Optimal RF Beamforming for MIMO Cognitive Networks

Secondary receivers in Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Cognitive Radio (CR) networks combat interference from primary transmitters while equipped with whitening filters. However, when the MIMO secondary users are employing Radio Frequency (RF) beam-forming networks at the transmitter/ receiver front ends to improve the MIMO transmission performance, the whitening filters cannot perform interference cancellation. In this chapter, transmit/receive optimum RF beamforming is proposed for a MIMO spatial multiplexing system. The performance of the optimally designed RF beamforming technique is evaluated over a Rician channel via computer simulations. Simulation results are assessed for different RF beamforming structures and the number of primary transmitters causing interference on the secondary receiver.