Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Our objective is to develop adaptive access technologies for cognitive radio (CR) networks. The major areas of the research to be pursued are: spectrum sensing techniques, efficient spectrum utilization algorithms, advanced transceiver and radio interface designs for cognitive physical layer, medium access control (MAC) optimization and admission controller design and enabling security mechanism. Specific topics include: advanced signal processing and cooperative sensing techniques for enhanced spectrum sensing algorithms, CR users' capacity maximization using adaptive sub-carrier allocation and power and rate adaptation algorithms, design and analysis of spectrum sharing algorithms which are capable of adaptive learning, developing advanced receiver for CR network using joint beam forming and space-time coding,  design of CR-radio interface, developing both offline and online mechanisms for adapting MAC layer parameters and design of admission controller via queuing analysis and identifying security threats in CR networks and enabling secure mechanisms. The scientific approach will be based on sound research principles involving literature survey, and analytical modeling combined with extensive numerical analysis and computer simulation. Implementation issues will be examined and carried out. The proposed research is significant as it will result in: less expensive user radios, accurate and comprehensive information on the local spectrum usage and increased level of spectrum efficiency due to dynamic spectrum access. Training of skilled graduate student and technology transfer to the Canadian industry is a strength of our proposal.