Outage Analysis and Optimization of DF-Based Multi-Hop Transmission for Fading Channels With Large Path-Loss Exponent

In this paper, we propose a novel class of a decode-and-forward-based (DF) multi-hop transmission system where the relays forward the source data simultaneously and derive a closed-form expression of the outage probability. In addition, we provide an optimization method and a complexity-reduced optimization method. Monte Carlo simulations verify the validity of our theoretical analysis, compare the performance of two optimization methods, and compare the outage probabilities of the proposed multi-hop system with those of the conventional multi-hop system and the direct transmission system.