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Cognitive Radio

An intelligent radio that can be programmed and configured dynamically to use the best wireless channels in its vicinity to avoid interference and congestion.

AbbreviationCR
Categorynetwork

Overview

Cognitive radio is an evolution of SDR. It 'senses' the radio environment and automatically adjusts its parameters (frequency, power, modulation) to find 'white spaces'—unused portions of the spectrum.

Key Functions

  • Spectrum Sensing: Detecting which frequencies are currently in use.
  • Spectrum Management: Deciding which frequency to use based on policy and availability.
  • Spectrum Sharing: Allowing multiple users to share the same frequency without interference.

Goal

To solve the problem of spectrum scarcity by making much more efficient use of the available radio frequencies.