Multilayer sensors for the Sensorial Radio Bubble

This paper introduces the new concept of the Sensorial Radio Bubble (SRB) for Cognitive Radio equipment, typically smart terminals. The SRB is a multi-dimensional space around CR equipment, with one dimension for each sensing capability. The SRB gives communication equipment the ability to explore the radio environment in order to provide knowledge about the spatial and spectral environment, and some context awareness. By analogy to the human sensorial bubble, we assert that this could permit cognitive radio equipment to plan its future behavior in order to predict and anticipate its reaction to environment evolution. In this paper we present details of the sensors required in the Sensorial Radio Bubble. The sensors of the SRB may be classified as a function of the OSI layers. A simplified three layer model is presented for our purpose. An example of a sensor in the lower layer is spectrum hole detection, for the intermediate layers the blind standard recognition sensor is described, and finally for the higher layers a video sensor is presented.