The optimal performance of cooperative communication systems as a function of location information quality

In this work we investigate the use of location information in the context of emerging 4G wireless communication systems, in which cooperative communication among mobile nodes is utilized. We first determine the optimal throughput achievable in such systems under the assumption of perfect knowledge on the locations of the mobile nodes. We then investigate how the system throughput is significantly affected by the introduction of realistic errors on the reported locations of the nodes. The analytical framework, and the supporting simulations, we provide allow 4G cooperative communication systems to be properly designed for realistic working conditions. Our work also provides key insight into the critical trade-off between the lifetime and performance of wireless cooperative communication systems. Knowledge of this trade-off in the context of cross-layer design is discussed.