Comparison of user mobility pattern prediction algorithms to increase handover trigger accuracy

Abstract

The estimation of correct triggers for handover in cellular networks belongs to the critical tasks for accurate network operation. The importance of seamless handover even rises according to the increasing number of available radio access technologies, demanding for a reliable vertical handover. To aid the handover process, mobility prediction technologies gain interest and provide the possibility to prepare for handover in advance. The approaches presented here feature prediction of macro-mobility as an additional measure to aid handover decisions. The prediction is based on statistical data gained from the observation of movement across multiple cells. One of the main features lies in a generic user centric calculation of the most likely next hop during user movement, compared to network specific technological methods. © 2006 IEEE.