Effects of Co-Channel Interference on the Error Probability Performance of Multi-Hop Relaying Networks

We introduce closed-form lower bounds for the performance of multi-hop wireless networks with non-regenerative relays over Rayleigh fading channels in the presence of co-channel interference. The analysis assumes an arbitrary number of independent and identically distributed Rayleigh interferers. Novel closed-form expressions are obtained for the probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function of the upper bounded end-to-end signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at the destination node. These results are then used to study the average error probability. Furthermore, an approximate expression for the PDF of the instantaneous end-to-end SINR is derived, based on which general asymptotic expression for the error probability is presented and discussed. Moreover, analytical comparison of the error probability achieved by amplify-and-forward and decode-and-forward multi-hop transmissions is provided. Using these expressions, the effect of co-channel interference on system performance is investigated.