DCR-MAC: distributed cognitive radio MAC protocol for wireless ad hoc networks

Abstract

The MAC protocol for a cognitive radio network should allow access to unused spectrum holes without (or with minimal) interference to incumbent system devices. To achieve this main goal, in this paper a distributed cognitive radio MAC (DCR-MAC) protocol is proposed for wireless ad hoc networks that provides for the detection and protection of incumbent systems around the communication pair. DCR-MAC operates over a separate common control channel and multiple data channels; hence, it is able to deal with dynamics of resource availability effectively in cognitive networks. A new type of hidden node problem is introduced that focuses on possible signal collisions between incumbent devices and cognitive radio ad hoc devices. To this end, a simple and efficient sensing information exchange mechanism between neighbor nodes with little overhead is proposed. In DCR-MAC, each ad hoc node maintains a channel status table with explicit and implicit channel sensing methods. Before a data transmission, to select an optimal data channel, a reactive neighbor information exchange is carried out. Simulation results show that the proposed distributed cognitive radio MAC protocol can greatly reduce interference to the neighbor incumbent devices. A higher number of neighbor nodes leads to better protection of incumbent devices. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.