Large-Scale Distributed Internet-based Discovery Mechanism for Dynamic Spectrum Allocation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a scalable, decentralized Internet-based discovery protocol for dynamic spectrum allocation, enabling efficient radio device detection without extensive infrastructure, suitable for large networks and limited devices.

Contribution

It proposes a novel decentralized discovery protocol and architecture for radio devices, scalable to millions of nodes, with real-world implementation on Wi-Fi routers.

Findings

Protocol scalable to 2.3 million nodes in simulation

Low resource requirements suitable for limited platforms

Successful implementation on real Wi-Fi routers

Abstract

Scarcity of frequencies and the demand for more bandwidth is likely to increase the need for devices that utilize the available frequencies more efficiently. Radios must be able to dynamically find other users of the frequency bands and adapt so that they are not interfered, even if they use different radio protocols. As transmitters far away may cause as much interference as a transmitter located nearby, this mechanism can not be based on location alone. Central databases can be used for this purpose, but require expensive infrastructure and planning to scale. In this paper, we propose a decentralized protocol and architecture for discovering radio devices over the Internet. The protocol has low resource requirements, making it suitable for implementation on limited platforms. We evaluate the protocol through simulation in network topologies with up to 2.3 million nodes, including topologies generated from population patterns in Norway. The protocol has also been implemented as proof-of-concept in real Wi-Fi routers.