Can Visible Light Communications Provide Gb/s Service?

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of visible light communications (VLC) to deliver gigabit-per-second data rates indoors, addressing challenges in bandwidth and power with innovative modulation schemes for competitive high-capacity wireless connectivity.

Contribution

It introduces novel modulation schemes designed to overcome VLC limitations and enable multi-Gb/s indoor wireless data transmission.

Findings

Proposes modulation techniques capable of achieving Gb/s speeds in VLC.

Addresses bandwidth and power constraints in VLC systems.

Demonstrates potential for VLC to compete with millimeter-wave RF for indoor wireless.

Abstract

Visible light communications (VLC) that use the infrastructure of the indoor illumination system have been envisioned as a compact, safe, and green alternative to WiFi for the downlink of an indoor wireless mobile communication system. Although the optical spectrum is typically well-suited to high throughput applications, combining communications with indoor lighting in a commercially viable system imposes severe limitations both in bandwidth and received power. Clever techniques are needed to achieve Gb/s transmission, and to do it in a cost effective manner so as to successfully compete with other high-capacity alternatives for indoor access, such as millimeter-wave radio-frequency (RF). This article presents modulation schemes that have the potential to overcome the many challenges faced by VLC in providing multi Gb/s indoor wireless connectivity.