A combined prediction system for handoffs in overlaid wireless networks

A hierarchical prediction mechanism which combines two prediction techniques, namely signal strength and next-cell prediction, for handoffs in future personal communication systems is proposed. The signal strength prediction is based on the least mean square (LMS) adaptation algorithm and next-cell prediction is based on mobility patterns. Results show a significant reduction in mean number of handoffs under maximum availability of channels. The goodness of prediction is highly mobile dependent and the algorithm can be extended to any number of base stations. The approach is unique, since it involves equal assignment probability to base stations, depending on their availability. This combined prediction system provides an overall better performance compared to the signal strength based prediction algorithm