Performance Analysis of Cognitive Relay-Assisted Ambient Backscatter with MRC over Nakagami-m Fading Channels

Area of Science:

• Wireless Communications
• Signal Processing
• Information Theory

Background:

• Ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) is a novel technology enabling low-power data transmission by modulating ambient radio frequency (RF) signals.
• Cognitive radio (CR) enhances spectrum efficiency by allowing secondary users to opportunistically access licensed spectrum.
• Wireless powered relays are crucial for extending network coverage and supporting energy-constrained devices in AmBC systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and analyze an AmBC system integrated with cognitive radio principles.
• To derive exact closed-form expressions for the outage probability of received nodes.
• To evaluate the impact of the backscatter ratio and other parameters on system performance, particularly throughput.

Main Methods:

• System modeling of an AmBC network with a multi-antenna primary destination employing Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC).
• Analysis of a wireless powered relay supporting both primary and secondary destinations using ambient RF energy.
• Derivation of exact closed-form expressions for outage probability and numerical simulations for performance comparison.

Main Results:

• The derived closed-form expressions for outage probability are validated through numerical simulations.
• The study quantifies the impact of the backscatter ratio on system performance under various conditions.
• Optimal throughput performance is demonstrated to be achievable at specific system parameter configurations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed AmBC system with cognitive radio and MRC offers a viable solution for efficient wireless communication.
• The derived analytical framework accurately predicts system performance, enabling informed design choices.
• Careful tuning of parameters, especially the backscatter ratio, is essential for maximizing throughput in AmBC networks.