A detector module (100) is operable in a cognitive radio device and capable of determining channel occupancy. The detector module comprises a sensor (110) for sensing incumbent signals at a variable sensing threshold, wherein the sensor generates a first occupancy indication indicating whether the channel includes an incumbent signal having a sensing metric above the variable sensing threshold; a geo-location unit (120) for generating a second occupancy indication based on a location of the detector module; and a decision unit (130) for generating an occupancy decision based on both the first occupancy indication and the second occupancy indication.