Coverage analysis and handover strategy in RF/VLC heterogeneous networks

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Coverage analysis in heterogeneous networks (HetNets) remains insufficient, especially under user mobility and diverse association strategies. To address this, this paper proposes a contact probability and coverage approximation based on association strategy (CPCA-AS) to analyze the coverage probability (CPr) in visible light communication (VLC) and radio frequency (RF) HetNets. Based on the proposed stochastic geometry framework, CPCA-AS evaluates coverage performance under various configurations, including RF-only, VLC-only, and hybrid RF/VLC scenarios. The model incorporates a contact probability mechanism and considers two strategies: opportunistic VLC and maximum received signal power (MRSP). For VLC networks, CPCA-AS utilizes the Gil-Pelaez inversion theorem, and Laplace transforms to efficiently approximate CPr. For RF networks, Markov and Gamma inequalities form conservative accurate approximations and lower bounds. CPCA-AS effectively captures the influence of the photodetector’s field-of-view (FoV) on interference and association behavior. Monte Carlo simulations validate the accuracy of the CPCA-AS. Results demonstrate that CPCA-AS improves CPr. The opportunistic VLC strategy performs better in high-interference and large FoV scenarios. In contrast, the MRSP strategy is more effective in low-interference and low-rate environments.