Vertical handoff model in next generation wireless networks

The purpose of this research is to propose a scheme for making handoff decisions effectively. We propose a handoff decision strategy through a fuzzy logic system to perform a seamless handoff. We combine four types of determinants, namely, RSS (received signal strength), data rate, network latency, and user preferences as input metrics to our fuzzy inference engine. RSS is pre-processed first by the Kalman filter to get rid of noise. The logic of the inference engine is realized on the User Equipment side as a faster reaction to network dynamics. Our scheme performance is evaluated by simulating mobility scenarios through the context of move-out and move-in scenarios. Simulation results show that our scheme outperforms other approaches in terms of reducing unnecessary handoff for all cases.