Strategy selection for wireless cooperative relaying based on game theory

A game theory based cooperative relaying strategy is proposed to perform the fair and efficient resource allocation for wireless cooperative communication networks. The cooperative strategy of a node is defined as the number of data-symbols and power that it is used for the relaying purpose. Then, the joint symbol and power allocation game (JSPAG) for strategy selection is formulated. To achieve the Nash bargaining solution (NBS) strategies for the cooperative nodes, the game is divided into a symbol allocation game (SAG) and a power allocation game (PAG). Using the convex optimization theory, the existing of a unique NBS to the SAG and the PAG is proved, and the NBS can be solved with low complexity. The simulation results show that (1) the NBS is fair in that both nodes could experience better performance through cooperation, and (2) the NBS is efficient in that the performance loss of the NBS scheme to that of the maximal overall rate scheme is small while the maximal-rate scheme is unfair.