Integrating network coding and superposition coding in extended two-way relay networks

A novel information exchange scheme is proposed in this paper, which integrates Network Coding (NC) and Superposition Coding (SC) in two-way relay networks. The scheme focuses on the information exchange among more than two nodes through relay node in fewer time slots. Firstly, the Integrating Network Coding and Superposition Coding (INSC) scheme is proposed in scenarios with and without overhearing between neighbor nodes. Then the achievable rate regions of the INSC scheme, traditional Time-Division (TD) scheme and NC scheme are characterized. Also the gains of INSC on the maximum sum rate against the traditional schemes are studied, indicating that the INSC scheme can be superior to the traditional NC schemes in some cases. Finally, the performance of different schemes is evaluated through numerical simulation. The simulation results verify the theoretical analysis.