Automatic channel allocation using cognitive radio

Abstract

Due to the high demand of free channels and lack of channel regulation policies unlike in the licensed spectrum, users do not sufficiently utilise the open band and cause interference. As a result, conventional and traditional radios proven not to be sufficient. The present paper proposes a channel allocation method based on cognitive radio to automatically assign a user to the best available channel in the 2.4GHz spectrum. The approach used here studies the BIUST radio spectrum to measure the different power levels which also communicates the traffic distribution. Based on this information, a channel with less power is the best channel to allocate a user without causing interference to other users. It is evident that the proposed method gives better connectivity as shown by the even distribution of power signals across all channels in the power channel graphs. This is in comparison with the static approach where some channels are centralised while there are free channels. Without a need for the radio equipment to be configured, it is able to sense, measure and allocate itself using its software based environment unlike the conventional radio technology.