Implementation of handover under multi-channel operation in IEEE 802.11p based communication systems

Handover is a critical factor to provide seamless communications and maintain reliable communication links. In this paper, we consider the handover in vehicular communications by adopting IEEE 802.11p based communication systems. Under multi-channel channel operation, we introduce the L2-level handover algorithm which uses received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value, and the proposed algorithm is implemented in practical highway environments. Practical implementation based on RSSI measurements and several service applications show that the proposed handover algorithm can provide various vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) services. In addition, some practical implementation issues are discussed to establish the reliable communication links in vehicular environments.