When network coding and dirty paper coding meet in a cooperative ad hoc network

We develop and analyze new cooperative strategies for ad hoc networks that are more spectrally efficient than classical decode & forward (DF) protocols. Using analog network coding, our strategies preserve the practical half-duplex assumption but relax the orthogonality constraint. The introduction of interference due to non-orthogonality is mitigated thanks to precoding, in particular dirty paper coding. Combined with smart power allocation, our cooperation strategies allow to save time and lead to a more efficient use of the bandwidth and to improved network throughput with respect to classical repetition-DF and parallel-DF.