NeTS: Small: Inducing and Exploiting Spectrum Predictability via Traffic Shaping and Mobility for Cognitive Communication in White Space

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Spectrum opportunities in white space hinge heavily on the traffic patterns of the licensed users (PUs), and vary across space, time, and frequency. Making a paradigm shift, this project advocates to leverage traffic shaping and mobility patterns of PUs for inducing predictable structures of spectrum holes in the spatio-temporal domain, which in turn enables more efficient spectrum access by cognitive radio users. With such a common thread, this project will 1) study joint traffic shaping and network coding for PUs, as a spectrum shaper, to induce predictive structures in spectrum holes; 2) investigate SUs? cognitive transmissions via adaptive file fragmentation and predetermined file fragmentation that can match the characteristics of spectrum opportunities discovered on the fly; and 3) explore cognitive routing via exploiting PU-mobility predictability. Efficient spectrum usage will facilitate a wide variety of scientific and engineering applications and result in a significant impact on the society at large. This research will open a new direction for spectrum shaping that induces predictable structures of spectrum opportunities, which can then be exploited by SUs for effective cognitive communications. The findings will advance the state-of-the-art of cognitive radio networking and spur a new line of thinking. Another major task of this project is to integrate research with educational activities. In particular, the PIs will continue to involve under-represented and minority students in research.