Diversity-based spectrum sensing policy for detecting primary signals over multiple frequency bands

Cognitive radios and flexible spectrum use (FSU) provide an efficient way to exploit underutilized radio spectrum by allowing secondary users to access licensed frequencies in an agile manner with the constraint that the licensed user will not be interfered. In order to identify such spectral opportunities, spectrum sensing is needed by the secondary users. In this paper a cooperative spectrum sensing policy employed by spatially displaced multiple cognitive radios is proposed. It enables sensing of multiple potentially discontinuous frequency bands simultaneously and facilitates mitigating the effects of shadowing and fading through spatial diversity.