Effective area spectral efficiency metric for decode-and-forward cooperative wireless communications

In this paper, we introduce a new metric, namely: effective area spectral efficiency (EASE), to quantify the spectral efficiency as well as the spatial properties of decoding and forward (DF) relaying wireless communications networks with interference management. The EASE metric is based on the average affected area, the average ergodic capacity, and a new introduced index, namely: source relay communication index (SRCndx). We derive a closed-form expression for the maximum transmission range under Rayleigh fading environment. Based on the maximum transmission range, we define and derive the average affected area and the average ergodic capacity for DF relaying communications system. The SRCndx is used to validate the communication possibility between a source and a relay for given transmission parameters in a given environment, and provides information about the necessity of using relaying communications. We then introduce the EASE expression to quantify the spatial spectral utilization efficiency. Through mathematical analysis and numerical examples, we show that the EASE metric provides a new perspective on the design and optimization of wireless transmissions, especially the transmission power selection process. © 2015 IEEE.