Analogue network coding for multi-pair, bidirectional relay channels

We consider a scenario where multiple pairs of users exchange information within pair, with the help of a dedicated multi-antenna relay. The proposed protocol integrates the idea of analogue network coding in mixing two data streams originating from the same user pair, together with the spatial multiplexing of the data streams originating from different user pairs. We propose several beamforming schemes and evaluate the performance using information theoretical metrics such as ergodic capacity and outage probability. Simulation results justify that the ergodic capacity and the outage probability of the proposed beamforming schemes outperforms comparable schemes.