Prediction-based MAC-layer sensing in cognitive radio networks

We consider a cognitive radio network which coexists with multiple primary users PUs and secondary users SUs transmit over time-varying channels. In this scenario, one problem of the existing work is the poor performances of throughput and fairness due to variances of SUs' channel conditions and PUs' traffic patterns. To solve this problem, we propose a novel prediction-based MAC-layer sensing algorithm. In the proposed algorithm, the SUs' channel quality information and the probability of the licensed channel being idle are predicted. Through the earlier predicted information, we schedule the SUs to sense and transmit on different licensed channels. Specifically, multiple significant factors, including network throughput and fairness, are jointly considered in the proposed algorithm. Then, we formulate the prediction-based sensing scheduling problem as an optimization problem and solve it with the Hungarian algorithm in polynomial time. Simulation results show that the proposed prediction-based sensing scheduling algorithm could achieve a good tradeoff between network throughput and fairness among SUs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.