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

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.