Finite-SNR Analysis and Optimization of Decode-and-Forward Relaying Over Slow-Fading Channels

We provide analytical results on the finite signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) outage performance of packet-based decode-and-forward relaying over a quasi-static fading channel, with different types of transmitter channel state information (CSI). At the relay, we consider repetition coding (RC) and parallel coding (PC). At the destination, we consider receivers based on selection combining (SC), code combining (CC), and maximum-ratio combining (MRC) (the latter only for the case of RC at the relay). Based on available CSI, we optimize the number of channel uses consumed by the source and by the relay for each packet. In doing so, we consider three different protocols that make use of different combinations of long-term CSI, 1-bit CSI, and complete CSI, respectively, at the source node. Several interesting observations emerge. For example, we show that for high SNRs, SC and CC provide the same outage probabilities when the source has perfect CSI.