Cross Layer Protocols for Multimedia Transmission in Wireless Networks

Wireless networks initially inherited the traditional layered architecture from wired networks. Nevertheless, as third and fourth generation wireless communications and networking begin to proliferate in the area of communication networks, the suitability of the layered architecture is coming under close scrutiny from the research community. It is repeatedly argued that although layered architectures have served well for wired networks, they might not be suitable for wireless networks [1]. One of the key challenges for next-generation broadband wireless networks is to devise end-to-end protocol solutions across wired and wireless networks to accommodate large densities of highly mobile users demanding services and applications with a wide range of Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Hence, in order to meet the challenging demands on future wireless networks, it may be required to adopt new approaches in which protocols can be designed by violating the reference layered architecture allowing direct communication between protocols in nonadjacent layers Such violations of a layered architecture have been termed as cross-layer design(CLD).