A Fully Integrated UHF-Band CMOS Receiver With Multi-Resolution Spectrum Sensing (MRSS) Functionality for IEEE 802.22 Cognitive Radio Applications

Fast and accurate spectrum sensing is one of the most important functions in a cognitive radio (CR) seeking to use the licensed but unoccupied spectrum segments. In this paper, we present a fully integrated CMOS receiver with a CR spectrum sensing capability in the UHF band. We propose multi-resolution spectrum sensing (MRSS), which is a digitally-assisted analog energy detection technique. Without using bulky analog filters, detection bandwidth can be flexibly controlled by correlating the received analog signals with window signal generated by built-in digital window generator. The integrated chip has been fabricated in a standard 0.18-mumm CMOS technology, and has achieved 32 dB of detection dynamic range with minimum detection sensitivity of -74 dBm by using a 100-kHz cos⁴ window.