An Optimal Sensor Deployment Technique for Spectrum Monitoring Applications

Spectrum monitoring is a key element of spectrum management process, in which spectrum sensors are considered the most crucial component. In this paper, we discuss the problem of optimal sensor deployment for spectrum monitoring applications. Optimal sensor deployment can significantly reduce the cost of sensor deployment and improve spectrum monitoring performance and efficiency. An optimal sensor deployment technique is developed, which provides the minimized number of sensors required, as well as their locations of deployment, for monitoring transmissions by desired stations in an area of interest. The problem of optimal sensor deployment is formulated using binary linear integer programming that is solved using efficient numerical optimization algorithms. The technique is scalable in the sense that it considers the effects of pre-installed or existing spectrum sensors in the area. Finally, we apply the technique to an Ottawa area for deploying sensor to monitor all down-link transmissions in the 800 MHz Land Mobile Radio (LMR) band to demonstrate its effectiveness and performance.