Optimal multi-threshold quantization scheme for bioinformatics inspired cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks

Hard decision combination provides bandwidth efficiency but the results produced are unreliable while soft decision combination has better results but at the expense of much consumption of bandwidth. An acceptable trade-off is achieved between the two in case of quantized decision combination. In this paper an optimal quantization scheme is proposed in which the local sensing information is quantized so the maximum detection probability is met while the false alarm probability remains under a certain constraint. The proposed optimal scheme works on the basis of energy detection and the local quantization thresholds are found through iterative search. Smith–Waterman algorithm (SWA) is used to compare the local sensing reports of the CR users and similarity indexes are found for the CR users. The local sensing decisions of the CR users below a certain calculated threshold are rejected and are not included in the final decision combination at the FC. For detailed analysis, SWA-based rules of decision combination with optimal quantization thresholds are compared with a scheme that employs SWA-based rules of decision combination with heuristically selected quantization thresholds and a conventional majority combination scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme performs better than the other two schemes.