Relaying Schemes Using Matrix Triangularization for MIMO Wireless Networks

Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) relay networks are wireless communication systems comprising of multiple nodes, each of which is equipped with multiple antennas. Information theories have shown that using multiple nodes to simultaneously relay a message can improve the capacity of source-to-destination communications. In this paper, we propose new relaying schemes for MIMO relay networks. The major concept behind the proposed schemes is to transform each of the MIMO relay channels into an equivalent triangular channel with positive real diagonal entries. By doing so, the resultant MIMO relay channel can simultaneously offer both distributed array gain (diversity gain obtained among relay nodes) and intranode array gain (diversity gain realized by multiple antennas of individual relay node) while maintaining the maximum spatial multiplexing gain (number of parallel data pipes). Based on this concept, three relaying schemes are derived that perform QR decomposition and phase control. Numerical results confirm that at least one of the proposed schemes outperforms the amplify-and-forward and the zero-forcing relaying schemes under various conditions. Moreover, we show that ratios of noise power level at relay and destination node have a great impact on capacities.