Whisper-Key Location Verification Method in Cognitive Radio Networks

Like many systems that implement crowdsourcing, issues of trust and reliability of crowdsourced data arise. Thus, this research topic defines methods to secure and validate the location of crowdsourced nodes used for spectrum management. The research further focuses on the trust and security aspects that lead to the optimization of Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) using Spectrum Access Systems (SASs). The trusted and secure location data helps alleviate the complex and dynamic issues of a SAS accurately determining the presence of a Primary User (PU). The proposed application is for a Cognitive Radio Network or Spectrum Access System with a centralized core utilizing crowdsourced radios with a mix of operator-implemented nodes, stationary nodes, and mobile nodes. The combination of radio and internet-based communication methods with the validation algorithm provides a new method to identify users who report false location information. This new method is dubbed the Whisper-Key Location Verification method.