The application of fluid mobility modelling in wireless cellular networks

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Skehill, Ronan J. | McGrath, Sean

Affiliations: Wireless Access Research Centre, University of Limerick, Ireland

Note: [] Corresponding author. Tel.: +353 61 202402; Fax: +353 61 202572; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Mobility models, synthetic or trace, try to accurately model the movement of a single user or a group of users. Models can be used in simulators and emulators to investigate the consequences of mobility on new protocols or network management techniques. A limitation with current trace mobility models is they are based on empirical data which are limited to specific network types and environments. Limitations with synthetic models are that they are complex, computationally heavy, and lack realism. To address these issue a new approach needs to be taken. One such approach is the use of fluid mechanics and transport theory to represent user mobility. A model based on viscous free irrotational fluid mechanics with empirical data from pedestrian and vehicular studies provide a means of creating realistic group movement characteristics with smooth non random trajectories and smooth continuous velocity. The model is used in an example to provide boundary crossing rates for users in a cellular network and optimising the size of cellular location areas.

Keywords: Potential fluid flow, mobility, location area optimisation, wireless cellular networks

Journal: Mobile Information Systems, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 89-106, 2007