Optimal sensing period in cooperative relay cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio is an efficient technique to improve spectrum efficiency and relieve the pressure of spectrum resources. In this paper, we investigate the spectrum sensing period in cooperative relay cognitive radio networks; analyze the relationship between the available capacity and the signal-to-noise ratio of the received signal of second users, the target probability of detection and the active probability of primary users. Finally, we derive the closed form expression of the optimal spectrum sensing period in terms of maximum throughput. We simulate the probability of false alarm and available capacity of cognitive radio networks and compare optimal spectrum sensing period scheme with fixed sensing period one in these performance. Simulation results show that the optimal sensing period makes the cognitive networks achieve the higher throughput and better spectrum sensing performance than the fixed sensing period does. Cooperative relay cognitive radio networks with optimal spectrum sensing period can achieve the high capacity and steady probability of false alarm in different target probability of detection. It provides a valuable reference for choosing the optimal spectrum sensing period in cooperative relay cognitive radio networks.