Location optimization for decode-and-forward opportunistic cooperative networks

In this paper, we investigate the location optimization for decode-and-forward (DF) opportunistic cooperative networks, in which the impact of the availability of the direct link between the source and the destination has been studied. Under Rayleigh fading channels, the closed-form solution for the optimal location is derived. It is interesting to find that the optimal relay location is related to the power configuration of nodes and the pathloss exponent. When the direct link exists, the optimal location is partly dependent on the total number of the relays. Numerical results show that the approximation analysis matches the theory values very well, and with location optimization, the minimal outage probability can be obtained.