Monitoring the detailed characteristics of an operational cognitive radio network in white space is critical to many system administrative tasks. It faces unique challenges due to dynamic spectrum access policy, low-power primary users, wide spectrum, and radio agility. Towards reliable and efficient monitoring of cognitive radio networks in white space, this project develops mechanisms for monitoring the activity of low power primary users (wireless microphones) and secondary networks. There are two main thrusts in this project. The first thrust focuses on a novel approach for reliable and fast detection of wireless microphone systems by integrating acoustic sensing and RF sensing under low SNR and multi-user scenarios. The second thrust is on customizable efficient monitoring of the traffic and spectrum usage pattern in secondary networks with limited number of monitors through online learning and dynamic monitoring channel switching.
The research will open up a new avenue for reliable, fast, and low-complexity primary user (wireless microphone) monitoring in white space. It will promote the understanding of the data monitoring problem in dynamic spectrum access systems, and largely facilitate the operation and optimization of cognitive radio networks in white space. This project develops curricula and educates students. Materials of this project will be available online in the forms of tutorials, talks, publications, and software toolkits. Major results will be disseminated through presentations and publications in meetings, conferences and journals.
