Evaluation of Vertical Handoff Decision Algorightms Based on MADM Methods for Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

 

E. Stevens-Navarro*¹, J. D. Martínez-Morales², U. Pineda-Rico³

 

^1,3 Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí Av. Dr. Salvador Nava Martínez S/N, Zona Universitaria, 78290 San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México, *estevens@galia.fc.uaslp.mx.

² Centro de Investigación y de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava No. 8, Zona Universitaria, 78290, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México.

 

ABSTRACT

In the forthcoming heterogeneous wireless environment, the mobility management of users roaming between different wireless access technologies is a challenging and important technical issue. New mobile devices such as netbooks, smartphones and tablets allow users to perform vertical handoffs among different wireless networks. The multiple attribute decision making (MADM) methods are suitable tools to model and study the vertical handoff process. Hence, recently several MADM methods such as SAW, MEW, TOPSIS, GRA, ELECTRE, VIKOR and WMC have been proposed for vertical handoff. In this paper, we present an extensive performance evaluation and comparative study of the seven MAMD methods by means of numerical simulations in MATLAB. We evaluate the performance of each vertical handoff method under different applications such as voice, data, and cost-constrained connections. We also perform a sensitivity analysis and evaluate the computational complexity of each method in terms of number of floating point operations.

Keywords: vertical handoff, multiple attribute decision making, heterogeneous networks

 

RESUMEN

En los próximos ambientes inalámbricos heterogéneos, la gestión de movilidad de los usuarios alternando entre diferentes tecnologías de acceso inalámbrico es un tema técnico muy importante y desafiante. Los nuevos dispositivos móviles como son las computadoras portátiles, teléfonos inteligentes y tabletas permiten a los usuarios móviles realizar traspasos verticales entre diferentes redes inalámbricas. Los métodos de decisión por atributos múltiples (MADM) son una herramienta adecuada para modelar y estudiar el proceso del traspaso vertical. Por lo tanto, recientemente se han propuesto algunos métodos MADM como SAW, MEW, TOPSIS, GRA, ELECTRE, VIKOR y WMC para el traspaso vertical. En este artículo, se presenta una evaluación de desempeño exhaustiva así como un estudio comparativo de los siete métodos MADM por medio de simulaciones numéricas en MATLAB. Se evalúa el desempeño de cada método de traspaso vertical bajo diferentes tipos de conexiones como voz, datos y costo restringido. Se realiza también un análisis de sensibilidad y se evalúa la complejidad computacional de cada método en términos del número de operaciones de punto flotante.

 

DESCARGAR ARTÍCULO EN FORMATO PDF

 

References

[1] Akyildiz, I., Xie, J., & Mohanty, S., A Survey of Mobility Management in Next-Generation All-IP Wireless Systems, IEEE Wireless Communications, Vol. 11, No. 4, August, 2004, pp.16-28.         [ Links ]

[2] Nasser, N., Hasswa, A. & Hassanein, H., Handoffs in Fourth Generation Heterogeneous Networks, IEEE Communications Magazine, Vol. 44, No. 10, October, 2006, pp. 96-103.         [ Links ]

[3] Stevens-Navarro, E., Pineda-Rico, U., & Acosta-Elias, J., Vertical Handover in Beyond Third Generation (B3G) Wireless Networks, International Journal of Future Generation Communication and Networking, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 2008, pp. 51-58.         [ Links ]

[4] Yoon, K. & Hwang, C., Multiple Attribute Decision Making: An introduction, Ed. Sage Publications, 1995.         [ Links ]

[5] Zhang, W., Handover Decision Using Fuzzy MADM in Heterogeneous Networks, IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2004, pp. 653-658, Atlanta, USA, March.         [ Links ]

[6] Stevens-Navarro, E. & Wong, V., Comparison between Vertical Handoff Decision Algorithms for Heterogeneous Wireless Networks, IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference - Spring, 2006, pp. 947-951, Melbourne, Australia, May.         [ Links ]

[7] Song, Q. & Jamalipour, A., A Network Selection Mechanism for Next Generation Networks, IEEE International Communications Conference, 2005, pp. 1418-1422, Seoul, Korea, May.         [ Links ]

[8] Bari, F. & Leung, V., Application of ELECTRE to Network Selection in a Heterogeneous Wireless Network Environment, IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2008, pp. 3810-3815, Las Vegas, USA, March/April.         [ Links ]

[9] Wang, Y., Yuan J., Zhou Y., Li G., & Zhang P., Vertical Handover Decision in an Enhanced Media Independent Handover Framework, IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2008, pp. 2693-2698, Las Vegas, USA, March/April.         [ Links ]

[10] Stevens-Navarro, E., Gallardo-Medina, R., Pineda-Rico, U., & Acosta-Elias, J., Application of MADM Method VIKOR Method for Vertical Handoff Heterogeneous Wireless Networks, IEICE Transactions on Communications, Vol. E95-B, no. 2, February 2012, pp. 599-602.         [ Links ]

[11] Hong-yan, C., Qiang-jun, Y., Yun-long, C., Yuan, G. & Lei, W., Heterogeneous Network Selection using a novel Multiple-Attribute Decision Method, International Conference on Communications and Networking in China, 2008, pp. 153-157, Hangzhou, China, August.         [ Links ]

[12] Wang, L. & Binet, D., MADM-based Network Selection in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks: A Simulation Study, International Conference on Wireless Communication, Vehicular Technology, Information Theory, and Aerospace & Electronic Systems Technology, 2009, pp. 559-564, New Jersey, USA, May.         [ Links ]

[13] Vaca-Ramirez, R. & Ramos, V., Handing Multiple Communications Sessions for the Next Generation of Wireless Networks, International Conference on Systems and Networks Communications, 2010, pp. 249-254, Nice, France, August.         [ Links ]

[14] Vaca-Ramirez, R. & Ramos, V., A Vertical Handoff Decision Algorithm which considers the Uncertainty during the Decision Making Process, International Conference on Wireless and Optical Communications Networks, 2009, pp. 1-6, Cairo, Egypt, April.         [ Links ]

[15] Gallardo-Medina, R., Pineda-Rico, U., & Stevens-Navarro, E., VIKOR Method for Vertical Handoff Decision in Beyond 3G Wireless Networks, IEEE International Conference In Automatic Control, Computing Science and Electronic Engineering, 2009, pp.1-5, Toluca, Mexico, November.         [ Links ]

[16] Shen-mei, L., Su, P., Zheng-kun, M., Qing-min, M. & Ming-hai, X., A Simple Additive Weighting Vertical Handoff Algorithm Based on SINR and AHP for Heterogeneous Wireless Networks, International Conference on Intelligent Computation Technology and Automation, 2010, pp. 347-350, Changsha, China, May.         [ Links ]

[17] Tawil, R., Salazar, O. & Pujolle, G., Vertical Handoff Decision Scheme using MADM for Wireless Networks, IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference, 2008, pp. 2789-2792, Las Vegas, USA, March/April.         [ Links ]

[18] Opricovic, S. & Tzeng, G.H., Compromise Solution by MCDM Methods: A Comparative Analysis of VIKOR and TOPSIS, European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 156, 2004, pp. 445-455.         [ Links ]

[19] Stallings, W., Wireless Communications and Networks, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall, 2005.         [ Links ]

[20] 3GPP, Overview of 3GPP Release 4, February 2010. http://www.3gpp.org/article/release-4        [ Links ]

[21] IEEE, 802.11b-1999 - IEEE Standard for Information Technology - Telecommunications and information exchange between systems - Local and Metropolitan networks - Specific requirements - Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) specifications: Higher Speed Physical Layer (PHY) Extension in the 2.4 GHz band, 1999.         [ Links ]

[22] IEEE, 802.11g-2003 - IEEE Standard for Information technology-- Local and metropolitan area networks-Specific requirements-- Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications: Further Higher Data Rate Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band, 2003.         [ Links ]

[23] IEEE, 802.16e-2005 - IEEE Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks - 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, 2005.         [ Links ]

[24] 3GPP, Technical Specification Group: Services and System Aspects, Services and Service Capabilities, TS 22.105, v.10.0, March 2011.         [ Links ]

[25] Ross, S., Introduction to Probability Models, Eight Ed., Academic Press, 2003.         [ Links ]

[26] MATLAB by MathWorks. 2011. http://www.mathworks.com/        [ Links ]

[27] Performance API (PAPI). 2011. http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/5445        [ Links ]

[28] PAPI Project. 2011. http://icl.cs.utk.edu/papi/index.html        [ Links ]