Performance of a cooperative multiplexing scheme with opportunistic user and relay selection over Rayleigh fading channels

In this article, we analyze the performance of a cooperative spatial multiplexing scheme using amplify and forward relays over Rayleigh fading channels. We propose a simple user and relay selection scheme, and demonstrate that gains in spectral efficiencies are possible by such opportunistic selection. Using a bound on the outage performance, we develop a power control mechanism. We develop a bound on the ergodic rate of the proposed scheme. Computer simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the scheme, and to validate the analytical expressions.