IEEE 1900.5.2: Standard Method for Modeling Spectrum Consumption: Introduction and Use Cases

Dynamic spectrum access (DSA) is a critical technology that allows diverse systems to rapidly adjust spectrum assignments and share spectrum with each other. This greatly improves overall spectrum efficiency at a time when demands for spectrum are rapidly increasing. Wireless services that use DSA or spectrum sharing mechanisms require a well-defined means to communicate how each device or system is using spectrum resources in a particular situation or at a specific location. Spectrum consumption models (SCMs) address this requirement by providing a means to capture the spectral, spatial, and temporal characteristics of spectrum usage for any specific wireless transmitter, receiver, system, or collection of systems. The 1900.5 Working Group of the IEEE Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks Standardization Committee (DySPAN-SC) has written the IEEE 1900.5.2 standard, which defines a data model for SCMs and procedures to arbitrate compatibility among combinations of RF devices and/or spectrum-dependent systems that have expressed the boundaries of their spectrum use with SCMs. This article provides an overview of the IEEE 1900.5.2 standard using example use cases to illustrate how SCMs can enable a wide variety of efficient spectrum use interactions. Additionally, the article provides a brief description of an open source software tool to facilitate and promote the use of SCMs.