A survey on MAC protocols for complex self-organizing cognitive radio networks

Complex self-organizing cognitive radio (CR) networks serve as a framework for accessing the spectrum allocation dynamically where the vacant channels can be used by CR nodes opportunistically. CR devices must be capable of exploiting spectrum opportunities and exchanging control information over a control channel. Moreover, CR nodes should intelligently coordinate their access between different cognitive radios to avoid collisions on the available spectrum channels and to vacate the channel for the licensed user in timely manner. Since inception of CR technology, several MAC protocols have been designed and developed. This paper surveys the state of the art on tools, technologies and taxonomy of complex self-organizing CR networks. A detailed analysis on CR MAC protocols form part of this paper. We group existing approaches for development of CR MAC protocols and classify them into different categories and provide performance analysis and comparison of different protocols. With our categorization, an easy and concise view of underlying models for development of a CR MAC protocol is provided

A consensus-based protocol for spectrum sharing fairness in cognitive radio ad hoc and sensor networks

Spectrum sharing fairness is an important topic in cognitive radio ad hoc networks (CRAHNs) and cognitive radio sensor networks (CRSNs). Consensus-based protocols can provide light-weight and efficient solutions for CRAHNs and CRSNs but the theoretical ground needs to be investigated for spectrum sharing fairness. In this paper, we investigate the convergence condition when applying a consensus-based protocol to spectrum sharing while ensuring spectrum sharing fairness. Based on the local observation and local control scheme using spectrum-related information, an individual cognitive node can effectively perform the spectrum sharing. Then we propose a consensus-based protocol for spectrum sharing. Supported with computer simulation results, we show the effectiveness of using the proposed consensus-based protocol to solve the spectrum sharing problems in CRAHNs and CRSNs

A novel MAC Protocol for Cognitive Radio Networks

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy from the University of BedfordshireThe scarcity of bandwidth in the radio spectrum has become more vital since the demand for wireless applications has increased. Most of the spectrum bands have been allocated although many studies have shown that these bands are significantly underutilized most of the time. The problem of unavailability of spectrum bands and the inefficiency in their utilization have been smartly addressed by the cognitive radio (CR) technology which is an opportunistic network that senses the environment, observes the network changes, and then uses knowledge gained from the prior interaction with the network to make intelligent decisions by dynamically adapting transmission characteristics. In this thesis, recent research and survey about the advances in theory and applications of cognitive radio technology has been reviewed. The thesis starts with the essential background on cognitive radio techniques and systems and discusses those characteristics of CR technology, such as standards, applications and challenges that all can help make software radio more personal. It then presents advanced level material by extensively reviewing the work done so far in the area of cognitive radio networks and more specifically in medium access control (MAC) protocol of CR. The list of references will be useful to both researchers and practitioners in this area. Also, it can be adopted as a graduate-level textbook for an advanced course on wireless communication networks. The development of new technologies such as Wi-Fi, cellular phones, Bluetooth, TV broadcasts and satellite has created immense demand for radio spectrum which is a limited natural resource ranging from 30KHz to 300GHz. For every wireless application, some portion of the radio spectrum needs to be purchased, and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) allocates the spectrum for some fee for such services. This static allocation of the radio spectrum has led to various problems such as saturation in some bands, scarcity, and lack of radio resources to new wireless applications. Most of the frequencies in the radio spectrum have been allocated although many studies have shown that the allocated bands are not being used efficiently. The CR technology is one of the effective solutions to the shortage of spectrum and the inefficiency of its utilization. In this thesis, a detailed investigation on issues related to the protocol design for cognitive radio networks with particular emphasis on the MAC layer is presented. A novel Dynamic and Decentralized and Hybrid MAC (DDH-MAC) protocol that lies between the CR MAC protocol families of globally available common control channel (GCCC) and local control channel (non-GCCC). First, a multi-access channel MAC protocol, which integrates the best features of both GCCC and non-GCCC, is proposed. Second, an enhancement to the protocol is proposed by enabling it to access more than one control channel at the same time. The cognitive users/secondary users (SUs) always have access to one control channel and they can identify and exploit the vacant channels by dynamically switching across the different control channels. Third, rapid and efficient exchange of CR control information has been proposed to reduce delays due to the opportunistic nature of CR. We have calculated the pre-transmission time for CR and investigate how this time can have a significant effect on nodes holding a delay sensitive data. Fourth, an analytical model, including a Markov chain model, has been proposed. This analytical model will rigorously analyse the performance of our proposed DDH-MAC protocol in terms of aggregate throughput, access delay, and spectrum opportunities in both the saturated and non-saturated networks. Fifth, we develop a simulation model for the DDH-MAC protocol using OPNET Modeler and investigate its performance for queuing delays, bit error rates, backoff slots and throughput. It could be observed from both the numerical and simulation results that when compared with existing CR MAC protocols our proposed MAC protocol can significantly improve the spectrum utilization efficiency of wireless networks. Finally, we optimize the performance of our proposed MAC protocol by incorporating multi-level security and making it energy efficient

BIOlogically-inspired spectrum sharing in cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio is the promising radio technology, which aims to detect and utilize the temporally unused spectrum bands by sensing its radio environment in order to enhance spectrum utilization. However, these objectives bring significant challenges and required functionalities such as spectrum sensing, sharing, management and mobility for the realization of Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN). In particular, efficient spectrum sharing problem in cognitive radio communication is one of the most important problem which must be addressed in order to enhance the overall spectrum utilization in dynamic spectrum access environments. In this paper, we introduce a new BIOlogically-inspired Spectrum Sharing (BIOSS) algorithm which is based on the adaptive task allocation model in insect colonies. Without need for any coordination among the unlicensed users, BIOSS enables each unlicensed user to distributively determine the appropriate channel(s) over which it can communicate. Performance evaluations clearly reveal that BIOSS achieves efficient dynamic spectrum sharing with high spectrum utilization and without any coordination among the users and hence yielding no spectrum handoff latency overhead due to coordination. © 2007 IEEE

BIOlogically-Inspired Spectrum Sharing in Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio is the promising radio technology, which aims to detect and utilize the temporally unused spectrum bands by sensing its radio environment in order to enhance spectrum utilization. However, these objectives bring significant challenges and required functionalities such as spectrum sensing, sharing, management and mobility for the realization of Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN). In particular, efficient spectrum sharing problem in cognitive radio communication is one of the most important problem which must be addressed in order to enhance the overall spectrum utilization in dynamic spectrum access environments. In this paper, we introduce a new BIOlogically-inspired Spectrum Sharing (BIOSS) algorithm which is based on the adaptive task allocation model in insect colonies. Without need for any coordination among the unlicensed users, MOSS enables each unlicensed user to distributively determine the appropriate channel(s) over which it can communicate. Performance evaluations clearly reveal that BIOSS achieves efficient dynamic spectrum sharing with high spectrum utilization and without any coordination among the users and hence yielding no spectrum handoff latency overhead due to coordination

Metodologia de sensoriamento e acesso dinâmico aos canais em redes de sensores sem fio

A melhora na eficiência do uso do espectro de radiofrequência é fundamental para permitir um desempenho adequado dos diversos sistemas sem fio cuja complexidade e requerimentos aumentam a cada dia. O panorama atual de atribuição de canais é estático, tolerando assim, que o espectro de radiofrequência seja usado de forma desequilibrada, gerando com isso, problemas de coexistência em algumas faixas e subutilização de recursos em outras. Para contornar esse problema, tem sido proposta a ideia de introduzir algoritmos de cognição nos dispositivos sem fio, a fim de permitir um modelo de alocação dinâmico adicional. Neste, os usuários secundários equipados com rádios cognitivos podem utilizar de forma dinâmica os canais subutilizados de usuários primários. Um usuário primário tem prioridade de uso do canal como consequência da atribuição estática, porém, o uso do canal por um usuário secundário qualquer é oportunista e limitando ao tempo de inatividade do usuário primário em um determinado local. As redes de sensores sem fio trabalham em uma banda concorrida e são sistemas que podem melhorar seu desempenho utilizando um mecanismo de acesso dinâmico aos canais, possibilitando o aproveitamento dos períodos de inatividade de usuários primários ou aumentando sua capacidade de coexistência na banda de operação atual. Segundo a literatura pesquisada são vários os desafios existentes para conseguir um método distribuído de acesso dinâmico aos canais que considere as restrições de trocas de sinalizações, consumo de energia e complexidade dos dispositivos de uma rede de sensores sem fio. Neste contexto, propõe-se uma metodologia de sensoriamento e acesso dinâmico aos canais para uma rede de sensores sem fio considerando a simplicidade dos dispositivos. Como fatores de inovação, optou-se pela definição de uma política de sensoriamento por clusters que permite realizar uma aprendizagem cooperativa por reforço da situação dos canais de operação. Além disso, a definição de um mecanismo de acesso dinâmico aos canais fundamentado no padrão IEEE 802.15.4 permite comunicação e coordenação distribuída de forma assíncrona. O funcionamento da metodologia proposta é avaliado e comparado usando simulações e experimentos mediante um estudo de caso específico. As comparações são realizadas com métodos de seleção de canal: fixa, cega ou baseada em recompensas por acesso. Os resultados mostram a eficiência no acesso dinâmico aos canais com aumentos na taxa de entrega de mensagens e na capacidade de coexistir com as redes primárias.The efficiency improvement of the use of radiofrequency spectrum is fundamental to allow more complex and more optimal wireless systems. The current channel allocation is static. It tolerates unbalanced use of the radiofrequency spectrum generating coexistence problems in some bands and underutilization of resources in other bands. The introduction of cognitive algorithms into wireless devices has been proposed to overcome that problem, in order to allow an additional dynamic allocation model. In this, the secondary users equipped with cognitive radios will be able to use dynamically the underutilized channels of primary users. A primary user has channel usage priority related to the static allocation, on the other hand, the use of the channel by any secondary user is opportunistic and limited to the inactivity time of the primary user in a specific place. Wireless sensor networks work in a competitive band. These systems can improve their performance using a dynamic access to the channels and consequently to enable the utilization of inactivity periods of primary users or to increase the coexistence capability at their current operation band. According to the researched literature, several challenges exist to find a distributed method for dynamic access to the channels considering the restrictions on control signaling, energy consumption and computational complexity of wireless sensor network devices. In this context, a methodology of sensing and dynamic access to the channels in a wireless sensor network considering the restrictions of the devices is proposed. As innovation, we opted for the definition of a sensing policy by clusters that allows the cooperative reinforcement learning of the situation of channels. In addition, a mechanism for dynamic access to the channels based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is defined to allow asynchronous and distributed coordination. The behavior of the proposed methodology is evaluated and compared using simulations and experiments through a specific case study. The comparisons are performed with channel selection methods: fixed, blind and access based. The results show good efficiency in the dynamic allocation of the channels, increasing the message delivery rate and the coexistence capability