# Semantic-Forward Relaying: A Novel Framework Towards 6G Cooperative Communications

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.07987 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.07987/

## Key facts

- Cited by 9 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 4 of its 20 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 12 Oct 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6980/) (2014)
- [Semantic Communications for Future Internet: Fundamentals, Applications, and Challenges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.00427/) (2022)
- [On the Road to 6G: Visions, Requirements, Key Technologies and Testbeds](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.14536/) (2023)
- [Deep Learning-Enabled Semantic Communication Systems with Task-Unaware Transmitter and Dynamic Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.00271/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [Semantic Successive Refinement: A Generative AI-aided Semantic Communication Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.05112/) (2024)
- [SC-CDM: Enhancing Quality of Image Semantic Communication with a Compact Diffusion Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.02121/) (2024)
- [SAFE: Semantic Adaptive Feature Extraction with Rate Control for 6G Wireless Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.01597/) (2024)
- [Lossy Cooperative UAV Relaying Networks: Outage Probability Analysis and Location Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.02120/) (2024)
- [Two Birds with One Stone: Multi-Task Semantic Communications Systems over Relay Channel](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.12302/) (2024)
- [Way to Build Native AI-driven 6G Air Interface: Principles, Roadmap, and Outlook](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.15277/) (2025)
- [SemSteDiff: Generative Diffusion Model-based Coverless Semantic Steganography Communication](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.04803/) (2025)
- [Semantic Leakage and Privacy Preservation in Relay-Assisted Semantic Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.31973/) (2026)
- [Embodied Semantic Communication for Collective Autonomous Agents: A Tutorial on Representation, Wireless Delivery, and Closed-Loop Coordination](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.35936/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This letter proposes a novel relaying framework, semantic-forward (SF), for cooperative communications towards the sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. The SF relay extracts and transmits the semantic features, which reduces forwarding payload, and also improves the network robustness against intra-link errors. Based on the theoretical basis for cooperative communications with side information and the turbo principle, we design a joint source-channel coding algorithm to iteratively exchange the extrinsic information for enhancing the decoding gains at the destination. Surprisingly, simulation results indicate that even in bad channel conditions, SF relaying can still effectively improve the recovered information quality.