An intelligent location management algorithm for cellular systems

With the explosive growth in the number of cellular subscribers in the past decade, cellular systems are faced with the challenge of increasing the efficiency of the usage of the limited frequency spectrum. The service providers are forced to use increasingly smaller cells to increase system capacity; however, smaller cell sizes result in higher signalling loads generated by location management procedures. The intelligent location management algorithm which utilizes the user profile of individual users is proposed. The user profile contains a history of the user's cell-to-cell transitions and the total time spent in a cell. Using this information, the intelligent algorithm generates location areas dynamically around the user in such a way that the mean location updating traffic is reduced, and pages within the location area in multiple steps such that the mean paging traffic is reduced by paging the most probable cells first. A user mobility model is proposed for the purpose of quantifying the performance results of location management algorithms. The proposed model, activity-based mobility model with directional random walk, simulates mobility behaviour patterns of users of different classes. Such a model which captures an individual user's daily movement pattern is important in properly evaluating location management algorithms that utilize user mobility history. Performance in terms of radio signalling is evaluated and compared with other location management algorithms such as the GSM and dynamic location management algorithms. The intelligent algorithm produces less radio signalling at the cost of increased memory storage and processing capabilities at the mobile station and network.Applied Science, Faculty ofElectrical and Computer Engineering, Department ofGraduat