On spectrum sensing duration in cognitive wireless sensor networks

Frequency agility is considered as an indispensable feature of next-generation wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which will have to cope with highly interfered environments due to the increasing diffusion of wireless devices operating in unlicensed bands. In this paper we investigate some design aspects related to spectrum sensing in “cognitive” WSNs, relating the duration of sensing time to the probability of error in channel selection and analyzing the tradeoff between sensing duration and average throughput. Results are based on a realistic model, consistent with previous experimental works and existing testbeds.