An Optimized Vertical Inter-map Handover Scheme for Hmipv6 in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

An optimized fast vertical inter-mobility anchor point (MAP) handover scheme for Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) is proposed for heterogeneous wireless access networks. Two existing non-optimized vertical handover schemes – the simple vertical inter-MAP handover for HMIPv6 (SVH6) and fast vertical inter-MAP handover for HMIPv6 (FVH6) – assisted by existing hierarchical handover and fast handover strategies are described. In order to improve handover latency, handover preparation time, packet loss of these two non-optimized schemes, an optimized fast vertical inter-MAP handover for HMIPv6 (OFVH6) scheme is proposed. In the proposed OFVH6, the IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) is adopted to optimize and enhance the two non-optimized vertical handover schemes. The Media Independent Information Service in IEEE 802.21 MIH is extended by including new network layer (L3) information to provide domain prefixes of heterogeneous neighboring MAPs, which can eliminate the heterogeneous neighboring MAP discovery phase in the FVH6. Analysis, computer simulations and practical experiments are used to evaluate and compare performance. The proposed OFVH6 is shown to outperform the two existing non-optimized schemes in terms of handover latency, handover preparation time, and packet loss, although the OFVH6 requires additional functionality and a network entity.