Energy Detector Based Spectrum Sensing Performance Analysis over Fading Environment

Abstract

Cognitive radio is a new concept of wireless communication that offers increased usage of the limited spectral resource and is considered to be a revolutionary technology that will influence how radio spectrum is accessed, accessed and controlled in the future. Spectrum sensing is needed to allow optimal use of spectral resource. Secondary user performs spectrum sensing to recognize the transmission possibilities. Secondary users have lower priority when using spectrum, so a basic principle is that secondary users should avoid / minimize interference with primary users. We seek to identify the transmission from primary users for the spectrum sensing. Detection of the primary transmitter assists in the recognition of the spectrum it uses. Utilizing spectrum sensing approach, secondary user starts communication if it detects a weak signal or white space. Because of multipath propagation and shadowing effects, primary transmitter's detection is severely influenced. There are numerous spectrum sensing mechanisms and one of them is energy detection approach.  In this paper, we have examined the impact of SNR on probability of detection in order to assess the performance of spectrum sensing using energy detector. Also the receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted for performance analysis of spectrum sensing employing energy detector. In addition, we also examined the impact of threshold value on the probability of the false alarm.