An Architecture for Coexistence with Multiple Users in Frequency Hopping Cognitive Radio Networks

The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a limited resource. Spectrum allotment disputes stem from this scarcity as many radio devices are confined to a fixed frequency. One alternative is to incorporate reconfigurability within a cognitive radio platform, thereby enabling the radio to adapt to dynamic RF spectrum environments. In this way, the radio is able to actively observe the RF spectrum, orient itself to the current RF environment, decide on a mode of operation, and act accordingly, thereby sharing the spectrum and operating in more a flexible manner. This research presents a novel architecture for the purpose of adapting radio operation to the current RF spectrum environment. Specifically, this research makes three contributions: (1) a framework for testing and evaluating clustering algorithms in the context of cognitive radio networks, (2) a new RF spectrum map merging technique for adaptive waveform selection, with initial integration testing on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and (3) a novel cognitive radio network emulation framework for testing and evaluating totally-ordered multicast as a means for inter-node communication.