Towards Cognitive Networking: Automatic Wireless Network Recognition Based on MAC Feature Detection

Abstract

AbstractA cognitive radio device must be able to discover and recognize wireless networks eventually present in the surrounding environment. This chapter presents a recognition method based on MAC sub-layer features. Based on the fact that every wireless technology has its own specific MAC sub-layer behaviour, as defined by the technology Standard, network recognition can be reached by exploiting this particular behaviour. From the packet exchange pattern, peculiar of a single technology, MAC features can be extracted, and later they can be used for automatic recognition. The advantage of these “high-level” features, instead of physical ones, resides in the simplicity of the method: only a simple energy detector and low-complexity algorithms are required. In this chapter automatic recognition based on MAC features is applied at three cases of wireless networks operating in the ISM 2.4 GHz band: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and ZigBee. Furthermore, this idea is extended to underlay networks such as Ultra Wide Band networks. A study-case is also presented that provides an illustration of automatic classification between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks.KeywordsCognitive RadioCorrect Classification RateEnhance Distribute Channel AccessUltra Wide BandGuarantee Time SlotThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.