Configurable SDR Operation for Cognitive Radio Applications using GNU Radio and the Universal Software Radio Peripheral

With interoperability issues plaguing emergency responders throughout the country, Cognitive Radio (CR) offers a unique solution to streamline communication between police, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and military officers. Using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology, a flexible radio platform can be potentially configured using a Cognitive Engine (CE) to transmit and receive many different incompatible radio standards. In this thesis, an interface between a Cognitive Engine and an SDR platform is described which modifies (i.e., configures) the radio's operation. The interface is based upon communicating information via eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data files that contain the radio's Physical (PHY) parameters. The XML data files have been designed such that more development can be made to its structure as this research develops. The GNU Radio and the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) serve as the SDR platform for an example implementation. The example implementation involves importing XML data files into the SDR for quick configuration. Three configuration examples are used to describe this process.