Card-Flipping Decision-Making Technique for Handover Skipping and Access Point Assignment: A Novel Approach for Hybrid LiFi Networks

Abstract

The hybrid LiFi/WiFi communication networks have demonstrated their efficacy and advantages in terms of data transmission rates. Multiple difficulties were identified in these networks, including the access point assignment (APA) and the process of handover (HO). These troubles (criteria) are influenced by multiple elements, including optical gain at the recipient, mobility, distance, blockage, shadowing, and other variables. It is crucial to evaluate multiple criteria when making-decisions in order to attain more precise results. However, as far, limited studies employing the multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) technique for a hybrid LiFi/WiFi network has been discovered. Nevertheless, although the MCDM technique is highly accurate, it involves long process to achieve the optimal access point (AP). This results in heightened complexity of the system, leading to longer AP transfer times and higher HO rates. In order to address the aforementioned constraints, this paper introduces a novel approach termed as card-flipping decision making (CFDM). CFDM enables swift and precise decision-making while minimizing computational complexity. Additionally, it incorporates HO rates that involve bypassing HOs and selecting the most optimal AP. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is adopted to estimate the subjective weights of each criterion and establish their level of priority. The proposed method provided in this study is combined with the AHP, referred to as the merged AHP-CFDM. This integration is considered a new MCDM technique. The proposed method consists of an algorithm that performs i) criteria segmentation based on criteria values, ii) criteria sortation based on AHP results, and iii) criteria grouping based on network type. The classification of criteria is also taken into account including cost and benefit criteria. The proposed algorithm treats each criterion as a card, and each card is flipped (computed) when necessary. The outcome of the AHP-CFDM decisions are SKIP, FLIP, and ASSIGN. The proposed AHP-CFDM is a new MCDM technique and can be utilized in other networks and/or applications for decision-making. The investigation demonstrates improvements in total system efficiency in terms of computational complexity and HO rates when compared to both standard approaches and benchmark techniques. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy outperforms other methods significantly when compared to the most relevant studies.