On autocorrelation-based multiantenna spectrum sensing for cognitive radios in unknown noise

Recently several time-domain approaches relying on the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) paradigm have been pro posed for multiple antenna spectrum sensing in cognitive radios. These approaches are suitable for flat-fading channels in white noise with equal noise variances across antennas; knowledge of the noise variance is not required, unlike the energy detector. In this paper we investigate a method based on the sample autocorrelation of the received multiantenna signal where we allow the noise variances to be different at different antennas without requiring knowledge of their values. A performance analysis of the proposed detector is carried out. Supporting simulation examples are provided.