Detection of Small-Scale Primary Users in Cognitive Radio Networks

Abstract—In cognitive radio networks (CRNs), detecting smallscale primary devices, such as wireless microphones, is a challenging, but very important, problem that has not yet been addressed well. Recently, cooperative sensing and sensing scheduling have been advocated as an effective MAC (medium access control) layer approach to detecting large-scale primary signals. However, it is unclear whether and how they can improve the detection of a small-scale primary signal because of (i) its small signal footprint due to the use of weak transmit-power, and (ii) the unpredictability of its spatial and temporal spectrumusage patterns. Based on extensive analysis and simulation, we identify the data-fusion range as a key factor that enables effective cooperative sensing for detection of small-scale primary signals. In particular, we derive a closed-form expression for the optimal data-fusion range that minimizes the average detection delay. We also observe that the sensing performance is sen...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: JSAC
• Authors: Alexander W. Min, Xinyu Zhang, Kang G. Shin
• Keywords: Detection, JSAC 2011, Primary Signals, Sensing