Rapid Estimation of TVWS: A Probabilistic Approach Based on Sensed Signal Parameters

The current demand for a wireless electromagnetic spectrum is higher than ever before due to rapid technological development in the field of information and communication technologies that has resulted in monumental growth in data-centric services. The usage of idle TV channels in the Television Ultra High Frequencies (TV-UHF) band (500-698 MHz), also known as Television White Spaces (TVWS), is a relatively new and promising concept for wireless connectivity that can be used to cater to the demand. A challenge in this setting is to figure out a fast and cost-effective method of TVWS presence estimation, such as the use of open hardware and software tools, reducing sensing time. This article proposes a Rapid Estimation Method (REM) for TVWS estimation that uses the statistical information of the sensed signals. Our probabilistic approach analyzes the collected parameters of more than eight million data samples taken by scanning the TV-UHF spectrum in the city of Windsor, ON, Canada. The calculated statistical parameters and a group of auxiliary parameters were combined to estimate rapidly the amount of TVWS available in the sensed locations. By applying the proposed rapid estimation method, the presence of TVWS was identified and verified with an accuracy of about 76% according to the results obtained, the average variation when comparing the calculated and detected probabilities of TVWS was in a range of 15%, and the method could be a viable solution to the spectrum need.