Performance analysis of cognitive radio networks with channel assembling and imperfect sensing

This paper investigates the performance of a wideband cognitive radio network where each cognitive user can assemble multiple primary channels. Two channel assembling schemes are considered: a constant channel assembling (CCA) and a variable channel assembling (VCA). In the variable channel assembling scheme, cognitive users assemble their channels on the basis of the number of detected residual channels that are unoccupied by primary users or cognitive users. The effects of imperfect spectrum sensing (with false alarms and misdetections) are taken into account and it is assumed that spectrum handover is implemented in the secondary network. These channel assembling schemes are analyzed by using Continuous-time Markov chains (CTMC), and the system performance is evaluated in terms of throughput, blocking probability, and forced termination probability. Numerical results show that channel assembling achieves lower forced termination probability, but does not increase achieved system throughput and leads to higher blocking probability. They also show that VCA outperforms CCA in terms of throughput and forced termination probability.