High-rate distributed multi-source cooperation using complex field coding

A multisource cooperative protocol is developed capable of achieving diversity order up to the number of cooperating users at a high throughput. In this design each source jointly encodes its own new information symbol with the information symbols received from other sources at past instants. Joint encoding is done using linear complex-field coefficients. Throughput analysis shows gains with respect to existing multi-source protocols and approaches the throughput of non-cooperative schemes. Diversity analysis shows that full spatial diversity is achievable. Simulations confirm the analytically established assessments.