Cross-layer design in 4G wireless terminals - Wireless Communications, IEEE [see also IEEE Personal Communications]

The classical TCPilP layered protocol architecture is beginning to show signs of age. In order to cope with. problems such as the poor manager ~ performance of wireless links and mobile terminals, including the high error rate of wireless network interfaces, power saving requirements, quality of service, and an increasingly dynamic network environment, a protocol architecture that considers cross-layer interactions seems to he required. This article describes a framework for further enhancements of the traditional IPbased protocol stack to meet currcnt and future requirements. Known problems associated with the strictly layered protocol architecture are summarized and classified, and a first solution involving cross-layer design is proposed. Cross-layer j