Carrot and stick model for dynamic secondary radio spectrum trade with QoS optimization

Abstract Cognitive Radios (CR) propose for an opportunistic access to new Secondary Users (SUs) in the white spaces existing in the already licensed radio spectrum on a non-interfering basis with the current Primary Users (PUs). The Secondary Spectrum Markets (SSMs) have lower operating costs as compared to those for the Primary Licensed Operators (PLOs) as they do not require to license dedicated spectrum bands for their operation. This naturally makes CR a disruptive technology and its emergence is inevitably subject to economic viability challenges and technological hijack threats by the PLOs. The existing literature does not address the possible use of economic malpractices by the PLOs to raise the spectrum reuse costs to be no longer affordable by their direct competitors. This research proposes a secondary spectrum trade model based on a carrot and stick rule to keep the business in the SSMs competitive and fair using monetary incentives and penalties based on participation behaviors. A methodology for QoS optimization using Genetic Algorithms (GAs) with respect to those requested by the SUs is implemented. The simulation results indicate that the overall revenues of the participating PLOs with unfair bidding behaviors are lowered due to the incurrence of penalty costs.