Space-frequency coded cooperation in OFDM multiple-access wireless networks

A cooperative space-frequency (SF) coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system is considered and its performance over quasi-static frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channels is evaluated. An expression for exact outage error probability is derived and its tight closed-form lower bound is presented. The tightness of the lower bound is demonstrated through Monte Carlo simulation. Asymptotic analysis indicates that the proposed protocol achieves full spatial and frequency diversities available in the cooperative communication system. The theoretical analysis of the proposed SF coded cooperation protocol is further confirmed by computer simulation using a previously introduced SF block code that is capable of achieving full spatial and frequency diversities.