Using amplify-and-forward relay for coverage extension in indoor environments

Cooperative communication is a promising method for increasing the capacity and extending the coverage between a base station (BS) and a mobile user (MU) by using relays to exploit cooperative diversity. However, the existing literature mainly focuses on theoretical performance evaluation without experimental validation and, thus, fails to address the effects on real-world radio signal propagation. This research, therefore, aims to develop a prototype amplify-and-forward (AF) relay using software-defined radio (SDR) to evaluate the real-world performance of such a relay in improving coverage. The proposed relay is developed using the LabVIEW software and programmed on a National Instruments-Universal Software Radio Peripheral 2922 (NI-USRP 2922) SDR platform. The major merit of this entire communication setup is less expensive as the system uses a reprogrammable hardware. The measurements are performed indoors, and the signal strength or received power at the MU in cases with and without the relay is recorded. The results show that the received power performance and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the user improve significantly when the AF relay is deployed compared to when direct link point-to-point transmission without the relay is used

Naval Research Program 2021 Annual Report

NPS NRP Annual ReportThe Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Naval Research Program (NRP) is funded by the Chief of Naval Operations and supports research projects for the Navy and Marine Corps. The NPS NRP serves as a launch-point for new initiatives which posture naval forces to meet current and future operational warfighter challenges. NRP research projects are led by individual research teams that conduct research and through which NPS expertise is developed and maintained. The primary mechanism for obtaining NPS NRP support is through participation at NPS Naval Research Working Group (NRWG) meetings that bring together fleet topic sponsors, NPS faculty members, and students to discuss potential research topics and initiatives.Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.