Improving QoS in Cooperative Communication Networks: An Evolutionary Game Approach

Abstract

In Cooperative Communication Networks (CCN), the wireless terminals use relay-cooperation techniques to improve the quality of communication, which is becoming a new trend in recent wireless network researches. However, the relay process always consumes time or energy, and the wireless terminals usually prefer to act as ”free riders.” In this paper, we model the problem of cooperation dynamics in CCN into a spatial evolutionary game framework, and within this model, we propose a special kind of cooperator, i.e., the punisher, who punishes the defector with fine β at the cost of γ. Simulations show the evolution of CCN is jointly affected by β, γ and system's initial state. These results are explained by average total payoff, transition possibility and evolutionary snapshots. We also explore the influence of population heterogeneity on cooperation rate, and find that the heterogeneity of population distribution can affect the emergence and persistence of cooperation.