Compress-and-forward scheme for relay networks: Backword decoding and connection to bisubmodular flows

In this paper, a compress-and-forward scheme with backward decoding is presented for the unicast wireless relay network. The encoding at the source and relay is a generalization of the noisy network coding (NNC) scheme. While it achieves the same reliable data rate as NNC scheme, the backward decoding allows for a better decoding complexity as compared with the joint decoding of the NNC scheme. Characterizing the layered decoding scheme is shown to be equivalent to characterizing an information flow for the wireless network. A node-flow for a graph with bisubmodular capacity constraints is presented and a max-flow min-cut theorem is presented. This generalizes many well-known results of flows over capacity constrained graphs studied in computer science literature. The results for the unicast relay network are generalized to the network with multiple sources with independent messages intended for a single destination.