Designing a real-time spectrum handoff algorithm for VoIP based Cognitive Radio Networks

Secondary Users (SUs) in a Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) face unpredictable interruptions in transmission due to the random arrival of Primary Users (PUs), leading to spectrum handoff or dropping instances. An efficient spectrum handoff algorithm, thus, becomes one of the indispensable components in CRN, especially for real-time communication like Voice over IP (VoIP). In this regard, this paper investigates the effects of spectrum handoff on the Quality of Service (QoS) for VoIP traffic in CRN, and proposes a real-time spectrum handoff algorithm in two phases. The first phase (VAST-VoIP based Adaptive Sensing and Transmission) adaptively varies the channel sensing and transmission durations to perform intelligent dropping decisions. The second phase (ProReact-Proactive and Reactive Handoff) deploys efficient channel selection mechanisms during spectrum handoff for resuming communication. Extensive performance analysis in analytical and simulation models confirms a decrease in spectrum handoff delay for VoIP SUs by more than 40% and 60%, compared to existing proactive and reactive algorithms, respectively and ensures a minimum 10% reduction in call-dropping probability with respect to the previous works in this domain. The effective SU transmission duration is also maximized under the proposed algorithm, thereby making it suitable for successful VoIP communication.