Dynamic Buffering Control Scheme for Mobile Handoff

Abstract

In a mobile environment, as a mobile node moves from one point of attachment to another during an ongoing application session it is subjected to packet loss due to network and link layer transition. Such packet loss affects the quality of ongoing communication session such as interactive VoIP traffic and streaming media. We provide a solution to this scenario by buffering packets for the mobile node at an access router or network node near the edge of the network where mobile may be moving away from or moving towards. The buffered packets are then forwarded to the mobile node once the handoff process completes. The buffering scheme is used in conjunction with existing mobility protocols, access protocols or as an independent network or link layer mechanism. Ability to control the buffer dynamically provides a reasonable trade-off between delay and packet loss which is within the threshold limit for real-time communication. The overview and mechanisms of such schemes are described and comparisons on existing buffering schemes are also provided