Location-based virtual sector method for interference control in WLAN multicell environment

For the next-generation mobile communication, heterogeneous wireless networks have been discussed to attain high throughput and wide coverage. In heterogeneous wireless networks, wireless local area network (WLAN) is important as a destination to offload traffic. However, hidden terminal problem and exposed terminal problem of WLAN become seriously in high user-density, high traffic demand and multicell environments. In this paper, we propose a virtual sector method using location information to solve these problems. The key point of the proposal method is that highly accurate location information of mobile terminals (MTs) is used without collecting location information by a controller. The method is able to be realized by a simple terminal-led control with a little assist from network keeping carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA). As a result of computer simulation, the proposal method improves system throughput up to twice or more compared with usual CSMA/CA in high traffic demand situation.