用高斯马尔可夫移动模型,预测车辆下一时刻的位置,筛选出满足终端服务质量的候选网络集,与当前的候选网络集做交运算,其次,当前接入网络不在交集中,则使用变步长的萤火虫算法寻找最佳网络;再次,对因预测误差导致的切换失效,则把终端用户迁移到宏蜂窝,以保证通信的持续性。仿真结果表明,在超密集异构无线网络中,使用该文所提算法能够减少乒乓切换等频繁切换现象,同时,提升了用户的服务质量和网络吞吐量。     

基于双向匹配模型的异构网络垂直切换算法

针对当前垂直切换判决算法存在的单一性,即切换判决时以用户或网络单方面为中心,没有充分考虑两者对切换判决的综合影响,导致垂直切换性能不佳的问题,该文提出一种基于双向匹配模型的垂直切换算法。该算法的主要思想是:首先分别以用户和网络为中心,设计各自的评估模型,用于评估双方对彼此的偏好顺序,并建立相应的排序值矩阵;其次利用排序值信息,基于一对多双向匹配模型对用户侧和网络侧的双向匹配行为进行建模和求解,以获得最优匹配解;最后根据最优匹配结果,进行垂直切换。仿真表明,该文设计的评估模型是合理的,并且所提出的算法能较好地兼顾用户侧的高性价比需求和网络侧的低阻塞率需求。     

无线异构网络中带有动态权值的新型垂直切换算法

In order to enhance the quality of vertical handoff in an overlay wireless network, multiple attributes are taken into account when optimizing the vertical handoff decision including user-based and network-based QoS factors. In this paper, we develop a novel vertical handoff algorithm in an integrated 3G cellular and Wireless LAN networks. The proposed algorithm can adjust the weight of each QoS attribute dynamically as the networks change, trace the network condition and choose the optimal access point at transient regions. Simulation results show that this algorithm is able to provide accurate handoff decision, resulting in small unnecessary handoff numbers, good performance of throughput and handoff delay in heterogeneous environments.