Exact Error Probability and Channel Capacity of the Best-Relay Cooperative-Diversity Networks

Cooperative diversity networks have recently been proposed as a way to form virtual antenna arrays without using collocated multiple antennas. In this paper, we consider adaptive decode-and-forward cooperative diversity system where a source node communicates with a destination node directly and indirectly (through multiple relays). In this letter, we investigate the performance of the best-relay selection scheme where the best relay only participates in the relaying. Therefore, two channels only are needed in this case (one for the direct link and the other one for the best indirect link) regardless of the total number of relays. The best relay is selected as the relay node that can achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio at the destination node. We developed a general analytical model to analyze the performance of the adaptive decode-and-forward cooperative networks with best-relay selection. In particular, exact closed-form expressions for the error probability and Shannon capacity are derived over independent and nonidentical Rayleigh fading channels. Results show that the best-relay selection not only reduces the number of required channels but also can maintain a full diversity order.