Cooperative CSMA mode identification in clustered networks

A sensing device, comprising

• a transceiver to monitor a communication signal;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver to
• receive from a Cluster Head (CH) a schedule comprising a listening period and an active sensing period;
• during the listening period, monitor an occupied communication channel of the communication signal;
• and
• during the active sensing period, transmit in the occupied communication channel a test signal wherein the processor increases a duty cycle of the test signal during repeated transmission.

A method for cognitive mode identification in a clustered network, the method comprising the steps of:

• broadcasting a schedule to a plurality of Sensor Nodes (SNs) in a cognitive network, wherein the SNs listen to communication signals and report communication signal patterns to a Cluster Head (CH) in accordance with the schedule;
• organizing SNs by Groups based on common reported communication signal patterns;
• assigning a distinctive test period to the Groups for an occupied communication channel, wherein the test period comprises a listening period and an active sensing period for the SNs;
• detecting a presence of at least one Carrier Sensing Multiple Access (CSMA) node in response to the test period;
• and
• allocating resources in the network for fair use of bandwidth in view of the presence of the at least one CSMA node,
• wherein during the test period the SNs compare communication signal readings in response to cooperatively transmitting test signals and listening for resulting communication signal produced from the at least one CSMA node on scanned channels.