In this paper, a new class of linear handover algorithms is introduced and
analyzed for two conflicting performance measures, namely, the average numb
er of outages and the average number of handovers, for a given trip of the
mobile station (MS). The new algorithm is based on the least squares (LS) e
stimate of path-loss parameters of the various radio links, assuming the di
stances between the MS and surrounding base stations (BS's) are known. Firs
t, a simplified system scenario consisting of only two BS's in a lognormal
fading environment is assumed. Performance measures are derived through a t
heoretical approach, along the trip of a mobile terminal from one BS to the
other. It is seen that for an average number of 1.2 handovers (the minimum
value is one, given by the ideal reference case), the LS algorithm reduces
the average number of outages by more than 30% with respect to the classic
al averaging algorithm. Furthermore, the above performance measures improve
for longer estimation windows: both the estimation of the mobile speed and
the window length tradeoff of averaging algorithms do not apply to the LS
method. By using an extended version of the basic algorithm, these results
were also observed in simulations of a more general system scenario, consis
ting of several BS's and a mobile terminal moving along a generic path.