Efficient delivery of frequent small data for U-healthcare applications over LTE-advanced networks

Ubiquitous healthcare (u-healthcare) applications typically require the frequent transmission of small data sets, e.g., from patient monitors, over wireless networks. We consider the transmissions of such u-healthcare data over an LTE-Advanced network, where each small data set must complete the standardized random access (RA) procedure. We mathematically analyze the delay of the RA procedure and verify our analysis with simulations. We find that our delay analysis, which is the first of its kind, gives reasonably accurate delay characterization. Thus, the presented delay characterization may form the basis for network management mechanisms that ensure reliable delivery of small frequent u-health\-care data sets within small delays.