In this paper, we introduce a hybrid strategy containing pattern search (PS) optimization and genetic algorithm (GA) to address the problem of power allocation in cognitive radio networks. Considering the fluctuating interference thresholds in cognitive networks, an approach for promoting the coexistence between licensed users and cognitive users is designed first. Then, based on the analysis of transmission outage probability, a corresponding objective function with regard to the power allocation over Rayleigh fading channels is obtained. Due to the nonlinearity and complexity of the optimization problem, it is uneasy to figure it out directly by using traditional methods, such as common mathematical deduction or linear programming. Inspired by the concept of intelligent algorithms, we try to employ the scheme of combining PS optimization and GA method, which are both efficient intelligent algorithms to resolve this difficulty. The reason why we apply a combined algorithm is it can overcome the instability of GA and the local convergency of PS method. Thus, the hybrid intelligent method can attain a global and steady outcome. We improve the performance of power allocation strategy with an acceptable increase of computation burden. The numerical results are encouraging and show the proposed approach is worthy of consideration in finding complicated power optimization. Thus, we achieve steady and rational outcomes by ap-