Distributed Relay Diversity Systems for OFDM-Based Networks

In this paper, distributed relay diversity systems are analyzed, modeled and evaluated in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based networks. The investigated distributed relay diversity schemes extend the ideas of a single hop transmit antenna schemes such as Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD), Space Time Transmit Diversity (STTD), transmit Coherent Combining (CC) and Selection Diversity (SD) to distributed diversity systems. In contrast to the classical single hop system, the antennas in the distributed systems belongs to distributed relays instead of being co-located at the transmitter. The distributed relay diversity methods considered in this paper: Relay CDD (RCDD), Relay Alamouti (i.e.STTD), Relay CC (RCC) and Relay SD (RSD) are compared to the traditional 1-hop system. Analytical expressions for the received Signal to Interference Noise Ratio (SINR) are derived and used in a dynamic multi-cell multi-user simulator. Results show considerable SINR gains for both Round Robin and Max-SINR schedulers. The SINR gains translate into substantial cell throughput gains, up to 200%, compared to 1-hop systems. Despite its low complexity, the RCDD scheme has similar performance to that of other more sophisticated 2-hop schemes such as Relay Alamouti and Relay Coherent Combining. Marginally better results are observed for the Relay Selection Diversity scheme.