Multi-band CSMA/CA-based cognitive radio networks

Abstract

A new flexible multiple access control (MAC) scheme embedding channelization in multi-band carrier sense multiple access / collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) systems is proposed to provide different priority classes among users, and its performance is investigated. In the proposed scheme, two priority classes of users, primary and secondary users, are considered; the classical CSMA/CA protocol is modified to multiband operation for secondary users, whereas channelization is provided for primary users to ensure the quality of service (QoS). The performance of the proposed MAC scheme is analyzed using a new multi-band CSMA/CA model based on a Markov chain capturing the primary user channel activity and the number of bands. The throughput of secondary users is obtained as a function of the primary user activity as well as other CSMA/CA parameters. It is shown that this mixed MAC scheme can guarantee the throughput of primary users certainly with minimal performance degradation to secondary users, especially when the number of available bands is large or the maximum contention window (CW) size for the CSMA/CA secondary users is small compared with the number of secondary users.