[pt] Em redes IP com mobilidade, uma conexão de transporte estabelecida com um dispositivo móvel pode ser interrompida devido a uma possível troca do endereço IP ocasionada por uma mudança de rede. O período compreendido entre o instante em que dispositivo percebe que está mudando de rede - momento em que se inicia o processo de alteração de seu endereçamento IP - até o momento do restabelecimento de suas conexões com outros dispositivos chama-se período de handoff, e sua duração é denominada latência do handoff. Existem especificações de protocolos que permitem que os nós móveis continuem acessíveis enquanto se movimentam na rede IPv6, como o MIPv6 (Mobility for IPv6). Porém, mesmo com a utilização do MIPv6, durante o período de handoff, pacotes trocados com o dispositivo móvel que se deslocou podem sofrer atrasos maiores do que o desejado ou até mesmo serem perdidos. Esse efeito acaba por diminuir a qualidade da comunicação, especialmente quando se está lidando com dados multimídia. O foco do presente trabalho é a implementação do protocolo Host Identity Protocol (HIP) numa ferramenta de simulação e a avaliação desse protocolo com o objetivo de estabelecer, de maneira quantitativa, o impacto do rompimento e restabelecimento da comunicação em ambientes móveis. A proposta do protocolo HIP é garantir a mobilidade usando uma nova identidade para os hosts de forma independente do endereço IP. São estudados, por meio de simulação, a latência e a perda de pacotes durante o handoff do protocolo HIP com o intuito de fundamentar novas investigações. / [en] In mobile IP networks, a connection of transport established with a mobile device may be interrupted due to a possible exchange of IP addresses caused by a change of network. The period between the moment when device realizes that the network is changing - time in which begins the process of changing its IP address - until the moment that it restores all connections with other devices is called period of handoff, and this period is called the latency of handoff . Some protocols specifications allow us to remain accessible while mobile move in IPv6 network, as the MIPv6 (Mobility for IPv6). But even with the use of MIPv6, during the handoff, exchanged packages with the mobile device could be delayed more than desired or even be lost. This effect diminish the quality of communication, especially when it is dealing with multimedia data. The focus of this work is the implementation of the Protocol Host Identity Protocol (HIP) in a tool for simulation to evaluate the protocol with the goal of establishing, quantitative way, the impact of disruption and restoration of communication in mobile environments. The proposed protocol ensures the mobility using a new identity for the hosts that is independent IP address. The latency and loss of packages are studied, by simulation, during the handoff of HIP protocol in order to justify further investigation.

The 4th generation wireless communication systems aim to provide users with the convenience of seamless roaming among heterogeneous wireless access networks. To achieve this goal, the support of vertical handoff is important in mobility management. This thesis focuses on the vertical handoff decision algorithm, which determines the criteria under which vertical handoff should be performed. The problem is formulated as a constrained Markov decision process. The objective is to maximize the expected total reward of a connection subject to the expected total access cost constraint. In our model, a benefit function is used to assess the quality of the connection, and a penalty function is used to model the signaling incurred and call dropping. The user's velocity and location information are also considered when making the handoff decisions. The policy iteration and Q-learning algorithms are employed to determine the optimal policy. Structural results on the optimal vertical handoff policy are derived by using the concept of supermodularity. We show that the optimal policy is a threshold policy in bandwidth, delay, and velocity. Numerical results show that our proposed vertical handoff decision algorithm outperforms other decision schemes in a wide range of conditions such as variations on connection duration, user's velocity, user's budget, traffic type, signaling cost, and monetary access cost. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

IEEE 802.11 based Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) in addition to being used as access networks for providing traditional data services, are now also being used as access networks for providing realtime services such as VoIP and multimedia streaming. These realtime services are sensitive to latency, hence requiring seamless or low delay service from the lower layers throughout an ongoing session. The IEEE 802.11 standard does not define any technique or algorithm to provide seamless connectivity during the process of handoff, hence it does not require 802.11 based WLANs to provide the same. Thus, it is typical that there is a latency of 500 milliseconds to 1000 milliseconds during the handoff, before the mobile station can connect and receive data from the new access point (AP). However, many realtime services can not tolerate this much latency. The problem of handoff latency is further aggravated when WLANs are secured using IEEE 802.11i standard and when Authentication, Authorization & Accounting (AAA) services are involved in controlling network access to 802.11 based WLANs. This thesis will address the entire handoff process and examine the latency -- especially regarding AAA services. Different techniques and suggestions will be presented and analyzed closely at different layers and based on the results, an appropriate/efficient algorithm is suggested which will reduce this handoff latency, such that that seamless handoff can be achieved and realtime services can be provided over 802.11i enabled IEEE 802.11 WLANs. / Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), baserat på IEEE 802.11 har traditionellt nyttjats som som accessnät för vanliga datatjänster. Ett allt vanligare användningsområde har blivit att nyttja samma nät för realtidstjänster som Voice over IP (VoIP) och mutimedia. Realtidstjänster är känsliga för fördröjningar. Fördröjningar som bland annat kan erhållas från de lägre nivåerna i OSI-stacken. IEEE 802.11-standarden definierar ingen teknik eller algoritm för att säkerställa avbrottsfri/fördröjningsfri transmission av data vid handoff och följdaktligen så kan man idag inte luta sig mot denna standard för att erhålla denna funktionalitet. Med nyttjande av befintlig IEEE 802.11 standarder erhålls fördröjningar på mellan 0,5 till 1 sekunder. Detta är naturligtvis inte acceptablet för många realtid och realtidsliknande tjänster. Problemet vid handoff accentueras ytterliggare om kravs ställs på AAA-tjänster för att säkerställa säkerheten i ett IEEE 802.11-baserat WLAN. Denna uppsats adresserar hela handoffprocessen med tillhörande fördröjningar – speciellt med hänsyn till AAA-tjänsterna. Olika tekninker och förslag presenteras och analyseras på olika nivåer. Baserat på erhållna resultat föreslås en algoritm för att reducera tidsåtgång vid handoff, så att realtidsliknande tjänster erhålls, utan störande fördröjningar, vid nyttjande av 802.11i.

No description available.

Mobile handset manufacturers have begun to include wireless LAN (WLAN) interfaces in their cellular handsets. This allows users to access WLAN networks when they are available and to revert to conventional cellular communications otherwise. In this way the handset can dynamically use the "best" available network, by switching connections between the two network interfaces. This switching is referred to as a vertical handoff (VHO). When handling real-time connections, handsets must be capable of performing a seamless vertical handoff. This occurs when the interface switching does not disrupt the quality of service requirements of the active connections. Vertical handoffs are generally time consuming, and this delay creates a difficult problem since WLAN coverage can be lost very abruptly. In this thesis, we propose and investigate several methods of mitigating this problem. A solution based on using a Vertical Handoff Support Node (VHSN) is proposed. When the WLAN link is lost, the VHSN is able to quickly redirect packets through the local cellular base-station during the time that handoff is taking place. This approach can eliminate VHO link loss. It is shown that the act of WLAN-to-cellular handoff can result in a severe bandwidth deficit problem on the WLAN. A novel bandwidth reservation and securing mechanism is proposed which overcomes this problem and performs significantly better than schemes based on modified versions of the static guard channel scheme used in cellular networks. The work is characterized by simulation and analytic models which investigate the key performance aspects of this type of system. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

Efficient handoff algorithms cost-effectively enhance the capacity and Quality of Service (QoS) of cellular systems. This research presents novel approaches for the design of high performance handoff algorithms that exploit attractive features of several existing algorithms, provide adaptation to dynamic cellular environment, and allow systematic tradeoffs among different system characteristics. A comprehensive foundation of handoff and related issues of cellular communications is given. The tools of artificial intelligence utilized in this research, neural networks and fuzzy logic, are introduced. The scope of existing simulation models for macrocellular and microcellular handoff algorithms is enhanced by incorporating several important features. New simulation models suitable for performance evaluation of soft handoff algorithms and overlay handoff algorithms are developed. Four basic approaches for the development of high performance algorithms are proposed and are based on fuzzy logic, neural networks, unified handoff candidate selection, and pattern classification. The fuzzy logic based approach allows an organized tuning of the handoff parameters to provide a balanced tradeoff among different system characteristics. The neural network based approach suggests neural encoding of the fuzzy logic systems to simultaneously achieve the goals of high performance and reduced complexity. The unified candidacy based approach recommends the use of a unified handoff candidate selection criterion to select the best handoff candidate under given constraints. The pattern classification based approach exploits the capability of fuzzy logic and neural networks to obtain an efficient architecture of an adaptive handoff algorithm. New algorithms suitable for microcellular systems, overlay systems, and systems employing soft handoff are described. A basic adaptive algorithm suitable for a microcellular environment is proposed. Adaptation to traffic, interference, and mobility has been superimposed on the basic generic algorithm to develop another microcellular algorithm. An adaptive overlay handoff algorithm that allows a systematic balance among the design parameters of an overlay system is proposed. Important considerations for soft handoff are discussed, and adaptation mechanisms for new soft handoff algorithms are developed. / Ph. D.

Anesthesia patient handoffs are a vulnerable time for patient care and handoffs occur frequently during anesthesia care. Communication failures contribute to patient harm during anesthesia patient handoffs. The Joint Commission has recognized the potential for communication failure during patient handoffs and has recommended processes to improve handoff safety. Handoffs are made more difficult by latent conditions such as time constraints, pressure and distractions, which often result in incomplete or inaccurate handoff reports. This nonexperimental, correlation study identified the latent conditions that occur during the handoff process and their relationship to the quality of the handoff. This research shows an inverse relationship between latent conditions and anesthesia patient handoff scores. The number of latent conditions and the types of latent conditions affected handoff scores. Handoffs that were not interactive or handoffs with unsafe timing predictably resulted in poor handoff communication. Clinicians must acknowledge that handoffs are a high-risk event that can result in patient harm. Clear and effective communication is key to safe, quality care and this includes being aware of and minimizing the impact of latent conditions during the anesthesia patient handoff.

Today’s wireless users expect great things from tomorrow’s wireless networks. These expectations have been fueled by hype about what the next generations of wireless networks will offer. The rapid increase of wireless subscribers increases the quality of services anytime, anywhere, and by any-media becoming indispensable. Integration of various networks such as CDMA2000 and wireless LAN into IP-based networks is required in these kinds of services, which further requires a seamless vertical handoff to 4th generation wireless networks. The proposed handoff algorithm between WLAN and CDMA2000 cellular network is implemented. The results of the simulation shows the behavior of the handoff and the time spent in WLAN or CDMA. The number of weak signal beacons determines whether a handoff is required or not. In this algorithm, traffic is classified into real-time and non real-time services.

Heterogeneous wireless networks will be dominant in the next-generation wireless networks with the integration of various wireless access networks. Wireless mesh networks will become to a key technology as an economically viable solution for wide deployment of high speed, scalable and ubiquitous wireless Internet services. In this thesis, we consider an interworking architecture of wireless mesh backbone and propose an effective vertical handoff scheme between 802.11 and 802.16 wireless access networks. The proposed vertical handoff scheme aims at reducing handoff signaling overhead on the wireless backbone and providing a low handoff delay to mobile nodes. The handoff signaling procedure in different scenarios is discussed. Together with call admission control, the vertical handoff scheme directs a new call request in the 802.11 network to the 802.16 network, if the admission of the new call in the 802.11 network can degrade quality-of-service (QoS) of the existing real-time traffic flows. Simulation results demonstrate the performance of the handoff scheme with respect to signaling cost, handoff delay, and QoS support.