An Experimental Channel Capacity Analysis of Cooperative Networks Using Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP)

Shujaat Ali Khan Tanoli, Mubashir Rehman, Muhammad Bilal Khan, Ihtesham Jadoon, Farman Ali Khan, Faiza Nawaz, Syed Aziz Shah, Xiaodong Yang and Ali Arshad Nasir
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Shujaat Ali Khan Tanoli: Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Mubashir Rehman: Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Muhammad Bilal Khan: Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Ihtesham Jadoon: Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Farman Ali Khan: Department of Computer Science Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Faiza Nawaz: Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Attock Campus 43600, Pakistan
Syed Aziz Shah: School of International Education, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Xiaodong Yang: School of Electronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Ali Arshad Nasir: Department of Electrical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 34464, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Cooperative communication (CC) is one of the best solutions to overcome channel fading and to improve channel capacity. However, most of the researchers evaluate its performance based on mathematical modeling or by simulations. These approaches are often unable to successfully capture many real-world radio signal propagation problems. Hardware based wireless communication test-bed provides reliable and accurate measurements, which are not attainable through other means. This research work investigates experimental performance analysis of CC over direct communication (DC) in the lab environment. The experimental setup is built using Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) and Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW). A text message is transmitted by using Phase Shift Keying (PSK) modulation schemes. The setup uses amplify and forward (AF) relaying mode and two time slot transmission protocols. The maximum ratio combining (MRC) technique is used for combining SNR at the receiver. Channel capacity analysis is performed in order to evaluate the performance of CC over DC with and without obstacle. Moreover, optimal position of the relay is also analyzed by varying the position of the relay. Extensive experiments are carried out in the lab environment to evaluate the performance of the system for different hardware setups. The results reveal that cooperative communication attains significant improvement in terms of channel capacity of the system.

Keywords: cooperative communication; channel capacity; relay; AF; MRC; USRP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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