Multi-hop cooperative MIMO network that consists of multiple nodes each equipped with single antenna is introduced and investigated. Optimal power allocation scheme with selective decode-and-forward (SDF) cooperative strategy is formulated and solved by means of optimization method with the purpose of minimization of system’s symbol error rate (SER), which are derived and analyzed with numerical results presented. Distributed space-time block Code (DSTBC) in multi-hop cooperative MIMO is analyzed and compared with optimal power allocation scheme with SDF strategy. Simulation results reveal that, cooperative diversity could be achieved with optimal power allocation. Optimum power allocation scheme depends on the relay’s position and channel quality between source to relay and relay to destination. Novel performance comparison between optimal power allocation and DSTBC are researched and presented. Simulation results confirm our theoretical analysis, which indicates that multi-node DSTBC outperforms optimal power allocation scheme due to the fact that cooperative diversity gain and coded gain could be obtained simultaneously for DSTBC in multi-hop cooperative MIMO network.
SER performance analysis and optimum power allocation for decode-and-forward cooperation protocol in wireless networks