Three-user cognitive interference channel: capacity region with strong interference

Abstract

This study investigates the capacity region of a three-user cognitive radio network with two primary users and one cognitive user. A three-user cognitive interference channel (C-IFC) is proposed by considering a three-user interference channel (IFC) where one of the transmitters has cognitive capabilities and knows the messages of the other two transmitters in a non-causal manner. First, two inner bounds on the capacity region of the three-user C-IFC are obtained based on using the schemes which allow all receivers to decode all messages with two different orders. Next, two sets of conditions are derived, under which the capacity region of the proposed model coincides with the capacity region of a three-user C-IFC in which all three messages are required at all receivers. Under these conditions, referred to as strong interference conditions, the capacity regions for the proposed three-user C-IFC are characterised. Moreover, the Gaussian three-user C-IFC is considered and the capacity results are derived for the Gaussian case. Some numerical examples are also provided.