Cognitive wireless networks: Challenges and opportunities

Considering the challenges of network heterogeneity and spectrum inefficient usage, the future wireless networks should have the intelligent network information awareness, flexible spectrum management, dynamic network reconfiguration abilities. The concept of cognitive wireless network (CWN) has been proposed that aims at improving radio resources utilization by taking advantage of unused licensed spectrum with proper interference mitigation techniques. This speech will focus on the key technologies in CWN, including wideband spectrum sensing, multi-domain cognitive database and dynamic spectrum management techniques. The cognitive radio based TD-LTE testbeds will also be introduced briefly based on the national funded “973” project. Furthermore, an open discussion of the challenges and opportunities in CWN from regulators, operators, equipment vendors and users are discussed. At last, the related CWN standards of ITU-R, IEEE and CCSA are introduced briefly.