Guaranteeing QoS using Unlicensed TV White Spaces for Smart Grid Applications

摘要

In this paper, we consider the utilization of TV White Spaces (TVWS) by smallCognitive Radio (CR) network operators to support the communication needs ofvarious smart grid applications. We first propose a multi-tier communicationnetwork architecture for smart metering applications in dense urbanenvironments. Our measurement campaign, without any competition from other CRoperators, reveals that the communication architecture can achieve more than1Mbps data rates using the free unlicensed TVWS spectrum. However, anticipatingstiff competition for the unlicensed TVWS spectrum among CR operators and tosupport smart grid applications with stringent Quality of Service (QoS)requirements, we further exploit the novel idea of high priority channels (HPC)that the CR operator can temporarily lease by paying a small fee. This posesseveral new challenges for the CR operators, such as, their economic viabilitywhile providing QoS guarantees. We develop a real-time decision supportframework with several adjustable parameters for the CR operators that enablesthem to tradeoff HPC leasing cost and QoS. The developed algorithms are simplerules that provide significant opportunities to the CR operators to maintain abalance between spectrum cost and QoS depending on dynamic spectrumavailability and smart grid application requirements.