Sensing Throughput Optimization in Fading Cognitive Multiple Access Channels With Energy Harvesting Secondary Transmitters

The paper investigates the problem of maximizing expected sum throughput in a fading multiple access cognitive radio network when secondary user (SU) transmitters have energy harvesting capability, and perform cooperative spectrum sensing. We formulate the problem as maximization of sum-capacity of the cognitive multiple access network over a finite time horizon subject to a time averaged interference constraint at the primary user (PU) and almost sure energy causality constraints at the SUs. The problem is a mixed integer non-linear program with respect to two decision variables namely spectrum access decision and spectrum sensing decision, and the continuous variables sensing time and transmission power. In general, this problem is known to be NP hard. For optimization over these two decision variables, we use an exhaustive search policy when the length of the time horizon is small, and a heuristic policy for longer horizons. For given values of the decision variables, the problem simplifies into a joint optimization on SU \textit{transmission power} and \textit{sensing time}, which is non-convex in nature. We solve the resulting optimization problem as an alternating convex optimization problem for both non-causal and causal channel state information and harvested energy information patterns at the SU base station (SBS) or fusion center (FC). We present an analytic solution for the non-causal scenario with infinite battery capacity for a general finite horizon problem.We formulate the problem with causal information and finite battery capacity as a stochastic control problem and solve it using the technique of dynamic programming. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the performance of the various algorithms

Energy Harvesting Wireless Communications: A Review of Recent Advances

This article summarizes recent contributions in the broad area of energy harvesting wireless communications. In particular, we provide the current state of the art for wireless networks composed of energy harvesting nodes, starting from the information-theoretic performance limits to transmission scheduling policies and resource allocation, medium access and networking issues. The emerging related area of energy transfer for self-sustaining energy harvesting wireless networks is considered in detail covering both energy cooperation aspects and simultaneous energy and information transfer. Various potential models with energy harvesting nodes at different network scales are reviewed as well as models for energy consumption at the nodes.Comment: To appear in the IEEE Journal of Selected Areas in Communications (Special Issue: Wireless Communications Powered by Energy Harvesting and Wireless Energy Transfer

Power-Optimal Feedback-Based Random Spectrum Access for an Energy Harvesting Cognitive User

In this paper, we study and analyze cognitive radio networks in which secondary users (SUs) are equipped with Energy Harvesting (EH) capability. We design a random spectrum sensing and access protocol for the SU that exploits the primary link's feedback and requires less average sensing time. Unlike previous works proposed earlier in literature, we do not assume perfect feedback. Instead, we take into account the more practical possibilities of overhearing unreliable feedback signals and accommodate spectrum sensing errors. Moreover, we assume an interference-based channel model where the receivers are equipped with multi-packet reception (MPR) capability. Furthermore, we perform power allocation at the SU with the objective of maximizing the secondary throughput under constraints that maintain certain quality-of-service (QoS) measures for the primary user (PU)