A least squares path loss estimation approach to handover algorithms

Abstract

In this paper a new class of linear handover algorithms is introduced and analyzed for two conflicting performance measures, namely the average number of outages and the average number of handovers, for a given trip of the mobile station. Assuming the distances between the mobile station and surrounding base stations are known, the new algorithm is based on the least squares estimate of path loss parameters of the various radio links. In a log-normal fading macrocellular environment, it is seen that for an average number of 1.2 handovers (the minimum value is one, given by the ideal reference case), the least squares algorithm reduces the average number of outages by more than 30% with respect to other linear handover algorithms. Furthermore, the above performance measures improve for longer estimation windows: the typical trade-off of averaging algorithms does not apply to the least squares method.