In the case of Opportunistic Spectrum Access (OSA), unlicensed secondary users have only limited knowledge of channel parameters or other users' information. Spectral opportunities are asymmetric due to time and space varying channels. Owing to this inherent asymmetry and uncertainty of traffic patterns, secondary users can have trouble detecting properly the real usability of unoccupied channels and as a consequence visiting channels in such a way that they can communicate with each other in a bounded period of time. Therefore, the channel service quality, and the neighborhood discovery (NB) phase are fundamental and challenging due to the dynamics of cognitive radio networks. The authors provide an analysis of these challenges, controversies, and problems, and review the state-of-the-art literature. They show that, although recently there has been a proliferation of NB protocols, there is no optimal solution meeting all required expectations of CR users. In this chapter, the reader also finds possible solutions focusing on an asynchronous channel allocation covering a channel ranking.
Optimal spectrum access and power control of secondary users in cognitive radio networks
