Queuing-Based Dynamic Channel Selection for Heterogeneous Multimedia Applications Over Cognitive Radio Networks

In this paper, we propose a dynamic channel-selection solution for autonomous wireless users transmitting delay-sensitive multimedia applications over cognitive radio networks. Unlike prior works that seldom consider the requirement of the application layer, our solution explicitly considers various rate requirements and delay deadlines of heterogeneous multimedia users. Note that the users usually possess private utility functions, application requirements, and distinct channel conditions in different frequency channels. To efficiently manage available spectrum resources in a decentralized manner, information exchange among users is necessary. Hence, we propose a novel priority virtual queue interface that determines the required information exchanges and evaluates the expected delays experienced by various priority traffics. Such expected delays are important for multimedia users due to their delay-sensitivity nature. Based on the exchanged information, the interface evaluates the expected delays using priority queuing analysis that considers the wireless environment, traffic characteristics, and the competing users´ behaviors in the same frequency channel. We propose a dynamic strategy learning (DSL) algorithm deployed at each user that exploits the expected delay and dynamically adapts the channel selection strategies to maximize the user´s utility function. We simulate multiple video users sharing the cognitive radio network and show that our proposed solution significantly reduces the packet loss rate and outperforms the conventional single-channel dynamic resource allocation by almost 2 dB in terms of video quality.