Mobile multiple polling to allow high-bit-rate packet transfer for fast terminals

This paper presents alternative solutions for protocol and distributed control of MM-MAN (Mobile Multimedia Metropolitan Area Network), and evaluates delay in handover and packet loss. MM-MAN is assumed to be a component network of future mobile networks when multimedia communications become popular in the mobile network. Multimedia traffic cannot be handled only with macro-cellular networks, though they are main stays now. In order to unburden loads of macro-cellular networks, connected micro-cells like MM-MAN are required, which can work as if it were a macro-cellular network. MM-MAN consists of connected micro-cells along major roads. Base stations (BS) of MM-MAN are controlled by a central node, of which multicast functions configure LMC (Logical Macro-Cell) consisting of several adjacent micro-cells. BS of each LMC sends polling packet with the same sequence number to the identical target terminal and the target terminal responds only to the BS of the micro-cell where it stays. Mobile terminal (MT) can conduct packet transfer if it stays in the LMC in spite of quick cell-to-cell move. The LMC is switched over to the next LMC when the MT moves to another micro-cell. Two LMCs can be a virtual single cell since LMC switchover occurs when the target terminal stays in a cell shared by two adjacent LMC. Like this, the total micro-cells in which the target terminal moves as if they are virtually single cell for the target terminal, and this allows high-bit rate packet transfer to fast terminals.