Cognitive radio network (CRN) is the wide and most popular emerging technology for a smart wireless communication environment rapidly in the recent years. Cognitive radio (CR) is an intelligent technology which provides eminent solution to the problem of spectrum scarcity and to allow the competent distribution of the available radio spectrum without affecting any destructive interference to the primary user (PU) in wireless networks. The utility of the spectrum sensing is to recognizing the offered and organizing through other users for spectrum access, increasing the channel utility, sinking collision rates, and growing detecting overhead are the primary aspects in cognitive radio medium access control protocols. The smart usage of radio spectrum widely depends on precise sensing of spectrum, mobility of spectrum and spectrum decisions. Therefore, the CR technology can considerably provide a smart solution to solve the spectrum scarcity problem by exploiting idle radio spectrum by licensed users. Though, several technical problems still essential to be solved for the suitable functioning of CRNs. The MAC protocols for CRNs should provide a comprehensive description of common control channels (CCC), sensing of spectrum, and harmful interference to PUs, the spectrum availability in distinction rates, the infrastructure support, required time management, and the quantity of radio transceivers. In this paper we studied the distinction MAC technology used for channel allocation and presented the literature survey on MAC protocols with their different usages and also highlight and explore some essential research issues and challenges that might drive further research in this field.

CR, MAC, CCC, DSA

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