Protocols design for cooperative wireless networks

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Cooperative relaying and network coding are two techniques which can increase the throughput, efficiency, reliability and robustness in future wireless networks. Network coding has contributed to a significant paradigm shift in packet forwarding by allowing intermediate nodes to combine and process data packets. Cooperative relaying allows neighboring nodes to serve as relays to assist packet transmission, by employing either an amplify-and-forward or a decode-and-forward strategy. Cooperative relaying will be one of the features in the future 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (LTE-Advanced) systems, and IEEE 802.16j/m WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) standards. Although cooperative relaying and network coding will play an important role in future wireless networks, several challenges have to be overcome before a widespread implementation of these techniques will be possible. In this research program, the overall goal is to develop novel techniques that facilitate the application of cooperative diversity and network coding in wireless networks and to investigate the resulting implications for medium access control, routing, reliable transport, and congestion control. We propose to work towards the following inter-related objectives: a) Design of joint transport layer protocols with network coding in order to increase the end-to-end throughput and reliability of the flows, and to reduce network congestion; b) Development of cooperative network coding routing protocols which can improve the coding opportunity and increase the packet delivery ratio, while adapting to users' mobility; c) Design of efficient medium access control protocols and packet scheduling algorithms that can support different multimedia flows with quality-of-service guarantee; and d) Development of incentive mechanisms for relaying nodes to participate in network coding and cooperative communications. Results of this proposed research are intended to provide fundamental theories and technologies that will have a lasting impact on the field of wireless networking, leading to either new or improved products which can benefit the local and global communication and networking industries.