Spatial-temporal spectrum hole discovery: a hybrid spectrum sensing and geolocation database framework

A hybrid spectrum sensing and geolocation database framework is proposed to tackle the discovery of spatial-temporal spectrum hole in cognitive radio networks. We first analyze the advantages and disadvantages of spectrum sensing-based and geolocation database-based approaches respectively, which motivate us to further propose a hybrid protocol framework by effectively integrating the benefits of both spectrum sensing and geolocation database. Specifically, in the proposed hybrid approach, the goal is to maximize the utilization of spatial-temporal spectrum hole while satisfying the protection constraints for the primary users. Analytical and numerical results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed hybrid approach over the existing spectrum sensing only and geolocation database only approaches, in terms of interference-free throughput. This article serves as a fundamental framework for advancing the design of hybrid approaches for spatial-temporal spectrum hole discovery.