Performance of Dynamic Logical Macro Cell and Parallel Polling to Support Smooth Handover to Fast Movers in Microcellular Networks

This paper evaluates how the parallel polling and LMC (logical macro cell) designed operating in the micro-cellular MM-MAN (mobile multimedia metropolitan area network) can provide high-bit-rate packet transfer to fast-moving terminals (FMTs). An LMC groups several adjacent micro-cells in a multicast group to a virtual single macro cell. LMC is always switched over together with a motion of FMT when it comes to a new BS. Data packet destined to the mobile users is multicast within an LMC. A set of polling signals is emitted from every micro-cell BS of an LMC to permit packet transferred to and from an FMT within the LMC coverage. Handover between micro-cells is done if FMT receives and answers to a polling sent from a new BS, other wise it continues handling connection with the current BS. Multicast of the polling response to every micro-cell BS within an LMC is required to synchronize sending polling. Therefore, moving of FMT between micro-cells in an LMC likes in one larger virtual cell that makes the handover of FMT become simple and smooth. Our simulation results reveal that the parallel polling and dynamic LMC work well to offer a fast mobile user a smooth high-data rate connection in the microcellular environment with regard to low handover latency, high throughput and no end-to-end delay. The evaluation is done using the OMNeT++ simulator.