Performance benefits of uplink packet relay protocols for cellular-like systems: quantitative analysis

Relaying can replace one transmission over a long distance with several transmissions over shorter distances, and the total transmission power of mobile stations thus can be lower in the case of relaying. As such, the relaying concept and protocols in a cellular environment have been much discussed in the literature recently. We mathematically analyze the idea of uplink relaying schemes, using a simple model that represents their essential functions. In order to simplify our performance analysis, we assume that the originator of a packet sets the maximum number of hops to the base station to be 2. Our results indicate that the performance benefits of relaying are significant