Wireless relaying with partial cooperation based on power-line communication

In this paper we investigate the use of power-line communication (PLC) to assist cooperative wireless relaying. We consider a communication scheme that uses the power-line to initialize and synchronize wireless amplify-and-forward (AF) relays and to broadcast information between the relays. Based on the analysis of transfer function and noise measurements of PLC channels in office and residential environments we propose a transmission scheme for the inter-relay-communication over power-lines and assess the influence of this scheme on wireless relaying. The use of PLC leads to a very flexible way of enhancing wireless communications by plugging in additional relays where they are needed-without additional wiring.