EAGER: Optimal Power Allocation and Relay Selection with Spatial Diversity in Wireless Relay Networks

在无线网络中，最大限度地减少通信系统的功耗是至关重要的。这就需要新的探索性方法，将编码、功率最小化和传输技术整合到系统设计中，而不是目前的方法。协作通信背景下的无线中继网为应对这一挑战提供了有利的平台。协作通信被认为是为数不多的能够实现无线网络的物理层技术之一。通过在协作通信中使用用于联合功率和位置优化的中继器，潜在的好处大大增强。该方案的目的是研究一种NP难的混合整数非线性规划(MINLP)，用于联合功率分配、中继器定位以及扩展到编码的问题的制定和求解。由于中继器和终端之间的距离更小、空间分集以及分布式波束形成和分布式空时编码等有效的信号处理方案，因此实现了更低的能量消耗。利用该组合问题求出了几种继电保护结构下的近似最优解。研究了以下情况：1)仅BS结构，2)每MS单中继，3)每MS多中继，4)分布式波束形成，以及5)分布式空时编码。该项目还开发了关于无线通信的跨学科教材和课程，目的是通过新的跨学科课程弥合网络课程和无线通信课程之间的差距。本科生和研究生将参与项目中与他们的兴趣和能力水平相适应的部分。

In wireless networks it is critical that power consumption by the communication system is minimized. This calls for new exploratory approaches which incorporate coding, power minimization, and transmission techniques integrated in a system design beyond the current methods. Wireless relay networks in the context of cooperative communications provide favorable platform to address this challenge. Cooperative communications is regarded as one of the few enabling physical layer technologies for wireless networking. By employing relays for joint power and location optimization in cooperative communications, the potential benefits are substantially enhanced. The goal of this proposal is to investigate a mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) which is NP hard, in the formulation and solution of the problem of joint power allocation, relay location, and extended to coding. Lower energy consumption is achieved due to smaller distances between relays and the terminals, spatial diversity, and efficient signal processing schemes such as distributed beam-forming and distributed space time coding. The near optimal solution is found using the combinatorial problem under several relaying architectures. The following cases are investigated: 1) BS-only architecture, 2) single relay per MS, 3) multiple relays per MS, 4) distributed beam-forming, and 5) distributed space-time coding. This project also develops interdisciplinary educational material and courses on wireless communications with the goal of bridging the gap between networking and wireless communications curricula via new interdisciplinary courses. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved with components of the project that are applicable to their level of interest and ability.