Successive relaying is a bandwidth-efficient scheme in cooperative networks. In this study, a novel distributed spacetime coding (DSTC) transmission scheme for a two-path successive relay network is proposed that enjoys threshold-based selection relaying protocol. A new beamforming method is also employed alongside the proposed DSTC transmission scheme. Three scenarios are considered in this study. In the first scenario, single-input–single-output (SISO) relays are considered. In the second and third scenarios, multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) relays are used, but in the second case a transmission scheme named as quasi-DSTC scheme alongside employing space-time coding at each relay is proposed. A closed-form expression for the end-to-end bit error rate (BER) of the system is derived and it is shown that regardless of the fading in interrelay channel, the proposed scheme achieves full diversity order even when there are decoding errors at the relay nodes. Simulation results show a significant saving in power of about 2.5, 3, and 4 dB at BER (10−4) compared with other conventional methods in the case of using SISO relays, MIMO relays in the second and third scenarios, respectively.
