Abstract: Various cognitive communications system architectures and their corresponding Protocol Reference Models (PRMs) are disclosed. Such PRMs incorporate a Cognitive Plane in addition to conventional Data and Management Planes. The additional Cognitive Plane functionality may include, for example, spectrum sensing, spectrum management, geolocation, and security functions. The Cognitive Plane may further include a Policy Engine and a Learning and Reasoning Module. In some embodiments, Management Plane functions may be effectively combined to form a database of primitives (and their respective values) called a Management Information Base (MIB). In addition, techniques are provided by which various components of cognitive and non-cognitive, as well as mesh-enabled and non-mesh-enabled nodes in a network, inter-operate with each other. The architectures allow a Spectrum Manager (or Signal Space Manager) to combine information from various network layers (e.g.

Abstract: Domains are formed in a mobile ad hoc network by exchanging topology update messages among neighboring nodes, each message including the node coverage of the originating node. The node having an optimum coverage of its neighbors becomes a domain lead (DL) node, and nodes within hearing distance or range of the DL node form a network domain. Each domain node, including the DL, selects a set of bridge nodes (BNs) that can link the domain node to nodes in corresponding neighboring domains. All domain lead nodes in the network exchange messages to inform one another of the nodes contained in their respective domains. A node in one domain seeking a route for a message destined to a node in another domain, may send a route discovery (RDisc) message to the DL node of the inquiring node's domain. A responsive route resolution (RRes) message is returned to the inquiring node.