Multiple stage hybrid spectrum sensing methods and systems for cognitive radio

1. A method for detecting at least one channel that is unused by a primary user in a cognitive radio system comprising:

communicating data on a particular channel for at least one secondary receiver;

iteratively scanning a set of channels by collecting samples for each channel in the set of channels and for each iteration of the scanning, wherein iterations of the scanning progressively removes channels from the set of channels based on the collected samples and updates states of the channels in the set based on the collected samples to obtain a set of candidate channels;

in response to detecting a pre-determined condition, precluding communications on the particular channel and evaluating at least one of the candidate channels by collecting additional samples on each of the at least one of the channels; and

selecting at least one of the evaluated candidate channels based on the evaluating for utilization by the at least one secondary receiver for data communication.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a total number of the samples collected for each of the channels in the set of channels in a given iteration of the scanning increases progressively as the iterations of the scanning progressively removes channels from the set of channels.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a given iteration of the iterations of the scanning removes a given channel from the set of channels based, at least in part, on samples collected for the given channel in at least one previous iteration of the iterations.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scanning further comprises applying a plurality of different procedures in a given iteration of the iterations to remove given channels from the set of channels.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of different procedures includes a first procedure and a second procedure and wherein the second procedure, relative to the first procedure, is more adapted to identify abrupt sample characteristic changes between iterations to detect that the primary user has utilized one of the given channels for data communication.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communicating data is performed during periodic intervals and wherein the scanning is performed successively during the periodic intervals.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the particular channel is excluded from the set of channels and wherein the method further comprises:

iteratively evaluating, during intervals that are between the periodic intervals, whether the primary user has utilized the particular channel.

8. A cognitive radio secondary user system comprising:

a transmitter device configured to transmit data on a particular channel;

a scanner module configured to iteratively scan a set of channels by collecting samples for each channel in the set of channels and for each iteration of the scan, wherein iterations of the scan progressively removes channels from the set of channels based on the collected samples and updates states of the channels in the set based on the collected samples to obtain a set of candidate channels; and

a searcher module configured to, in response to detecting a pre-determined condition, preclude communications on the particular channel and evaluate at least one of the candidate channels by collecting additional samples on each of the at least one of the channels, wherein the searcher module is further configured to select at least one of the evaluated candidate channels based on the evaluation to direct the transmitter device to transmit data transmissions on the selected channel.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a total number of the samples collected for each of the channels in the set of channels in a given iteration of the scan increases progressively as the iterations of the scan progressively removes channels from the set of channels.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein a given iteration of the iterations of the scan removes a given channel from the set of channels based, at least in part, on samples collected for the given channel in at least one previous iteration of the iterations.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the scanner module is further configured to apply a plurality of different procedures in a given iteration of the iterations to remove given channels from the set of channels.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of different procedures includes a first procedure and a second procedure and wherein the second procedure, relative to the first procedure, is more adapted to identify abrupt sample characteristic changes between iterations to detect that a primary user has utilized one of the given channels for data communication.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter device is configured to transmit the data on the particular channel during periodic intervals and wherein the scan is performed successively during the periodic intervals.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the particular channel is excluded from the set of channels and wherein the searcher module is further configured to evaluate, during intervals that are between the periodic intervals, whether a primary user has utilized the particular channel.