Today's wireless services have come a long way since the rollout of the conventional voice-centric cellular systems. The demand for wireless access in voice and high data rate multi-media applications has been increasing. New generation wireless communication systems are aimed at accommodating this demand through better resource management and improved transmission technologies. The interest in increasing the Spectrum Access and improving the Spectrum Efficiency combined with both the introduction of Software Defined Radios and the realization of the idea that machine learning can be applied to radios has created new intriguing possibilities for wireless radio researchers. In this tutorial, we will discuss the cognitive radio, software defined radio, and adaptive radio concepts from several aspects. Cognitive radio and cognitive networks are investigated from a broad aspect of wireless communication system enhancement while giving special emphasis on better spectrum utilization. The scope will include the following:
Application of SDR in advanced communication systems
Adaptive wireless communication systems
Parameter estimation for adaptation of wireless communication systems (learning environment and other factors)
Spectrum efficiency and soft spectrum usage
Multi-dimensional spectrum awareness
Applications of cognitive radio (specifically for public safety)
Femto-cells and relation to cognitive radio
Cognitive OFDM(A)
Spectrum, network, context, environment, location awareness
Blind receiver design
Interference awareness
Signal analysis, signal awareness