Two-Layered Hierarchical Spectrum Sharing in Cooperative Cognitive Radio Networks: A Stable Matching with Peer Effects Approach

In this paper, we mainly address the problem of two-layered spectrum sharing between primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs) in a multi-channel cooperative cognitive radio network (CCRN). In CCRN, PUs select SUs as relays to increase their transmission rates while SUs gain the spectrum usage opportunities for transmitting their own traffics. However, how to select appropriate SUs as relays for PUs is still an important research issue, particularly in such an environment of multi-channel with multiple PUs and multiple SUs. In this work, we propose an approach of stable matching with peer effects, in which the stable matching and the swap matching algorithms are proposed to form the matched pairings between PUs and SUs, such that the SU will relay its paired-PU's data in exchange for gaining the spectrum usage opportunities. Finally, the benefits of the stable matching and the swap matching approaches comparing to the ones of random matching and optimal allocation are demonstrated by the simulations.