PMIPv6 Assistive Cross-Layer Design to reduce handover latency in VANET Mobility for Next Generation Wireless Networks

VANET Networks are one of the main next generation wireless networks which are envisaged to be an integration of homogeneous and heterogeneous wireless networks. The inter-networking of these wireless networks with the Internet will provide ubiquitous access to roaming network users. However, a seamless handover mechanism with negligible handover delay is required to maintain active connections during roaming across these networks. Several solutions, mainly involving host-based localized mobility management schemes, have been widely proposed to reduce handover delay among homogeneous and heterogeneous wireless networks. However, the handover delay remains high and unacceptable for delay-sensitive services such as real-time and multimedia services. Moreover, these services will be very common in next generation wireless networks. Unfortunately, these widely proposed host-based localized mobility management schemes involve the vehicle in mobility-related signalling hence effectively increasing the handover delay. Furthermore, these schemes do not properly address the advanced handover scenarios envisaged in future wireless networks. This paper, therefore, proposes a VANET mobility management framework utilizing cross-layer design, the IEEE 802.21 future standard, and the recently emerged network-based localized mobility management protocol, Proxy Mobile IPv6, to further reduce handover delay.