Handoff Management

Prof. S.-I. Sou

EE, NCKU
Fall, 2008

1
Reference

[1] Wireless and Mobile Network Architectures，

Y-Bing Lin and Imrich Chlamtac，Wiley
Computer Publishing。

Chapters 3 and 4

2
Outlines

• Introduction to handoff
• Handoff detection
• Channel assignment
• Link Transfer
• Radio link transfer

Hard Handoff

Soft Handoff
• Summary

3
Introduction to Handoff

4
Handoff

5
 Two Aspects of Mobility in a
PCS Network

• Handoff

Link transfer, or Handover

A mobile user moves from one coverage area of
an old BS to the coverage area of a new BS
during the conversation.

The radio link to the old BS is disconnected and
a radio link to the new BS should be established
to continue the conversation.
• Roaming

When a mobile user moves from one system to
another, the user location should tell the PCS
system.
6
BS Coverage Area

• BS coverage area：irregular.
• In the cell boundary：

Signal from a neighboring BS


Signal from the serving BS 
• Otherwise: Forced termination
Overlap coverage
should be
considered in cell
planning.

7
Handoff Cost

• Handoffs are expensive.

• Specifically for the system with small cell sizes
• Small cell size for

To increase the capacity of the systems

To reduce power requirements of MSs.

8
Issues for Handoff Management

• Handoff detection

Who and how
• Channel assignment
• Radio link transfer

9
Handoff Detection

10
Handoff Detection Concept

• Handoff detection:

Why is the handoff detected necessary?

Who initiates the handoff process?
• Handoff detection is based on link
measurement.

11
Link Measurement

• Signal measurements are used to determine

the quality of a channel:

WEI (Word Error Indicator)

RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication)

QI (Quality Indicator)

12
Strategies for Handoff Detection

• Who makes a decision for handoff？

• Three handoff detection schemes:

Mobile-Controlled Handoff (MCHO)

Network-Controlled Handoff (NCHO)

Mobile-Assisted Handoff (MAHO)

Others

13
Mobile-Controlled Handoff
(MCHO)
• MCHO is used in DECT and PACS.
• Part I. The MS continuously monitors the
signals of the surrounding BSs.
• Part II. The MS initiates the handoff process
when some handoff criteria are met.

14
Network-Controlled Handoff
(NCHO)
• Used in CT-2+ and AMPS
• Part I. The surrounding BSs measure the signal
from the MS.
• Part II. The network initiates the handoff
process when some handoff criteria are met.
• MSC controls the handoff.

15
Mobile-Assisted Handoff (MAHO)

• Used in GSM, IS-136 and IS-95

• Part I. The network asks the MS to measure
the signal from the surrounding BSs.
• Part II. The network makes the handoff
decision based on the reports from the MS.

16
Channel Assignment for
Handoff Calls

17
Channel Assignment

• Purpose：to achieve a high degree of spectrum

utilization for a given grade of service

Ex：To reduce forced terminations
• Four channel assignment scheme:

Basic Scheme: Non-prioritized Scheme

Reserved Channel Scheme

Queuing Priority Scheme

Sub-rating Scheme

18
Forced Terminations

• Blocked call：Initial access requests fail

For new call

No available channels on the visited BS
• Forced terminations：Handoff requests fail

For handoff call

No available channel on the selected BSs
• Which one is serious, new call blocking or force
terminating?

19
Some trade-offs

• Service quality
• Spectrum utilization
• Implementation complexity of the channel
assignment algorithm
• Number of database lookups

20
Flowchart for Non-prioritized
Scheme

New or no
Channel Channel
handoff
available? blocked
call arrival

yes
Channel Ongoing Channel
assigned call released

21
 Flowchart for Reserved Channel
Scheme
New Normal no Channel
call channel
blocked
arrival available?

yes
Channel Ongoing Channel
assigned call released

yes yes

Handoff Normal Reserved no

no
call channel channel
arrival available? available?

22
 Flowchart for Queuing Priority
Scheme (for Handoff Calls)
Handoff yes New call
Channel Channel Ongoing
call channel
available? assigned call
arrival released
no
Insert the call into
Channel released
the waiting queue

Is a channel no
Is the waiting
available before yes
queue empty?
the call expires?
yes
no
Call blocked The channel is idle
23
 Flowchart for Subrating Scheme
(for Handoff Calls)
Handoff yes New call
Channel Channel Ongoing
call channel
available? assigned call
arrival released
no
Channel released
Channel yes
available for
subrating? Is there a no Is the release
no subrated channel
channel pair? subrated?
yes yes
no
Each channel of the
Call Channel The other channel
subrated pair is
is idle of the subrated
blocked upgraded to full-
pair is upgraded
rate channels
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Radio Link Transfer

25
 Radio Link Transfer

• The radio link to the old BS

is disconnected.
• A radio link to the new BS MSC
should be established.
Old BS New BS
• Link transfer procedure

Hard handoff

Soft handoff
2. established
1. disconnected

26
Five Distinct Link Transfer
Cases (1/3)
1. Intra-BTS handoff or intra-cell handoff
2. Inter-BTS handoff or inter-cell handoff
3. Inter-BSC handoff
4. Inter-MSC handoff or intersystem handoff
5. Intersystem handoff between two PCS
networks

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 Inter-BSC Handoff

(a) Before handoff (b) After handoff

MSC 1 MSC 1

BSC 1 BSC 2 BSC 1 BSC 2

New New
BS BS
Old Old
BS BS

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 Inter-MSC Link Transfer
(a) Before handoff (b) After handoff

PSTN
PSTN PSTN
PSTN

trunk trunk
MSC A MSC B MSC A MSC B

BS 2 BS 2
BS 1 BS 1

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Hard Handoff

30
Hard Handoff

• MS connects with only one BS

at a time.
• Interruption in the
conversation occurs
• Used in TDMA and FDMA MSC
systems
• We will study the signaling of New
handoff: Old
BS
BS

MCHO Link Transfer

MAHO/NCHO Link Transfer

31
MCHO Inter-BS Handoff Message Flow
MS Old BS New BS

1. link suspend message

2. handoff request message

Voice is
interrupted 3. handoff acknowledgement message

4. link resume message 6. New BS acqufres

cypher key

5. Voice is resumed on old link 7. Network bridges

the new and old BSs
8. Handoff execution message

Voice is 9. access release message

interrupted
The MS initializes the synchronization with the new BS.
The MS returns to the old BS and then comes back to the
new BS. Cypher starts at this point.

10. handoff execution message

11. handoff complete message

12. Voice is resumed on new link

32
MAHO Inter-BS handoff message flow

33
Comparisons between MCHO and
MAHO/NCHO
• In MAHO/NCHO

The handoff command to the MS is sent over the
failing link.

If MS does not receive this message, the handoff
procedure fails.
• In MCHO

The handoff request message is sent by the MS
to the new BS on a new & more reliable link.

No measurement report should be sent via air
interface.

34
Soft Handoff

35
Soft Handoff

• MS connects to multiple BSs

simultaneously.
• BSs use the same frequency.
• BSs must be synchronized.
MSC
• The network must combine
the signals form the multiple
BSs simultaneously. BS 1 BS 2

• Soft handoff is more

complicated than hard handoff.

36
DSSS/CDMA

• Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)

• Every signal is processed with PN sequence
(pseudo-noise sequence).

Each PN sequence is a unique orthogonal code.

User signals are distinguished by different PN
sequences.

An MS communicates with several BSs using the
same PN sequences.

The signaling are typically combined (or bridged)
at the MSC (MS).
• In soft handoff, the link transfer procedure is no
time-critical.

37