A Hybrid Cognitive Engine for Improving Coverage in 3G Wireless Networks

Third generation (3G) wireless networks have been well studied and optimized with
traditional radio resource management techniques, but still there is room for improvement.
Cognitive radio (CR) technology can bring significant network improvements by providing
awareness to the surrounding radio environment, exploiting previous network knowledge
and optimizing the use of radio resources using machine learning and artificial intelligence
techniques. Cognitive radio can also co-exist with legacy equipment thus acting as a bridge
among heterogenous communication systems. In this paper, we present a hybrid cognitive
radio engine for 3G wireless networks. The engine is designed using case-based reasoning
(CBR) and decision tree (DT) searches, as the main blocks to the engine's reasoning,
learning and optimization functions. The engine model was implemented and tested via
simulation, it was applied to improve coverage in the network.

Cognitive radio (CR) technology will be of great benefit

to current and future networks. Literature published in recent

years shows that adding basic CR techniques for spectrum

utilization improvement, radio resource management optimiza-

tion, and data mining of user information can yield significant

improvements in network performance [1], [2]. Currently,

efforts to define the evolution of 3G networks are well on

their way, the goal is to further reduce operators costs and

to improve service provisioning to the end-user [3]. In order

to achieve this goal operators and manufacturers are focusing

in four key aspects: increasing system coverage, increasing

system capacity, increasing data rates, and reducing latency.

Several solutions that address these issues have been proposed

[4]. Researchers have suggested new architectures, multi-

antenna solutions and evolved QoS and link layer approaches,

among others [3]. From these solutions, only a handful propose

applying cognitive radio [5]–[9].

The field of Cognitive Radio has transitioned from theory into reality as evidenced by
applications
emerging from pure paper research. Dynamic Spectrum Access is now almost
commonplace [1] and

several cognitive engine architectures are under development [2-4]. Artificial Intelligence
algorithms

comprised of decision making, learning and optimization toolboxes comprise the primary
elements of

these architectures and are typically founded upon the simple yet elegant Observe, Orient,
Decide, Act

(OODA) Loop developed by military strategist, John Boyd [5]. The Mitolla architecture
suggests

prediction aspects within the Plan phase, however there have been limited implementations
of predictive

elements within current cognitive radio efforts. Given the latency limitations imposed by
software

defined radio (SDR), any potential to speed up the cognitive process would be highly
beneficial. This

paper proposes a Proactive Communications strategy that employs mathematically based

artificial

intelligence prediction algorithms towards time-series based metrics and suggests applying
these future

values as inputs into cognitive radio‟s decision making framework.

A proactive paradigm would enable the radio to change its behavior before it needs to.
What if a

predictive engine ran in parallel but slightly ahead temporally of a cognitive radio engine?
Could this

predictive engine take in the same real-time environmental observations of „meters‟ that
our current

cognitive engines input in order to create an estimated prediction of the future values of
certain meters?

For example, a prediction engine could observe signal strength in order to provide the
cognitive engine

with advanced notice of potential changes requiring action. This predicted data could be
combined with
other location specific meters such as GPS direction, heading and velocity to enable the
cognitive engine

to make decisions on a faster time frame than using only real time meters. Additionally,
can we use

predictions to optimize current cognitive engine performance such as by trimming a case

based reasoning

(CBR) history file in order to reduce search time?

The technical merit of this research direction includes identifying candidate predictive
algorithms with

most potential for application to cognitive radio, developing fundamental definitions and
metrics for

proactive communications, correlating these metrics against user needs and applications,
identifying the

observable elements required for acceptable prediction and decision making, and even
identifying on the

basic level what constitutes and acceptable prediction as well as how to recover from bad
predictions.

Utilizing time series prediction with cognitive radio is a relatively uncharted area providing
opportunities

for novel contributions. Broader impacts beyond cognitive radio include improving always-
bestconnected paradigms across heterogeneous wireless mediums, smart-grid operations
where predication

capabilities can thwart potential brown outs, and vehicle-to-vehicle communications where
mobility and

safety-of-life needs require the ability to make decisions as fast as possible.

The structure of this paper is as follows. Section 2 provides an overview of artificial

intelligence

algorithms for decision making while Section 3 presents a summary of prediction

algorithms with

promising applications to Cognitive Radio. Metrics for assessing the success of prediction
algorithms are

summarized in Section 4. Section 5 proposes an initial research methodology for

researching the validity of a grey system based prediction engine for a cognitive radio with
foundations in mathematical analysis
of Grey Systems Theory.

This paper presented an overview of popular Artificial Intelligence algorithms used in

cognitive radio for

decision making and learning. Case Based Reasoning combined integrated with
additional optimization

is seen as the most promising method. A novel direction for developing a proactive
communications

paradigm is presented where predictive algorithms compliment existing cognitive radio

architectures.

Prevalent algorithms from the literature are discussed as well as metrics for assessing
validity of

prediction. Finally a proposed modular architecture for Proactive Communications is

presented with

preliminary analysis performed on a Grey Systems Theory GM(1,1) prediction

algorithm. The benefit

from developing Proactive Communications architectures, methods, and metrics has the
potential to

enhance the cognitive radio arena and has broader impacts across many disciplines.

Next steps for progressing this research include comparing several predictive
algorithms across the same

environment and data set and under a variety of comparison metrics. Once identified,
prediction modules

can be integrated in with existing cognitive radio architectures where single or multiple
metrics can be

replaced with their predicted values. We can then compare performance with and
without prediction on

the same platform and same data sets. There are many pitfalls and assumptions with
this research

direction that require further identification and assessment. These include that validity of
prediction
algorithms within the random environment of mobile wireless communications and their
capability to

work with truly random events such as intentional jamming. Furthermore, early on a
case must be made

for whether or not the computation expenses of predictive elements provide value
added benefit in terms

of lower latency and improved overall radio performan