Cross-Layer Design Proposals for Wireless Mobile Networks: A Survey and Taxonomy

Third-Generation (3G) and beyond 3G mobile communication systems must provide interoperability with the Internet, increase throughput for mobile devices, and optimize their operation for multimedia applications. The limited ability of traditional layered architectures to exploit the unique nature of wireless communication has fostered the introduction of cross-layer design solutions that allow optimized operation for mobile devices in the modern heterogeneous wireless environment. In this paper, the authors present the major cross-layer design solutions that handle such problems, and discuss cross-layer implementations with a focus on functional entities that support cross-layer processes and the respective signaling.