Enhanced Application-Driven Vertical Handoff Decision Scheme for 4G Wireless Networks

In future heterogeneous 4G network there may be several available networks at the same time and location. A mobile terminal needs to switch from one wireless system to another. During this process, how to execute the vertical handoff at the right time and how to satisfy all the applications working on mobile terminal are still exciting research fields. Based on current researches of vertical handoff decision strategy, we develop an enhanced scheme with cost function that gives a relative overall consideration on the different factors that affect the handoff quality, of which we especially focus on the effect of application requirements. On weighting of the different factors, the analytic hierarchy process algorithm is adopted. Our research shows that this enhanced application-driven vertical handoff decision scheme is efficient and reliable during the whole handoff process.