The life cycle of the rendezvous problem of cognitive radio ad hoc networks: A survey

In cognitive radio or dynamic spectrum access networks, a rendezvous represents meeting two or more users on a common channel, and negotiating to establish data communication. The rendezvous problem is one of the most challenging tasks in cognitive radio ad hoc networks. Generally, this problem is simplified by using two well-known mechanisms: the first uses a predefined common control channel, while the second employs a channel hopping procedure. Yet, these two mechanisms form a life cycle, when they simplify the rendezvous problem in cognitive radio networks. The main purpose of this paper is to point out how and why this cycle forms.