NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Learning to help: Trading spectrum ownership for performance

Norfolk State University, Norfolk VA

Investigators

Abstract

In contrast with most existing dynamic spectrum access (DSA) paradigms which impose a `foe' relationship between primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs), this project investigates a new DSA paradigm which encourages PUs and SUs to help each other by trading spectrum ownership for improved overall performance. Specifically, this project designs two different schemes: (1) Give-And-Take (GAT) and (2) Network Coding + Secondary User Relay (NC+SR). The former does not need to change the radio or the protocol stack of PUs, while the latter assumes that PUs and SUs are capable of performing network coding. In GAT, SUs help deliver the traffic of PUs and in return are allowed to access licensed spectrum in a manner disruptive to PUs. The help constitutes the `give' part, and the disruptive spectrum accesses constitute the `take' part. In NC+SR, SUs help relay PU traffic between PUs. When relaying PU packets, SU relay nodes may encode SU packets onto PU packets via network coding, so that SU packets get a `free ride' on PU packets. Both GAT and NC+SR promise the improved performance of PUs as well as SUs. The project studies the issues of protocol design and performance optimization of the two schemes. Results from this project are expected to encourage incumbent licensed users to embrace DSA to further improve the capacity of wireless network. The project sustains a collaborative research team, and involves both graduate and undergraduate students, particularly the underrepresented minority students, in research.