ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BASED MULTI-CRITERIA VERTICAL HANDOFF MECHANISM (AI-VHOM) IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

IEEE 802.11 based wireless networks (WLAN) has emerged as an accelerated distribution method and been deployed in a wide manner across the globe especially in the last decade. Mobility support is usually the primary motivation in these methods. Seamless handoff is one of the significant challenges in mobile networks, especially for real-time streaming applications, which has a strong requirement for timely delivery of information like Voice over IP(VoIP).Roaming initiates handoffs between different access interfaces and dissimilar networks, providing the need for an effective handoff technique in a heterogeneous environment. Novel handoff strategies are discussed in this paper and are used as a base for developing a unique Artificial Intelligence based framework of Vertical Handoff Mechanism for multiple criteria (AI-VHoM). The need for vertical handoff can be generalized as the transference of control from one network technology to another with a purpose of attaining better service with quality. Optimising the vertical handoff is a candid issue of research, which leads to poor network signaling, interruption in services, an unbalanced network load and power loss of the device. In this paper, the proposed AI-VHoM addresses this issue effectively and significantly improves Quality of Service (QoS). Traditionally, the vertical handoff function is measured by weighing a single criteria - Received Signal Strength. The combination of artificial intelligence considering multiple criteria in a heterogeneous wireless network, which is the future yields significant results for seamless handoffs without performance deterioration, decreasing the influence of dissimilar, unprecise and contradictory measurements arising from different sources.