A cluster‐based sequential cooperative spectrum sensing scheme utilizing reporting framework for cognitive radios

The cognitive radio ( CR ) technology is being considered as a novel approach for improving the spectrum utilization by detecting and using the vacant spectrum bands of licensed users. Cooperative spectrum sensing ( CSS ) is the most promising method for offering more reliable sensing performance compared to individual sensing. However, in a large CR network, CSS requires a huge number of sensing result transmissions from cognitive radio users ( CU s) to the fusion center ( FC ), which can result in overhead traffic of the control channel and lack of power consumption of the CU s. In this paper, we propose a cluster‐based sequential cooperative spectrum sensing ( SCSS ) scheme utilizing a reporting framework to reduce the number of direct reports from CU s to FC while keeping similar sensing performance as the conventional CSS . By using the proposed scheme, the power consumption in the sensing process and the overhead of the control channel can be significantly reduced. Simulation proves the efficiency of the proposed scheme. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.