Spatial modulation for cooperative networks

International audienceIn this chapter, Distributed Spatial Modulation (DSM) and Distributed Spatially Modulated Space-Time Block Code (DSM-STBC) are elaborately described. DSM and DSM-STBC are two new cooperative wireless protocols for multi-relay networks, which are based on the principle of Spatial Modulation (SM). The distinguishable feature of DSM lies in improving the reliability of the source via distributed diversity and by increasing the aggregate throughput of the cooperative network, since new data is transmitted during each transmission phase. This is achieved by encoding the data transmitted from the source into the spatial positions of the available relays and by exploiting the signal domain for transmitting the data of the relays. In DSM-STBC, SM and Space-Time-Block-Codes (STBCs) are synergistically combined for a distributed scenario. The distinguishable feature of DSM-STBC lies in offering throughput enhancement, by achieving the same order of diversity and having to activate the same number of relay nodes as conventional distributed STBC schemes. At the destination, demodulators robust to demodulation errors at the relays are developed, and their end-to-end error probability and achievable diversity are studied. With the aid of Monte Carlo simulations, DSM and DSM-STBC are compared against state-of-the-art cooperative protocols, and they are shown to provide better performances. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016