Architecture and signaling protocols for wireless CATM networks

A frame-structure, referred to as CATM (CATv ATM), is introduced to serve as infrastructures of wireless networks. The widespread CATV (community antenna TV) networks are attractive infrastructures for next generation wireless networks. Providing interactive broadband services over CATV networks is also a big trend in communication and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks with broadband communication features well fit to be the backbone of CATV networks. Based on the proposed network architecture, the problems of call setup and handoff handling are addressed and investigated. A wireless signaling protocol for establishing mobile connections over the CATM-based wireless networks is proposed. To improve bandwidth utilization, keeping the resulting path after handoff as short as possible is attempted. A seamless handoff scheme (denoted as SHS/sub W-CATM/), capable of preserving data continuity, transparent to other mobile terminals, and producing a shorter path, is also evolved. Analytic results reveal that the SHS/sub W-CATM/ has a high probability to obtain an optimal resulting path (i.e., non-elongated path) after mobility.