wireless ad hoc networking

Chapter 19
Integrated
Heterogeneous
Wireless Networks
Dave Cavalcanti, Anup Kumar, and
Dharma P. Agrawal
19.1 Introduction
The proliferation and fast deployment of a variety of radio communication
technologies clearly indicate that future environments will be heterogeneous
in terms of wireless networks, devices, and applications. While
some wireless technologies are already an integral part of our everyday
lives, such as wireless WANs (e.g., 2G and 2.5G cellular systems), WLANs
(e.g., IEEE 802.11a/b/e/g), and wireless PANs (e.g., Bluetooth), upcoming
wireless standards, for example, 3G and Beyond cellular systems,
IEEE 802.16 WMANs, and high-rate/low-rate IEEE 802.15.3/4 WPANs are
expected to provide even more exciting and efficient services. Such technological
diversity is also impacting the design of mobile computing devices,
which are being equipped with multiple communication interfaces, for
instance, multimode devices with WLAN and Bluetooth access capabilities
in addition to the traditional cellular mode. Furthermore, advances in the
software defined radio (SDR) technology 1 will also make multimode terminals
common. The availability of a multitude of wireless technologies has
motivated research efforts toward the integration of heterogeneous wireless
networks to allow users to experience “Always Best Connectivity” anytime,
anywhere, and with any device. Although there are different visions of
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