Cognitive Radio Technology

Echo Ridge proposes to conduct gap filling R&D in this crowded research field, all directed towards increasing CR functionality and performance, primary user interference minimization, and ease/realism of testing. PHY research to enable joint communications/radar/ jamming functionality in a CR will be conducted. Organic geolocation performance enhancements for primary and secondary nodes including receive-only nodes enabled by networking of CR will be researched. Performance modeling will be accomplished using DIGSIM, a field verified mature MATLAB-based location accuracy modeling tool. MAC research to enhance joint communications/radar/ jamming functionality in a CRN will be conducted. Design of a CRN test bed based on a commercial SDR platform with a novel architecture that supports a realistic wireless channel model without resorting to full scale field-based testing will be undertaken. The long term goal of test bed will be to provide necessary test data to move CR technology from the lab to field and market. BENEFIT: The proposed research will describe an approach and potential performance for cognitive radio platforms to provide joint communications/radar/jamming functionality. Joint functionality is useful to the DoD in terms of mission performance, flexibility, agility, cost and reliability. The research will increase organic geolocation performance which is a key input to spectrum sensing and therefore to the degree of primary user interference and CR radio QOS. Ultimately, meeting acceptable levels on these metrics will determine the future timing and use of CRs, both for government and commercial applications. The research will produce a design for a realistic and cost effective test bed. This is a key item in convincing skeptics of CR compatibility with primary users. The test bed can serve commercial policy making needs (FCC), and the equivalent of type certification for specific CR applications (i.e, use of CR in television bands).