Centralized channel assignment algorithm for OSA-enabled WLANs based on simulated annealing

Channel allocation problem is a major task, especially in dense deployments of wireless local area networks (WLANs). In such cases, opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) is considered to be a promising approach to diminish congestion of the ISM band in highly dense WLANs scenarios. OSA allows to secondary users, the use of underutilized licensed channels, without affecting legacy users. In this paper, centralized simulated annealing algorithms applied to uncoordinated and congested WLANs deployments are developed. Unlike currents channel assignments mechanisms, several distinguished issues should be addressed for OSA-enabled WLANs: band prioritization and channel bandwidth. On this basis, the development and assessment of centralized simulated annealing algorithms (CSA) that cope with the OSA channel allocation problem and considers channel prioritization and channel bandwidth restrictions, are presented.