Cascade decode-and-forward: spatial diversity reuse in sensor networks

Abstract

In this paper, we consider a wireless sensor network that involves sensory data hoping through multiple wireless relays to reach a central collection hub. In particular we improve the decode-and-forward cooperative relaying scheme. In this paper, we propose the Cascade-Decode-and-Forward, where the number of successful relays increases with each additional cooperation stage. The achieved effect is a cascade of relays that contribute towards achieving full spatial diversity at the destination. A novel relationship between the achievable bit error rate and delay is derived for the proposed scheme. The results show that a small delay constraint relaxation, the proposed scheme can achieve full diversity. As the delay constraint relaxes further, the protocol can achieve full diversity at signals levels 10-100 orders magnitude lower than the decode-and-forward protocol. The proposed protocol can dynamically trade-off transmission reliability with delay and the analysis has shown that a certain node connectivity density is required to achieve a cascading cooperation chain with an arbitrarily low data extinction probability.