Connection architecture and protocols to support efficient handoffs over an ATM/B-ISDN personal communications network

The next generation personal communication network will likely internetwork wireless networks via the ATM/B-ISDN to enable ubiquitous broadband personal communication services. Support of user terminal mobility, particularly the capability for fast and seamless handoffs, over the ATM/B-ISDN is an expected requirement that is not currently met. We propose extensions to the ATM/B-ISDN user transport and signaling network architectures and signaling protocols to meet these requirements. The new architecture employs the Mobile Virtual Circuit (MVC), a dynamic connection tree in which routes are predetermined but not set up for potential handoff connections. During a handoff, associated signaling using source-routing with a new robust adaptation feature is employed for fast resource allocation to establish the handoff connection by distributed control. We also address the new problem of packet ordering synchronization to enable a seamless handoff. The connection tree reconfigures after each handoff to enable continuous support of successive handoffs. The proposed scheme optimizes handoff delay over the ATM/B-ISDN while minimizing unnecessary resource allocation, chances of handoff failure, and call processing load in the intelligent network, and the extensions are backward compatible to current ATM/B-ISDN standards and implementations.This paper was presented in part in PIMRC'95 in Toronto, and Globecom'95 in Singapore. This work was supported by the Canadian Institute of Telecommunications Research (CITR), funded under the Canadian Federal Government's Networks of Centres of Excellence Program.