Performance analysis of spectrum sensing detection techniques for overlay users

Abstract

In the developing world, the usage of mobile phones and other data communication devices are unavoidable which results in congestion of spectrum. Cognitive Radio is a technology which helps us to use spectrum efficiently. Cognitive Radio offers a solution by utilizing the spectrum holes that represent the potential opportunities for non-interfering use of spectrum which requires three main tasks — Spectrum Sensing, Spectrum Analysis and Spectrum Decision Making. Spectrum Sensing means ability to measure, sense and be aware of the parameters related to radio channel characteristics, availability of the spectrum and transmit power, interference and noise, radio's operating environment, user requirements and applications. The Overlay Cognitive Radio model makes it possible to have two concurrent transmissions in a given interference region, where conventionally only one communication can take place at a given time. In this paper, spectrum sensing methods namely Computationally Efficient Energy Detection, Logical Selection and Wideband Spectrum Sensing using Sub-Nyquist Sampling are discussed.