Heuristic and simulated annealing algorithms for solving extended cell assignment problem in wireless ATM networks

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the extended cell assignment problem which optimally assigns new adding and splitting cells in Personal Communication Service (PCS) to switches in a wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network. Given cells in a PCS network and switches on an ATM network (whose locations are fixed and known), we would like to do the assignment in an attempt to minimize a cost criterion. The cost has two components: one is the cost of handoffs that involve two switches, and the other is the cost of cabling. This problem is modeled as a complex integer programming problem, and finding an optimal solution to this problem is NP-hard. A heuristic algorithm and a simulated annealing algorithm are proposed to solve this problem. The heuristic algorithm, Extended Assignment Algorithm (EEA), consists of two phases, initial assigning phase and cell exchanging phase. First, in the initial assigning phase, the initial assignments of cells to switches are found. Then, these assignments are improved by performing cell exchanging phase in which two cells are repeatedly exchanged in different switches with great reduction of the total cost. The simulated annealing algorithm, ESA (enhanced simulated annealing), generates constraint-satisfied configurations, and uses three configuration perturbation schemes to change current configuration to a new one. Experimental results indicate that EAA and ESA algorithms have good performances. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.