Performance implications of channel aware cooperative probing-GBN ARQ in the context of wireless body area networks

Abstract

The advent of Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) in patient care has revolutionized the healthcare sector as patients can now be monitored continuously in real-time and as well remotely. Despite its significant advantages, WBAN encounters a notable challenge in the fading aspect, which undermines its effectiveness. Improving WBAN efficiency involves tackling signal fading, which is crucial. Cooperative communication offers a promising solution by introducing spatial diversity to counteract fading effects. We propose a scheme that uses cooperative communication and the Probing-Go Back N Automatic Repeat Request (P-GBN ARQ) technique to reduce the fading effect. The proposed method uses feedback to predict the channel's current state, and the probing interval is determined by the received signal's Average Fading Duration (AFD). The proposed scheme's performance is also assessed extensively through simulations employing various metrics. The results demonstrate a considerable improvement in throughput performance with the inclusion of knowledge about channel fading. The Bit Error Rate (BER) execution is compared with Selection Combiner (SC) and conventional Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC). At 10−3, the cooperative method achieves it at 13 dB SNR, whereas the direct approach reaches it at 24 dB SNR, requiring an additional 11 dB. The proposed approach minimizes BER, enhancing throughput and reliability in WBAN.

Keywords

• WBAN
• Fading
• Cooperative communication
• Goback N ARQ
• BER
• Maximal ratio combination (MRC)