Multi-domain cognition in cognitive radio networks

Environment cognition is the most distinct difference between cognitive radio and cognitive radio networks, and environment cognition extends from wireless environment to network environment and user environment. During the evolution from cognitive radio to cognitive radio networks, in order to investigate deeply on basic theories of environment cognition, the cognitive ability of wireless networks and the basic concept of cognitive network were studied. The concept of multi-domain cognition and mechanism of cognitive networks were proposed. Under the framework of cognitive theory, multi-domain cognition was divided into three layers, which were local multi-domain cognition, cooperative multi-domain cognition and initiative multi-domain cognition respectively. The framework of multi-domain cognition based on cognitive engine was described. Finally, investigations and basic theories on multi-domain cognition were presented. Those research results lay a foundation for the application of cognitive radio networks.