Abstract
Background & Objective: Various Radio Access Technologies are integrated in the next generation of Heterogeneous Wireless Networks. The coexistence of various kinds of wireless access networks ensures high service quality (QoS) for the users. Seamless vertical handover plays a significant role in providing ubiquitous access to users. The ability to select the optimal access network out of available access networks decides the comprehensive performance of the system. A novel scheme: Handoff Urgency Estimator and Target Access Network Selector using Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (HUETANSABC) for deciding the necessity of handover and selection of the best network is proposed in this paper. The objective of the proposed work is to choose the most promising access network out of available coexisting networks for enhancing user experience. Fuzzy logic provides reliable results even when the input parameters are random in nature and can not be defined precisely. Artificial Bee Colony is an effective method for searching and optimization. Proposed system combines best of fuzzy logic and ABC algorithm for timely initiation of vertical handover. To gather the required information for handover, services provided by IEEE 802.21 standard are utilized. Proposed integration of fuzzy logic and the ABC algorithm has resulted in a decreasing number of unnecessary handovers.
Methods: The effect of varying context parameters is analyzed using Fuzzy Inference System to estimate the urgency of handover. The optimization of a target access network selection process is achieved using meta-heuristic method.
Results: Simulation results on MATLAB indicate that the proposed system performs better than ABC and Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) techniques.
Keywords: Access network, artificial bee colony algorithm, fuzzy logic, heterogeneous wireless network, MADM, vertical handover.
Graphical Abstract
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