Abstract
IntroductionCooperative communication techniques are envisioned as an integral part of nextgeneration wireless networks. Cooperative communication is based on extending the interactions between different communications nodes to obtain ubiquitous network access with the required quality of service (QoS). The virtual antenna array created by collaborating distributed communication nodes provides the network with a spatial diversity merit without the need to equip the nodes with multi-antenna transceivers. In addition to combating fading through spatial diversity, cooperative communication is a powerful technique to increase spectral efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and extend the network coverage with a lower cost than traditional networks [1, 2].All the aforementioned advantages of cooperative communication encouraged the inclusion of relaying techniques in the International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT)-advanced fourth-generation (4G) standards IEEE 802.16m and Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A). These standards consider the two-hop relaying technique in their design, which is one of the well-studied cooperative transmission schemes. Multi-hop relaying is included in IEEE 802.16j, and other cooperative schemes, such as relay selection cooperative communication, are expected to be included in future generations of wireless communication networks to improve connectivity, achieve higher data rates, and reduce energy consumption compared to current networks [1, 3].Energy-aware design is one of the main targets for the next generation of communication networks. This design helps both energy-constrained wireless devices and base stations to save energy and effectively work toward green communication solutions.