Principal Investigator: John Shea

Co-PI: Tan Wong

Sponsor: NSF

Start Date: October 1, 2016

End Date: September 30, 2020

Amount: $402,950

Abstract

Dynamic spectrum access (DSA) techniques offer the potential to use the radio spectrum more efficiently by allowing radios to sense which parts of the radio spectrum are not currently being used by the licensed users or other opportunistic users. However, detecting the presence of transmissions in a particular band is difficult because of randomness in the radio propagation environment and because radio signals can be received at very low power levels. Sensing the radio spectrum can be made more accurate by collecting and processing the sensing information from multiple radios. However, in combining this information, the locations and characteristics of the sensing radios may be revealed to the other radios or to various companies involved in collecting and combining the information.

This research project will develop novel techniques to protect the privacy of users involved in sensing the radio spectrum as part of a DSA system.