Generalized Modeling Framework for Handoff Analysis

A mobility event is the result of one network connection path being replaced by another via the rebinding of common system properties. The rebinding is a sequential process that may potentially involve multiple protocol layers of the mobile and require multiple network interactions. This overall process results in a period of time in which network service is degraded by transient data loss and increased end-to-end delay. Optimizations of the handover process mitigating these service degradations have been developed without a formal or systematic framework for mobility solutions. We develop a systematic systems model of the basic properties associated with a mobility event and design a framework around these properties that can provide methodologies for optimizing the handoff components. We then summarize the experimental results from a 3GPP2-based mobility testbed and highlight the delays associated with the functional components of the handoff event. We apply two types of optimization techniques and compare the results.