Detection of licensed users' activity in a random access ultra wideband cognitive system

As the novel and effective approach to improving the utilization of the precious radio spectrum, cognitive radio technology is the key to realize the dynamic spectrum access (DSA) networks, where the secondary (unlicensed) users can opportunistically utilize the unused licensed spectrum in a way that confines the level of interference to the range the primary (licensed) users can tolerate. However, there are many new challenges associated with cognitive-radio-based DSA networks, such as the multi-channel hidden terminal problem and the fact that the time-varying channel availability differs for different secondary users, in the medium access control (MAC) layer. To overcome these challenges, we propose an efficient Cognitive Radio-EnAbled Multi-channel MAC (CREAM-MAC) protocol, which integrates the cooperative sequential spectrum sensing at physical layer and the packet scheduling at MAC layer, over the wireless DSA networks. Under the proposed CREAM-MAC protocol, each secondary user is equipped with a cognitive radio-enabled transceiver and multiple channel sensors. Our cooperative sequential spectrum sensing scheme improves the accuracy of spectrum sensing and further protects the primary users. The proposed CREAM-MAC enables the secondary users to best utilize the unused frequency spectrum while avoiding the collisions among secondary users and between secondary users and primary users. We develop the Markov chain model and M/GY/1 queueing model to rigorously study our proposed CREAM-MAC protocol for both the saturation networks and the non-saturation networks. We also conduct extensive simulations to validate our developed protocol and analytical models.

We consider a distributed random channel access policy in a cognitive radio network where multiple secondary users (SUs) contend for spectrum usage over available multiple primary user (PU) channels. In the random channel access policy each SU stochastically determines whether to access a channel based on the access probability (AP) which is adapted to the sensing results. It is then important to obtain the optimal AP values from the SUs' throughput performance perspective. In our analysis, we assume that all SUs acquire a common channel state information that is potentially erroneous. We analyze the throughput of an arbitrary SU and the packet collision probability of a PU due to the interference by SUs. By considering a requirement on the packet collision probability of a PU, we rigorously derive an explicit expression on the optimal AP values that maximize the throughput of an SU under the requirement for PUs. In the derivation we show that the multi-dimensional optimization problem with AP values can be converted into a one-dimensional optimization problem, so that the optimal AP values can be easily found. Numerical examples are provided to validate our analysis and to investigate the performance behavior of the optimal channel access policy.

The main challenges of cognitive radio include spectrum sensing at the physical (PHY) layer to detect the activity of primary users and spectrum sharing at the medium access control (MAC) layer to coordinate access among coexisting secondary users. In this paper, we consider a cognitive radio network in which a primary user shares a channel with secondary users that cannot distinguish the signals of the primary user from those of a secondary user. We propose a class of distributed cognitive MAC protocols to achieve efficient spectrum sharing among the secondary users while protecting the primary user from potential interference by the secondary users. By using a MAC protocol with one-slot memory, we can obtain high channel utilization by the secondary users while limiting interference to the primary user at a low level. The results of this paper suggest the possibility of utilizing MAC protocol design in cognitive radio networks to overcome limitations in spectrum sensing at the PHY layer as well as to achieve spectrum sharing at the MAC layer.

In a cognitive radio (CR) system, an achievable throughput of secondary users (SU) primarily depends on the activity level of primary users (PU) in the channels. More the PU are active in the channels, lesser the opportunity of SU transmission. Protecting the PU from a harmful interference introduced by SU is also a challenging task specifically when multiple PU and SU exist in the system. The trade-off between SU sum throughput and PU occupancy level has been thoroughly analysed considering a zero interference tolerance of an interweave CR system. PU activity level in the channel is measured in terms of duty cycle (DC). The interplay between DC of PU and throughput of SU is presented here for Poisson and binomial distribution based SU arrival processes. The results identify the opportunistic channels when SU aims a particular sum throughput and find the optimal numbers of SU in the channels for various DC.

In this paper, we present an analytical study for the performance of a two-tier primary-secondary network based on IEEE 802.11 DCF mechanism. It is assumed that multiple primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs) coexist in the radio environment and share a single band such that the SUs are allowed to contend only if they sense the channel idle for a certain period of time. First, we derive the PUs' medium access delay in the presence of SUs. Then, assuming an exponential packet inter-arrival time for the primary network, and using M/G/1 queue modeling, we determine the collision probability and throughput for the primary and secondary networks, as well as the PUs' average total delay including the queuing delay. Numerical along with simulation results show how the performance in the primary network, with given packet arrival rate, can be affected as functions of the sensing time, packet payload size and population size of the SUs. The findings of this work can be used effectively to study the performance of any IEEE 802.11 based primary-secondary network, such as cognitive radio networks where SUs may exploit a primary channel opportunistically based on a predefined policy, as well as to optimize the performance of distributed cognitive radio MAC protocols.

In the overlay medium access control (MAC) of cognitive radio networks, secondary user (SU) uses the spectrum portion which is assigned to primary user (PU), when PU is not using this spectrum at that time. In this article, a multiuser overlay MAC protocol is considered in which PUs and SUs are using time division multiple access and carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) MAC schemes, respectively. Firstly, new frame format and algorithm for the proposed MAC protocol are described, then the analytical modelling of this protocol is explained. In the SU network, Markov chain model along with the CSMA protocol is used for better utilization of the opportunity from the PU network (PUN). Channel utilization and probability of success are also derived and analyzed for this protocol with respect to idle time, collision (failure) time, various spectrum opportunities from PUN, number of SUs, and their fairness. This MAC scheme provides the optimal solution for channel utilization under a constraint on the probability of collisions. Numerical results are also provided to validate analysis of proposed MAC protocol and to investigate the performance behaviour of the optimal solution.

We propose an adaptive resource allocation algorithm for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based downlink cognitive radio network (CRN). The CRN has multiple secondary users (SUs) coexisting with multiple primary users (PUs). The aim is to maximize the total data throughput of SUs while ensuring interference leakage to PUs is below a threshold and quality of services (QoS) for SUs such as data rates and bit error rate (BER) are met. The algorithm optimally allocates radio resources such as subcarrier, spatial beams, powers and bits to each user using an integer linear programming (ILP) framework. The performance of the algorithm has been evaluated using simulation results.

In this study, the problem of robust adaptive power control (PC) in an underlay cognitive radio network with multiple secondary users (SUs) and primary users (PUs) is considered. Due to the effects of uncertainties (i.e. estimation errors, delays), the optimal PC (resource allocation) cannot guarantee the quality of service of SUs and PUs under imperfect channel state information and interference power of PUs. A robust resource allocation problem is formulated to maximise sum throughput of SUs under individual power constraints and signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio constraints of SUs as well as interference temperature constraints of PUs, whereas channel uncertainties and interference uncertainties induced into the secondary system are modelled by multiplicative uncertainties. Under the worst-case approach, the problem is transformed into a geometric programming problem solved by Lagrange dual methods. The performance of the different algorithms and the impact of uncertainties are discussed according to several simulation results.

Cognitive Radio Network is a form of communication where licensed frequency band of the Primary users (PUs) are made available to the Secondary user (SU) with constraint interference to the PUs. In this work, we have investigated a novel model considering interweave approach for spectrum access, with multiple primary users and single secondary user (SU). Multiple antennas have been considered at both the primary users as well as the secondary users. The activity of primary users are modeled as Poisson process. In addition, we also propose a new approach of sensing for a MIMO cognitive radio network using energy detection. The proposed method provides a closed form expression for probability of detection (P d ) and probability of false alarm (P f ) in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) channel. Further, the throughput of secondary user as well as interference on primary users caused due to secondary user transmissions, has been computed for the proposed model.

In this report, we point out on a system in which secondary user (SU) transmitter communicates with a SU receiver via a secondary relay (SR) under the interference from multiple primary users (PUs). Power allocated to SU transmitter on the basis of two constraints of PU, viz., outage threshold and outage transmission rate. In this case, performance of PU does not degrade due to these tolerable constraints. Direct link does not occur between the SU transmitter and receiver because of shadowing. A SR used to link the SU transmitter to SU receiver that is based on decode-and-forward (DF) scheme. Outage probability (OP) calculated by considering the interferences from all PUs at SR and secondary receiver. We see that the performance of SU network does not always degrade after the consideration of interferences from all PUs and thus, SU transmitter reliably communicates with its receiver under the specific range of primary transmit power of PUs in this system model. Results of this model are verified by the MATLAB simulation.

This paper investigates the secure communication issue for both static and dynamic cognitive radio networks (CRNs), where multiple nonaltruistic primary users (PUs), secondary users (SUs), and eavesdroppers exist. The design objective is to provide secure communications for PUs and, meanwhile, to ease the starvation of transmission opportunities for SUs. To achieve this goal, we propose a barter-like trading model to incentivize the cooperation among nonaltruistic users. Specifically, PUs leverage the assistance of SUs in the form of cooperative relaying or friendly jamming and, in return, yield certain licensed spectrum accessing time to the aided SUs. We propose a truthful nonmonetary double auction framework (FONDA) toward secure communications for static CRN where PUs and SUs interact in a single round. Then, we extend our framework to d-FONDA for dynamic CRN, where SUs who have patience (tolerant of traffic delay) arrive and leave the network dynamically. We prove that both FONDA and d-FONDA preserve nice economic properties, including truthfulness, individual rationality, and budget balance. Simulation results reveal that the proposed frameworks provide substantial performance gains compared with the baseline scheme and suffer acceptable performance degradation over ideal schemes.

In a cognitive radio ad hoc network (CRAHN), the secondary user node has a restricted range for sensing other users within the network. To enhance the performance of nodes (secondary and primary users) in a CRAHN, the problem of limited channel sensing range and interference should be reduced which would enable the simultaneous transmission of primary and secondary users. In this paper, a cooperative MAC (medium access control) protocol is proposed—MLCP, which exploits the concept of multichannel network, for obtaining high system throughput. The main purpose of the proposed protocol is to introduce cooperation among secondary users, using the common control channel. The presence of the primary user is detected and the information is shared among neighbouring secondary users within the network proactively. This protocol is simulated using Network Simulator 2 and analysed with respect to system throughput, packet delivery ratio, and end-to-end delay experienced by primary users. The performance of the proposed protocol is also compared with existing cooperative MAC protocol and non-cooperative MAC protocol network scenario.

This paper investigates the outage performance of dual-hop decode-and-forward (DF) cooperative spectrum sharing systems in the presence of multiple primary user (PU) receivers and multiple secondary user (SU) destinations. Our analysis allows for a general Nakagami-m fading environment where distinct fading parameters as well as unequal average fading powers between the interference and relaying links are assumed. Focusing on the cooperation process among the SU nodes and making use of the underlay cognitive approach, an exact closed-form expression for the outage probability is derived. Our analysis employs an opportunistic scheduling algorithm for selecting one out of L SU destinations available. Additional interference constraints are also considered due to the presence of multiple PU receivers. The effects of fading severity, SU relay placement, and number of PU receivers, and SU destinations on the end-to-end system performance are examined through some representative numerical plots. Monte Carlo simulation results are presented to corroborate the proposed analysis.

We investigate the interactive behavior and strategic decision-making between multiple secondary users (SUs) and primary users (PUs), both of which are end-to-end performance aware in cognitive networks. A Stackelberg game is utilized to formulate the spectrum utilization maximization problem after the complex interference situation is analyzed. Especially, an interference power cap (IPC) function predefined by PUs as a pricing function is introduced into the utility function design of SUs to guarantee QoS of PUs, as well as to decouple constraints. Further, an asymmetric information situation can be formed by considering PUs as leaders who employ the optimal water-filling algorithm, and the closed-form power strategy of SUs can be derived. And accordingly, SUs as followers can observe the available information to do more foresighted decision by learning. What is more, we prove the optimality and existence of the deceived solutions. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed distributed algorithm provides more spectrum revenue and better QoS guarantees to PUs with limited iterations.

An OFDM-based cognitive radio (CR) system that assumes a random carrier access method is studied herein paper, where secondary users (SUs) randomly access the subcarriers belonging to the primary network. The SUs do not have access to any information concerning the availability of primary users (PUs) subcarriers because no spectrum sensing mechanism is employed. Therefore, subcarrier collisions may occur between the subcarriers of SUs and PUs. In addition, inter-cell collisions among the subcarriers of SUs belonging to different cells can occur due to the inherent nature of random access scheme. This paper conducts a stochastic analysis of the number of subcarrier collisions between the SUs' and PU's subcarriers assuming fixed and random number of subcarriers for each user, respectively. As a performance benchmark, the expression of the average capacity of a SU is derived and simulated under the Rayleigh channel fading model.