WLC37-2: An Efficient Cooperative Protocol for Multiuser-OFDM Networks

In this paper, we propose a relay-based scheme where a fixed number of relays are utilized to design a OFDM cooperative protocol. By exploiting limited feedback from the destination such that each relay is able to help forward information of multiple sources in one OFDM symbol, the proposed cooperative protocol not only achieves full diversity but also efficiently utilizes available bandwidth. A practical relay assignment scheme is also proposed to specify the pairing of sources and relays in cooperative networks. The outage probability analysis of the proposed cooperative protocol is provided, and the analytical results are validated via computer experiments. Moreover, a closed-form lower bound on the outage probability of any relay-assignment schemes is established to provide a performance benchmark of the proposed cooperative protocol. Based on the outage probability analysis, the optimum relay location for the proposed relay-assignment scheme is determined.