Capacity Analysis for Path Selection Based DF MIMO-OSTBC Cooperative Wireless Systems

In this paper, we analyze the ergodic capacity of a path selection based Decode-and-Forward (DF) MIMO-OSTBC cooperative wireless system. Closed form expressions are derived for the ergodic capacity considering the availability of full as well as partial CSI at the source. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the ergodic capacity of the MIMO-OSTBC DF cooperative relaying system and verify the analytical expressions derived. Interestingly, it is observed that while the availability of full CSI at the source generally leads to a higher capacity, its performance gain over the scenario with partial CSI is only marginal when either the source-destination or source-relay link is relatively strong.