On the Capacity of the Two-User Gaussian Causal Cognitive Interference Channel

This paper considers the two-user Gaussian causal cognitive interference channel (GCCIC), which consists of two source-destination pairs that share the same channel and where one full-duplex cognitive source can causally learn the message of the primary source through a noisy link. The GCCIC is an interference channel with unilateral source cooperation that better models practical cognitive radio networks than the commonly used model which assumes that one source has perfect noncausal knowledge of the other source's message. First, the sum-capacity of the symmetric GCCIC is determined to within a constant gap. Then, the insights gained from the study of the symmetric GCCIC are extended to more general cases. In particular, the whole capacity region of the Gaussian Z-channel, i.e., when there is no interference from the primary user, and of the Gaussian S-channel, i.e., when there is no interference from the secondary user, are both characterized to within 2 bits. The fully connected general, i.e., no-symmetric, GCCIC is also considered and its capacity region is characterized to within 2 bits when, roughly speaking, the interference is not weak at both receivers. The parameter regimes where the GCCIC is equivalent, in terms of generalized degrees-of-freedom, to the noncooperative interference channel (i.e., unilateral causal cooperation is not useful), to the non-causal cognitive interference channel (i.e., causal cooperation attains the ultimate limit of cognitive radio technology), and to bilateral source cooperation are identified. These comparisons shed light into the parameter regimes and network topologies that in practice might provide an unbounded throughput gain compared to currently available (non cognitive) technologies.