Capacity theorems for the relay channel

A relay channel consists of an input x_{l}, a relay output y_{1}, a channel output y, and a relay sender x_{2} (whose transmission is allowed to depend on the past symbols y_{1} . The dependence of the received symbols upon the inputs is given by p(y,y_{1}|x_{1},x_{2}) . The channel is assumed to be memoryless. In this paper the following capacity theorems are proved. 1)If y is a degraded form of y_{1}, then C : = : max !_{p(x_{1},x_{2})} min,{I(X_{1},X_{2};Y), I(X_{1}; Y_{1}|X_{2})} . 2)If y_{1} is a degraded form of y, then C : = : max !_{p(x_{1})} max_{x_{2}} I(X_{1};Y|x_{2}) . 3)If p(y,y_{1}|x_{1},x_{2}) is an arbitrary relay channel with feedback from (y,y_{1}) to both x_{1} and x_{2}, then C: = : max_{p(x_{1},x_{2})} min,{I(X_{1},X_{2};Y),I,(X_{1};Y,Y_{1}|X_{2})} . 4)For a general relay channel, C : leq : max_{p(x_{1},x_{2})} min,{I,(X_{1}, X_{2};Y),I(X_{1};Y,Y_{1}|X_{2}) . Superposition block Markov encoding is used to show achievability of C, and converses are established. The capacities of the Gaussian relay channel and certain discrete relay channels are evaluated. Finally, an achievable lower bound to the capacity of the general relay channel is established.