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This work aims to provide the hardware (HW) design of the optoelectronics interfaces for a visible-light communication (VLC) system that can be employed for several use cases. Potential applications include the transmission of ultra-high-definition (UHD) streaming video through existing reading lamps installed in passenger vans. In this use case, visible light is employed for the downlink, while infrared light is used for the uplink channel, acting as a remote controller. Two primary components -a Light Fidelity (LiFi) router and a USB dongle—were designed and implemented. The 'LiFi Router', handling the downlink channel, comprises components such as a visible Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and an infrared receiver. Operating at a supply voltage of 12 V and consuming current at 920 mA, it is compatible with standard voltage buses found in transport vehicles. The 'USB dongle', responsible for the uplink, incorporates an infrared LED and a receiver optimized for visible light. The USB dongle works at a supply voltage of 5 V and shows a current consumption of 1.12 A, making it well suited for direct connection to a universal serial bus (USB) port. The bandwidth achieved for the downlink is 11.66 MHz, while the uplink's bandwidth is 12.27 MHz. A system competent at streaming UHD video with the feature of being single-input multiple-output (SIMO) was successfully implemented via the custom hardware design of the optical transceivers and optoelectronics interfaces. To ensure the system's correct performance at a distance of 110 cm, the minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNRmin) for both optical links was maintained at 10.74 dB. We conducted a proof-of-concept test of the VLC system in a passenger van and verified its optimal operation, effectively illustrating its performance in a real operating environment. Exemplifying potential implementations possible with the hardware system designed in this work, a bit rate of 15.2 Mbps was reached with On–Off Keying (OOK), and 11.25 Mbps was obtained with Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) obtaining a bit-error rate (BER) of 3.3259 × 10−5 in a passenger van at a distance of 72.5 cm between the LiFi router and the USB dongle. As a final addition, a solar panel was installed on the passenger van's roof to power the user's laptop and the USB dongle via a power bank battery. It took 13.4 h to charge the battery, yielding a battery life of 22.3 h. This characteristic renders the user's side of the system entirely self-powered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we experimentally illustrate the effectiveness of neural networks (NNs) as non-linear equalisers for multilevel pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-M) transmission over an optical wireless communication (OWC) link. In our study, we compare the bit-error-rate (BER) performances of two decision feedback equalisers (DFEs)—a multilayer-perceptron-based DFE (MLPDFE), which is the NN equaliser, and a transversal DFE (TRDFE)—under two degrees of non-linear distortion using an eye-safe 850 nm single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (SM-VCSEL). Our results consistently show that the MLPDFE delivers superior performance in comparison to the TRDFE, particularly in scenarios involving high non-linear distortion and PAM constellations with eight or more levels. At a forward error correction (FEC) threshold BER of 0.0038, we achieve bit rates of ~28 Gbps, ~29 Gbps, ~22.5 Gbps, and ~5 Gbps using PAM schemes with 2, 4, 8, and 16 levels, respectively, with the MLPDFE. Comparably, the TRDFE yields bit rates of ~28 Gbps and ~29 Gbps with PAM-2 and PAM-4, respectively. Higher PAM levels with the TRDFE result in BERs greater than 0.0038 for bit rates above 2 Gbps. These results highlight the effectiveness of the MLPDFE in optimising the performance of SM-VCSEL-based OWC systems across different modulation schemes and non-linear distortion levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forthcoming wireless networks must integrate to a high density of end-user devices while ensuring a superior quality of service. It is imperative to devise solutions that reduce the density of wireless access points and associated costs, while simultaneously ensuring security and privacy throughout propagation. Herein, a novel dual-band photodetector with high selective responsivities in distinct visible and near-infrared (NIR) band is developed as an optical signal receiver. The receiver has an unprecedented fast switch speed > 500 kHz between different operation modes. Leveraging this fast switch speed, a high-speed Multiple-Input-Single-Output (MISO) system is developed, fusing spectrum resources from visible to infrared bands. The system achieves a data rate of 600 Kbps in the visible channel and 500 Kbps in the NIR channel, with a sum rate of 1.1 Mbps. This is the highest single-channel data rate and sum rate among reported dual-band photodetectors. Additionally, two previously overlooked mechanisms, the Subtraction and Addition modes, are studied in detail. The four operation modes are developed to establish a novel physical encryption method in terms of arithmetic relation. The dual-channel coupled link can support a data rate of 200 Kbps, significantly enhancing communication security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes increasingly prevalent, there is a surge in wireless-connected devices. In this context, one technique that has garnered significant attention is visible light communication (VLC) due to its ultra-wide and license-free frequency resource. However, a critical issue in utilizing VLC in IoT lies in its lack of smooth cooperation with ubiquitous radio frequency (RF)-based wireless networks. RF signals can use duplex techniques to transmit and receive bidirectional signals with one antenna. In contrast, VLC's light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and PIN diodes cannot operate in duplex mode, posing challenges in establishing two unidirectional VLC links. To address the mismatch between VLC and RF, we propose a light-based RF transceiver design called LiRF, capable of smooth transmission of RF signals through VLC for IoT devices. To verify its feasibility, we first build a prototype using 802.11ax (WiFi-6) network interface cards (NICs) in the 5 GHz channel. Experimental results show that LiRF is compatible with the 802.11bb standard, supporting TCP/IP data streams at 750 Mbps with a 200 MHz Superluminescent Diode-PIN (SLD-PIN) transceiver and at 600 Mbps with a 180 MHz LED-PIN transceiver. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first real-time bidirectional VLC system utilizing WiFi NICs capable of achieving near-Gbps data rates for a single spatial stream without altering the RF designs. LiRF paves the way for seamlessly integrating VLC into upcoming IoT networks, supporting high-speed, low-latency applications like Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.

Fiber-coupled free-space optics (FSO) communications have emerged as a promising wireless technology due to their flexibility, speed, security, and seamless integration with fiber optic systems. However, these systems are very sensitive to atmospheric conditions, particularly turbulence, necessitating robust and tailored solutions according to the application scenarios. However, the intrinsic random nature of atmospheric turbulence, together with the strong dependence on multiple external factors (e.g. varying weather conditions), makes it extremely challenging to adequately compare the merit of different turbulence mitigation techniques. In this work, resorting to the use of a custom-made atmospheric chamber, we tackle the issue of turbulence-induced power fading employing two complementary optical mitigation techniques: i) through enhanced fiber coupling efficiency using either standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) or multi-mode fiber (MMF) and ii) through tailored optical pre-amplification using either Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) or semiconductor fiber amplifiers (SOAs). By carrying out a comprehensive set of repeatable and inter-comparable turbulence emulation tests, we demonstrate that MMF-based fiber coupling can be highly advantageous for less demanding FSO links, achieving 100% reliability after a real-time BER assessment at 4.5Gbps over weak-to-moderate turbulence, which represents a major improvement over the ~10-50% reliability obtained under the same circumstances for the SSMF-coupled system. In turn, for FSO links requiring high-capacity SSMF-coupled receivers, we demonstrate that EDFA-based pre-amplification operating either in saturation or automatic power control (APC) enabling 10 Gbps connectivity with 99% reliability in weak turbulence and ~96-98% in moderate turbulence regimes, in contrast with the baseline reliability of unamplified systems in the same turbulence conditions, which have shown

From an information-theoretic perspective, we investigate performance of asymmetrically clipped optical OFDM (ACO-OFDM) in intensity modulated optical wireless systems. Our focus is how much the information rate of ACO-OFDM can be boosted by receivers which utilize information contained in even-indexed subcarriers rather than only observing the modulated (odd-indexed) subcarriers as in the conventional receiver. In the presence of time-dispersion, the maximum achievable gain of such improved receivers in information rate is characterized by a multi-letter (vector) conditional mutual information, which is difficult to evaluate. Under independent complex Gaussian input symbols, we derive computationally tractable lower and upper bounds on the maximum achievable gain, which contain only single-letter expressions of conditional mutual information or conditional differential entropy. At low SNR, the gap between our lower and upper bounds vanishes asymptotically. By numerical studies, it is shown that time dispersion significantly reduces the maximum achievable gain at low SNR. At high SNR, our lower bounds and asymptotic analysis reveal that the achievable gain is still evident, measured in terms of the proportion to that in the case of no time dispersion.

By leveraging the characteristics of both quantum encoding and classical data channel, we present a unique and novel multiuser optical communication system that utilizes fascinating properties of the structured light for information transmission. Specifically, we propose an indoor orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) optical communication system, where the quantum encoding is performed and the multiuser transmission is then analyzed from the context of the classical data channel. In the proposed system, as the OAM beam propagates, its angular spread is analyzed. In addition, we show that the variance of the beam divergence increases with the increasing OAM index mode on the basis of the derived MIMO channel impulse response for OAM carrying Laguerre–Gaussian beams. Comparative studies reveal that the proposed system significantly outperforms the conventional non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) applied with MIMO.

This work aims to provide the hardware (HW) design of the optoelectronics interfaces for a visible-light communication (VLC) system that can be employed for several use cases. Potential applications include the transmission of ultra-high-definition (UHD) streaming video through existing reading lamps installed in passenger vans. In this use case, visible light is employed for the downlink, while infrared light is used for the uplink channel, acting as a remote controller. Two primary components -a Light Fidelity (LiFi) router and a USB dongle—were designed and implemented. The ‘LiFi Router’, handling the downlink channel, comprises components such as a visible Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and an infrared receiver. Operating at a supply voltage of 12 V and consuming current at 920 mA, it is compatible with standard voltage buses found in transport vehicles. The ‘USB dongle’, responsible for the uplink, incorporates an infrared LED and a receiver optimized for visible light. The USB dongle works at a supply voltage of 5 V and shows a current consumption of 1.12 A, making it well suited for direct connection to a universal serial bus (USB) port. The bandwidth achieved for the downlink is 11.66 MHz, while the uplink’s bandwidth is 12.27 MHz. A system competent at streaming UHD video with the feature of being single-input multiple-output (SIMO) was successfully implemented via the custom hardware design of the optical transceivers and optoelectronics interfaces. To ensure the system’s correct performance at a distance of 110 cm, the minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNRmin) for both optical links was maintained at 10.74 dB. We conducted a proof-of-concept test of the VLC system in a passenger van and verified its optimal operation, effectively illustrating its performance in a real operating environment. Exemplifying potential implementations possible with the hardware system designed in this work, a bit rate of 15.2 Mbps was reached with On–Off Keying (OOK), and 11.25 Mbps was obtained with Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) obtaining a bit-error rate (BER) of 3.3259 × 10−5 in a passenger van at a distance of 72.5 cm between the LiFi router and the USB dongle. As a final addition, a solar panel was installed on the passenger van’s roof to power the user’s laptop and the USB dongle via a power bank battery. It took 13.4 h to charge the battery, yielding a battery life of 22.3 h. This characteristic renders the user’s side of the system entirely self-powered.

In this paper, we experimentally illustrate the effectiveness of neural networks (NNs) as non-linear equalisers for multilevel pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-M) transmission over an optical wireless communication (OWC) link. In our study, we compare the bit-error-rate (BER) performances of two decision feedback equalisers (DFEs)—a multilayer-perceptron-based DFE (MLPDFE), which is the NN equaliser, and a transversal DFE (TRDFE)—under two degrees of non-linear distortion using an eye-safe 850 nm single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (SM-VCSEL). Our results consistently show that the MLPDFE delivers superior performance in comparison to the TRDFE, particularly in scenarios involving high non-linear distortion and PAM constellations with eight or more levels. At a forward error correction (FEC) threshold BER of 0.0038, we achieve bit rates of ~28 Gbps, ~29 Gbps, ~22.5 Gbps, and ~5 Gbps using PAM schemes with 2, 4, 8, and 16 levels, respectively, with the MLPDFE. Comparably, the TRDFE yields bit rates of ~28 Gbps and ~29 Gbps with PAM-2 and PAM-4, respectively. Higher PAM levels with the TRDFE result in BERs greater than 0.0038 for bit rates above 2 Gbps. These results highlight the effectiveness of the MLPDFE in optimising the performance of SM-VCSEL-based OWC systems across different modulation schemes and non-linear distortion levels.

6G, the next evolution in wireless networks, is driven by the demand for ultra-fast data speeds, low latency, massive device connections, and reliability. It aims to revolutionize communication with THz transmission, advanced antennas, AI, and quantum computing, offering terabit-per-second data transfer rates for data-intensive applications and immersive experiences. AI is vital in intelligent resource allocation and predictive analytics, while quantum computing ensures secure communications. 6G's potential impacts healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment with advancements like remote surgery and intelligent factories. Challenges in spectrum availability, energy efficiency, and regulations must be addressed for successful implementation. 6G promises faster, more secure, and innovative communication across industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical wireless communications (OWCs) are power-efficient for providing short-range and high-speed data transmission. In this paper, we propose an interference degradation algorithm for power-constrained OWC systems when using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). In this algorithm, we introduce a decision tolerance at the receiver that can be optimally designed to reduce interference caused by peak power clipping distortion and decrease additive noise collected by the photodetectors. Although the recently proposed clipping-enhanced optical OFDM (CEO-OFDM) can transmit clipped information through extra signal frames, reconstructing the received signal introduces more noise. Using the proposed decision tolerance, we can determine whether the signals in the extra frame are required for data reconstruction. By optimally choosing the decision tolerance, the bit error rate (BER) performance is enhanced compared to those of DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM. Additionally, the proposed algorithm offers a wider dynamic modulation index range than DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM at the same BER. Using the tested parameters, the proposed algorithm with 64-QAM achieves a similar best BER performance as DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM using 32-QAM. Therefore, the proposed algorithm achieves a higher data rate than those of the other compared techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of free-space optical interconnects (FSOIs) system is significantly influenced by noise, similar to any wireless communication system. This noise has a notable impact on both the bandwidth density and data rate of FSOIs system. To address these challenges, this study proposes the utilization of vertical-cavity-surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays on the transmitter side and photodetector arrays on the receiver side for FSOIs. The study investigates the bandwidth density of the system with and without coding while maintaining a specific bit error rate. An analysis is conducted in the presence of higher-order modes in the laser beams of the FSOIs system and a fundamental Gaussian operating mode. The presence of the higher-order modes leads to degradation in the performance of the FSOIs system in terms of bandwidth density. In addition, we examine the impact of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the system's bandwidth density for each considered operating mode. The provided simulation results clearly demonstrate that coding significantly enhances the bandwidth density of the systems, with the extent of improvement being closely tied to the employed code rate and codeword length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible light communications (VLC) are an emerging technology that is increasingly demonstrating its ability to provide wireless communications in areas where radio frequency (RF) technology might have some limitations. Therefore, VLC systems offer possible answers to various applications in outdoor conditions, such as in the road traffic safety domain, or even inside large buildings, such as in indoor positioning applications for blind people. Nevertheless, several challenges must still be addressed in order to obtain a fully reliable solution. One of the most important challenges is focused on further improving the immunity to optical noise. Different from most works, where on–off keying (OOK) modulation and Manchester coding have been the preferred choices, this article proposes a prototype based on a binary frequency-shift keying (BFSK) modulation and non-return-to-zero (NRZ) coding, for which the resilience to noise is compared to that of a standard OOK VLC system. The experimental results showed an optical noise resilience improvement of 25% in direct exposure to incandescent light sources. The VLC system using BFSK modulation was able to maintain a maximum noise irradiance of 3500 µW/cm2 as compared with 2800 µW/cm2 for the OOK modulation, and an improvement of almost 20% in indirect exposure to the incandescent light sources. The VLC system with BFSK modulation was able to maintain the active link in an equivalent maximum noise irradiance of 65,000 µW/cm2, as opposed to the equivalent 54,000 µW/cm2 for the OOK modulation. Based on these results, one can see that based on a proper system design, VLC systems are able to provide impressive resilience to optical noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report systematic investigation of the device-size-dependent performance of ultraviolet C (UV-C) light emitting diodes (LEDs) for optical wireless communication (OWC). Utilizing 273 nm-wavelength devices with diameters in the range of 40 $\mu$m to 300 $\mu$m, the size-dependent electrical, optical and frequency response characteristics of AlGaN UV-C LEDs are analyzed. As the junction area scales down, the smaller devices present lower optical power but faster modulation speed. Based on a 1-m point-to-point OWC system, this study further explores the LED size effect on the communication performance including channel gain, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), theoretical Shannon capacity, achievable data transmission rate, relevant ratio, and spectral efficiency (SE). The system employing a 60 $\mu$m diameter (micro) LED transmitter achieves the highest average SNR and SE accompanying a data transmission rate up to a 5.53 Gbps at the forward error correction floor of 3.8$\times 10^{-3}$. These results suggest an optimal device diameter of $\sim$60 $\mu$m for further development of high-performance UV-C short-range line-of-sight (LoS) OWC.

A combination of a blue laser diode (LD) and a warm white light emitting diode (LED) has been used for indoor lighting and visible light communications (VLC). Contrary to LD and phosphor based white lighting communication, no blue LD power is lost due to phosphor conversion. As a result, a longer communication distance has been achieved. The laser beam is diffused in a hat-top profile by an engineered diffuser in such a way that the received signal strength remains flat over a large area, thus improving the coverage area of the communication system. The experiment demonstrates a 1.7 Gbits/s communication speed over a distance of 1.85 m keeping bit error rate (BER) below $2.8\times 10^{-3}$ over a large area. The coverage area has been improved by 238 % to $2.27 m^{2}$ using the hat-top diffuser from $0.95 m^{2}$ for a phosphor diffuser. This is the largest reported coverage area for the achieved VLC speed at a 1.85 m distance to the best of the authors’ knowledge. A correlated color temperature (CCT) of 2952 and a color rendering index (CRI) of 86 have been achieved and the blue light exposure has been kept under the permitted limit. As the radiation standards for eye safety are more relaxed for the infrared (IR) spectrum compared to the visible spectrum, a near-IR LD has been utilized to achieve higher data rates. A data rate of 2.55 Gbits/s has been achieved using the near-IR LD and the proposed diffuser for the same coverage area and distance.

In this paper, we analyze the throughput and reliability of an indoor optical wireless communication (OWC)-based Internet of Things (IoT) system based on Slotted ALOHA (SA) where IoT devices exchange data with an access point (AP). Assuming that the OWC receiver at the AP exploits the capture effect, we derive the error probability of decoding a short-length data packet that originates from a randomly selected OWC IoT device in the presence of interfering users. The analysis is based on the derivation of the signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) statistics and the application of the finite block-length (FBL) information theory. Using these analytical results, we derive relevant performance parameters such as the system throughput and reliability expressed in terms of the outage probability of a user transmission. The main trade-offs between the system performance and the OWC system setup parameters are investigated, in particular, by stressing how the indoor OWC-based system geometry plays an important role in the system performance.Using extensive numerical results, we clearly describe how the presented results are used to optimize the SA-based indoor OWC IoT system design.

Previously, when selecting silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for use in visible light communications (VLC) systems the bandwidth of the SiPM has been a high priority. However, results of experiments on VLC receivers containing two different sizes of commercially available SiPMs show that, if equalization is used and the OOK bit time is less than one third of the duration of its output pulses, the SiPMs bandwidth doesn't significantly impact the receiver's performance. Consequently, for these data rates the criteria used to select which SiPM to incorporate in VLC receivers should put a higher priority on their area and photon detection efficiency than on their bandwidth. In addition, for these data rates, unless the SiPM becomes non-linear, the performance of a receiver containing a SiPM can be predicted based upon Poisson statistics.

Due to its unique advantages, the integration of Visible Light Communications (VLC) in vehicle safety applications has become a major research topic. Nevertheless, as this is an emergent technology, several challenges must be addressed. One of the most important of these challenges is oriented toward increasing vehicular VLC systems' communication range. In this context, this article proposes a novel approach that provides a significant communication distance enhancement. Different from most existing works on this topic, which are based on refining the VLC receiver, this new article is focused on improving the VLC system based on the benefits that can be achieved through the VLC transmitter. The concept is based on Light-Emitting Diode (LED) current overdriving and a modified Variable Pulse Position Modulation (VPPM). Therefore, LED current overdriving provides the VLC receiver higher instantaneous received optical power and improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), whereas the use of the VPPM ensures that the VLC transmitter respects eye regulation norms and offers LED protection against overheating. The concept has been experimentally tested in laboratory conditions. The experimental results confirmed the viability of the concept, showing an increase of the communication range by up to 370%, while maintaining the same overall optical irradiance at the VLC transmitter level. Therefore, this new approach has the potential to enable vehicular VLC ranges that cover the requirements of communication-based vehicle safety applications. To the best of our knowledge, this concept has not been previously exploited in vehicular VLC applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

6G networks have the burden to provide not only higher performance compared to 5G, but also to enable new service domains as well as to open the door over a new paradigm of mobile communication. This paper presents an overview on the role and key challenges of signal processing (SP) in future 6G systems and networks from the conditioning of the signal at transmission to MIMO precoding and detection, from channel coding to channel estimation, from multicarrier and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) to optical wireless communications and physical layer security (PLS). We describe also the core future research challenges on technologies including machine learning based 6G design, integrated communications and sensing (ISAC), and the internet of bio-nano-things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable recovery of transmission parameters is of paramount importance not only for radio frequency receivers, but also for optical wireless communication solutions. This paper discusses a feedback algorithm for recovering the symbol timing in the context of a bandlimited optical intensity link. The link is determined by a PAM scheme and pulse shaping with squared raised cosine or double jump functions. When preambles or pilot sequences are not available to the receiver, non-data-aided (blind) recovery concepts are useful for tracking smaller variations of the timing error affecting the payload data. The current state-of-the-art solution uses a Gardner detector with two samples per symbol, although this introduces a non-negligible amount of inter-symbol interference resulting in an error floor. To avoid this drawback, the authors propose a dual-filter approach which includes an appropriately designed filter operated in parallel to the receiver filter. Despite the additional complexity of the dual-filter architecture, the recovery loop is very simple and requires only one sample per symbol, representing the lowest degree of complexity in this respect. Open-loop characteristic, jitter performance, and acquisition behavior of the suggested recovery loop are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon photomultipliers' relatively large areas and ability to detect single photons make them attractive as receivers for optical wireless communications. In this paper, the relative importance of the non-linearity and width of SiPMs' fast output in their performance in receivers is investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. Using these results, the performances of receivers containing different SiPMs are estimated. This is followed by a discussion of the potential performances of arrays of existing SiPMs. Finally, the possible dramatic improvements in performance that could be achieved by using two stacked integrated circuits are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous work of the author about non-data-aided estimation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for bandlimited optical intensity channels, a couple of limitations have been identified in terms of error performance and computational complexity. In the current paper, these deficiencies are avoided by the introduction of a second receiver filter with specific properties that is operated in parallel to the receiver filter normally used in this respect. Although not initially intended, the concept is also applied to data-aided SNR estimation by deriving a maximum likelihood algorithm and the Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) as the theoretical limit of the error performance. In the next step, the dual-filter framework is used in the context of SNR estimation without knowledge about data symbols. The most significant benefit of this method is that the number of payload data employed for the estimation procedure might be selected arbitrarily long without impacting the spectral efficiency of the link. Since the computation of the true CRLB was out of scope due to complexity reasons, an asymptotic variant for very low SNR values is analyzed, which ends up in a closed-form solution. Furthermore, an algorithm based on first- and second-order moments of the samples at the dual-filter output is investigated, which turned out to be very attractive in terms of error performance and computational complexity.

Powerful and reliable estimation of transmission parameters is an indispensable task in each receiver unit—not only for radio frequency, but also for optical wireless communication systems. In this context, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) plays an eminent role, especially for adaptive scenarios. Assuming a bandlimited optical intensity channel, which requires a unipolar waveform design, an algorithm for SNR estimation is developed in this paper, which requires no knowledge of the transmitted data. This non-data-aided approach benefits to a great extent from the fact that very long observation windows of payload symbols might be used for the estimation process to increase the accuracy of the result; this is in striking contrast to a data-aided approach based on pilot symbols reducing the spectral efficiency of a communication link. Since maximum likelihood, moment-based or decision-directed algorithms are not considered for complexity and performance reasons, an expectation-maximization solution is introduced whose error performance is close to the Cramer-Rao lower bound as the theoretical limit, which has been derived as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Line-of-sight (LOS) indoor optical wireless communications (OWC) enable a high data rate transmission while potentially suffering from optical channel obstructions. Additional LOS links using diversity techniques can tackle the received signal performance degradation, where channel gains often differ in multiple LOS channels. In this paper, a novel active transmitter detection scheme in spatial modulation (SM) is proposed to be incorporated with signal space diversity (SSD) technique to enable an increased OWC system throughput with an improved bit-error-rate (BER). This transmitter detection scheme is composed of a signal pre-distortion technique at the transmitter and a power-based statistical detection method at the receiver, which can address the problem of power-based transmitter detection in SM using carrierless amplitude and phase modulation waveforms with numerous signal levels. Experimental results show that, with the proposed transmitter detection scheme, SSD can be effectively provided with ~0.61 dB signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) improvement. Additionally, an improved data rate ~7.5 Gbit/s is expected due to effective transmitter detection in SM. The SSD performances at different constellation rotation angles and under different channel gain distributions are also investigated, respectively. The proposed scheme provides a practical solution to implement power-based SM and thus aids the SSD realization for improving system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not only for radio frequency but also for optical communication systems, knowledge of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is essential, e.g., for an adaptive network, where modulation schemes and/or error correction methods should be selected according to the varying channel states. In the current paper, this topic is discussed for a bandlimited optical intensity link under the assumption that the data symbols are known to the receiver unit in form of pilot sequences. This requires a unipolar signal design regarding the symbol constellation, but also a non-negative pulse shape satisfying the Nyquist criterion is necessary. Focusing on this kind of scenario, the modified Cramer–Rao lower bound is derived, representing the theoretical limit of the error performance of the data-aided SNR estimator developed in this context. Furthermore, we derive and analyze a maximum likelihood algorithm for SNR estimation, which turns out to be particularly simple for specific values of the excess bandwidth, among them the most attractive case of minimum bandwidth occupation. Numerical results confirming the analytical work conclude the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work describes the development of an organic photodiode (OPD) receiver for high‐speed optical wireless communication. To determine the optimal communication design, two different types of photoelectric conversion layers, bulk heterojunction (BHJ) and planar heterojunction (PHJ), are compared. The BHJ‐OPD device has a −3 dB bandwidth of 0.65 MHz (at zero bias) and a maximum of 1.4 MHz (at −4 V bias). A 150 Mbps single‐channel visible light communication (VLC) data rate using this device by combining preequalization and machine learning (ML)‐based digital signal processing (DSP) is demonstrated. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the highest data rate ever achieved on an OPD‐based VLC system by a factor of 40 over the previous fastest reported. Additionally, the proposed OPD receiver achieves orders of magnitude higher spectral efficiency than the previously reported organic photovoltaic (OPV)‐based receivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, the development of optical wireless communications (OWC) has led to its application in a wide range of environments, including indoor, outdoor, and space. Optical carriers offer advantages such as high bandwidth, security, and directivity, making it a suitable technology for applications in radio astronomy, remote sensing, cellular networks, high-speed train communications, last-mile access, underwater/terrestrial communications, and satellite communications employing laser links. However, laser links between satellites experience Doppler shift due to their relative motion, and this effect should be taken into account from a system design perspective. This paper presents a study of the Doppler shift characterization in laser links for circular Keplerian orbits. An analytical derivation establishes the relationship between the Keplerian orbital elements and the Doppler shift in laser links. The derived equations provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of these orbital elements on the Doppler shift in laser links. Additionally, equations have been derived for the Doppler shift rate and the visibility window condition during satellite communication. Furthermore, we conducted a link failure analysis using simulations to evaluate the effects of the Doppler shift, also identifying the worst-case scenarios for orbits most significantly impacted by this shift. The results showed that among the six Keplerian orbital elements, the semi-major axis, inclination, and right ascension of ascending node contribute to the Doppler shift in circular orbits. While the Doppler shift impact is less significant for laser communication systems employing intensity modulation/direct detection, it can degrade the communication system performance for coherent detection. This work contributes to the effective estimation of Doppler shift from a system design perspective. • Doppler shift in optical wireless communication (OWC) studied for circular Keplerian orbits. • Semi-major axis, inclination angle, and right ascension of the ascending node impact Doppler shift. • Zero inclined orbits only affected by the semi-major axis. • Worst-case: satellites in opposite directions maximize Doppler shift. • Study aids laser comms system design against Doppler degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical wireless communications (OWCs) are power-efficient for providing short-range and high-speed data transmission. In this paper, we propose an interference degradation algorithm for power-constrained OWC systems when using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). In this algorithm, we introduce a decision tolerance at the receiver that can be optimally designed to reduce interference caused by peak power clipping distortion and decrease additive noise collected by the photodetectors. Although the recently proposed clipping-enhanced optical OFDM (CEO-OFDM) can transmit clipped information through extra signal frames, reconstructing the received signal introduces more noise. Using the proposed decision tolerance, we can determine whether the signals in the extra frame are required for data reconstruction. By optimally choosing the decision tolerance, the bit error rate (BER) performance is enhanced compared to those of DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM. Additionally, the proposed algorithm offers a wider dynamic modulation index range than DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM at the same BER. Using the tested parameters, the proposed algorithm with 64-QAM achieves a similar best BER performance as DCO, ACO, and CEO-OFDM using 32-QAM. Therefore, the proposed algorithm achieves a higher data rate than those of the other compared techniques.

Drones are becoming an alternative for the rapid but temporary deployment of data-communication infrastructure in disaster-struck areas. A drone may be equipped with communications equipment to provide network connectivity for stranded users and first responders. This equipment is generally radio-frequency based. However, the drone service time is greatly limited by the power consumed for propulsion and communications, and exacerbated by the restricted battery capacity. Rather than improving rate-allocation strategies and flight paths, we dramatically reduce the consumed power by 100-fold or more with the adoption of non-direct line-of-sight free-space optical communications (NLOS-FSOC). NLOS-FSOC uses diffuse reflectors to make the optical signal detectable to stations with line-of-sight to the diffuse reflector and not necessarily with the transmitter. We also propose a heuristic scheme, called RESTORE, to determine the drone’s optimal flying altitude that provides the largest coverage. We analyze the proposed system by evaluating its performance and compare it to leading drone-assisted emergency communications and show that the proposed approach not only dramatically reduces energy consumption but also provides 130% more aggregated data rates and serves more than 100% of users than existing communications systems.

Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) optical wireless communication systems are potential candidates for high-speed data transmission in indoor environments. In this work, we present an experimental evaluation of two different MIMO systems, i.e., conventional-MIMO (c-MIMO) and imaging-MIMO (i-MIMO) in terms of design considerations. Both systems use the same transmitter configuration featuring a one-dimensional (light-emitting diode) LED transmitting array. On the receiver side, the c-MIMO system employs a similar one-dimensional receiving avalanche photodetector (APD)-based array, whereas the i-MIMO system uses a customized imaging camera-based receiver design. To assess the performance of the two systems, the channel matrix and the bit-error rate are calculated based on the experimental data. At distances shorter than 50 m, the proposed c-MIMO system demonstrates a good transmission performance, particularly when the maximum likelihood detection (MLD) technique is applied. Whereas, at long distances ranging from 40 m to 65 m, the proposed i-MIMO system can ensure an error-free transmission due to the efficient spatial separation between the emitted optical beams. Furthermore, the experimental results confirm that our systems have the potential for high data rates over longer distances in indoor environments.

InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown with an asymmetric multiple quantum well (MQW) are proposed for use in an optical link with an avalanche photodiode (APD) based receiver. In contrast to the high photoresponse of red AlGaInP LEDs in APDs, the proposed blue LEDs provide improved light output and enhanced system bandwidth for directed line-of-sight optical links passing through a 100-cm-long water tank. This improvement is due to the nonuniform carrier distribution within the InGaN MQWs being mitigated by using a thin GaN barrier near the n-GaN to facilitate hole transport capacity. In addition, bandwidth degradation resulting from APD module saturation can also be avoided by using these blue LEDs, successfully establishing a 300 Mbit/s LED-based underwater data link. The proposed InGaN LEDs (zero bias) under illumination exhibit a peak responsivity of 0.133 at λ = 370 nm, an ultraviolet (UV)-to-visible rejection ratio of 4849 and a 3-dB cut-off frequency of 33.3 MHz. Using violet UV laser diodes and the proposed LEDs respectively as the optical transmitter and receiver, an underwater optical link (L = 100 cm) with a data transmission rate of up to 130 Mbit/s and a bit error rate of 4.2 × 10−9 is also demonstrated.

Free space optical (FSO) communication can support various unmanned aerial vehicles' (UAVs) applications that require large capacity data transmission. In order to perform FSO communication between two terminals, it is essential to employ a pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) system with an efficient and optimal performance. We report on the development of a common optical-path-based FSO communication system, tailored for applications in UAVs. The proposed system is equipped with a quadrant photodiode (QPD)-based PAT system without an additional beacon beam subsystem. The presented approach reduced the structural complexity and improved the tracking efficiency for the same size, weight, and power (SWaP). To achieve a robust FSO link in a dynamic UAV environment, the observability and controllability were obtained based on the linearized control according to the incident beam size on the QPD, which was verified by optical simulation and experiments. As a result, the QPD-based PAT system for implementing FSO links demonstrated an up to 4.25 times faster tracking performance. Moreover, the FSO link experimentally confirmed the 1.25 Gbps full-duplex error-free communication at a 50 m distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an indoor multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) visible light communication (VLC) system, line of sight (LoS) channel links are present between a light-emitting diode (LED) based transmitter and a photodetector (PD) based receiver. The PDs in the receiver are closely packed resulting in a high channel correlation. To overcome channel correlation and improve the performance of the MIMO-VLC system, angle diversity receivers (ADRs) are commonly employed. The channel matrix entries depend on the normal vectors of the PDs, which in turn depend on the elevation angle (EA) of the PDs. Thus, by having normal vectors pointing in different directions, the channel correlation can be considerably reduced. This paper considers a special type of ADR called pyramid receiver (PR) and employs a 4x4 MIMO-VLC system. In this paper, different MIMO algorithms such as repetition coding (RC) and spatial multiplexing (SMP) are considered to exhibit and compare the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the fixed and variable EA MIMO-VLC systems. The results show that an SMP-employed MIMO-VLC system outperforms the RC-employed MIMO-VLC system. SMP results in an spatial multiplexing gain that varies linearly with the number of LEDs whereas RC does not yield any spatial multiplexing gain. To attain the same spectral efficiency i.e. 4 bit/s/Hz, a larger signal constellation size is required for RC employed MIMO-VLC system to achieve the same BER as of an SMP employed MIMO-VLC system. Similarly, the BER performance of variable EA MIMO-VLC systems is better as compared to fixed EA MIMOVLC systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) optical wireless communication systems are potential candidates for high-speed data transmission in indoor environments. In this work, we present an experimental evaluation of two different MIMO systems, i.e., conventional-MIMO (c-MIMO) and imaging-MIMO (i-MIMO) in terms of design considerations. Both systems use the same transmitter configuration featuring a one-dimensional (light-emitting diode) LED transmitting array. On the receiver side, the c-MIMO system employs a similar one-dimensional receiving avalanche photodetector (APD)-based array, whereas the i-MIMO system uses a customized imaging camera-based receiver design. To assess the performance of the two systems, the channel matrix and the bit-error rate are calculated based on the experimental data. At distances shorter than 50 m, the proposed c-MIMO system demonstrates a good transmission performance, particularly when the maximum likelihood detection (MLD) technique is applied. Whereas, at long distances ranging from 40 m to 65 m, the proposed i-MIMO system can ensure an error-free transmission due to the efficient spatial separation between the emitted optical beams. Furthermore, the experimental results confirm that our systems have the potential for high data rates over longer distances in indoor environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present a new machine learning-based framework for the accurate estimation of the shot-noise limited photon-counting Poisson channel by developing a state-of-art iterative unsupervised learning algorithm for intelligent optical communications. By accurate estimation, we mean that it achieves very low estimation error even when the effect of the received data is unpredictable. We consider a realistic situation where modulated symbols are assumed to be hidden or unobserved latent variables, thereby making conventional estimation algorithms based on maximum likelihood approach unsuitable or inefficient. In particular, we consider a probabilistic model and assume that the received data is not labeled. With this unpredictable data considered, a novel iterative machine learning framework is developed based on an expectation and maximization algorithm. The proposed algorithm avoids the need to choose an appropriate step size as required in gradient method based algorithms. It is shown that it significantly outperforms the least square and the Viterbi detection technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ergodic channel capacity of wireless optical multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system with pulse position modulation (PPM) is investigated. The combined effects of atmospheric turbulence, atmospheric attenuation, pointing error and channel spatial correlation are taken into consideration. The expression of ergodic channel capacity is derived, and is further performed by Wilkinson approximation method for simplicity. The simulation results indicated that the strong spatial correlation has the greatest influence on the ergodic channel capacity, followed by pointing errors and atmospheric turbulence. Moreover, the ergodic channel capacity growth brought by space diversity only performs well under independent and weakly correlated channels. Properly increasing the size and spacing of the receiving apertures is an effective means of effectively increasing the ergodic channel capacity.

Visible light communications (VLC) are an emerging technology that is increasingly demonstrating its ability to provide wireless communications in areas where radio frequency (RF) technology might have some limitations. Therefore, VLC systems offer possible answers to various applications in outdoor conditions, such as in the road traffic safety domain, or even inside large buildings, such as in indoor positioning applications for blind people. Nevertheless, several challenges must still be addressed in order to obtain a fully reliable solution. One of the most important challenges is focused on further improving the immunity to optical noise. Different from most works, where on–off keying (OOK) modulation and Manchester coding have been the preferred choices, this article proposes a prototype based on a binary frequency-shift keying (BFSK) modulation and non-return-to-zero (NRZ) coding, for which the resilience to noise is compared to that of a standard OOK VLC system. The experimental results showed an optical noise resilience improvement of 25% in direct exposure to incandescent light sources. The VLC system using BFSK modulation was able to maintain a maximum noise irradiance of 3500 µW/cm2 as compared with 2800 µW/cm2 for the OOK modulation, and an improvement of almost 20% in indirect exposure to the incandescent light sources. The VLC system with BFSK modulation was able to maintain the active link in an equivalent maximum noise irradiance of 65,000 µW/cm2, as opposed to the equivalent 54,000 µW/cm2 for the OOK modulation. Based on these results, one can see that based on a proper system design, VLC systems are able to provide impressive resilience to optical noise.

We consider performance enhancement of asymmetrically-clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) and related optical OFDM schemes, which are variations of OFDM in intensity-modulated optical wireless communications. Unlike most existing studies on specific designs of improved receivers, this paper investigates information theoretic limits of all possible receivers. For independent and identically distributed (IID) complex Gaussian inputs, we obtain an exact characterization of information rate of ACO-OFDM with improved receivers for all SNRs. It is proved that the high-SNR gain of improved receivers asymptotically achieve 1/4 bits per channel use, which is equivalent to 3 dB in electrical SNR or 1.5 dB in optical SNR; as the SNR decreases, the maximum achievable SNR gain of improved receivers decreases monotonically to a non-zero low-SNR limit, corresponding to an information rate gain of 36.3%. For practically used constellations, we derive an upper bound on the gain of improved receivers. Numerical results demonstrate that the upper bound can be approached to within 1 dB in optical SNR by combining existing improved receivers and coded modulation. We also show that our information theoretic analyses can be extended to Flip-OFDM and PAM-DMT. Our results imply that, for the considered schemes, improved receivers may reduce the gap to channel capacity significantly at low-to-moderate SNR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, substantial development is observed in the area of Internet of Vehicles owing to the application of wireless communication technologies. Majority of these technologies are based on radio frequency (RF); however, RF spectra are overly congested and regulated, and hence, insufficient to support massive data traffic in the future. In recent times, optical camera communication (OCC) that uses a light-emitting diode (LED) as a transmitter and a camera as a receiver has been deemed an excellent solution for future intelligent transportation systems. As a communication medium, OCC mostly uses visible light, the spectrum of which is vast, completely free, and unregulated. The current outdoor environment is heavily crammed with LED infrastructures, and most vehicles have built-in cameras, rendering OCC immensely promising. OCC is highly secured, supports mobility, and can achieve an excellent bit-error rate. However, the data rate obtained using OCC is not as high as that obtained using other RF-based systems; therefore, its reliability in fast-changing channels is still under research. This review article discusses the applications of the OCC system in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (or vice versa) networks; to the best of our knowledge, this is the first extensive review dedicated to the above topic. Herein, we provide a general overview of OCC standardization in IEEE and ISO in recent years. Then, we explain the general principles of OCC, including channel characteristics, region of interest signaling, and modulation schemes particularly considered in vehicular communications. Additionally, we present a comprehensive overview of the effects of mobility, noise, and interference in OCC. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities in OCC are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work experimentally demonstrates for the first time the practical feasibility of a freeform multipath lens (MPL) for optical wireless communications (OWC). The MPL is able to increase the eye safety laser power limit. Our transmitter is laser class 1M and features 190 mW optical output. We transmit 1.289 Gbit/s on-off keying (OOK) data and achieve a bit error ratio (BER) of 10−10 for an optical receiver power of −31.2 dBm. The link range is more than 5 m, depending on the targeted BER. We discuss the pros and cons of MPLs and compare them with diffusers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work considers the use of a freeform total internal reflection (TIR) lens for optical concentration and provides for the first time experimental results in the context of optical wireless communications (OWC). The lens is placed on a surface-mounted device (SMD) avalanche photodiode (APD) to minimize position tolerances and simplify assembly. The lens achieves a concentration ratio of go = 44.7 (16.5 dB) within the FOV center and exhibits an acceptance angle of ±5°. The TIR lens approach is validated by comparing eye diagrams and bit error ratios (BER) of a receiver with and without a TIR lens. For the measurements, non-return-to-zero (NRZ) on-off keying (OOK) signals are transmitted with a data rate of 1.289 Gbit/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical wireless communication (OWC) meets the demands of the future six-generation mobile network (6G) as it operates at several hundreds of Terahertz and has the potential to enable data rate in the order of Tbps. However, most beam-steering OWC technologies require high-accuracy positioning and high-speed control. Resonant beam communication (RBCom), as one kind of non-positioning OWC technologies, has been proposed for high-rate mobile communications. The mobility of RBCom relies on its self-alignment characteristic where no positioning is required. In a previous study, an external-cavity second-harmonic-generation (SHG) RBCom system has been proposed for eliminating the echo interference inside the resonator. However, its energy conversion efficiency and complexity are of concern. In this paper, we propose an intra-cavity SHG RBCom system to simplify the system design and improve the energy conversion efficiency. We elaborate the system structure and establish an analytical model. Numerical results show that the energy consumption of the proposed intra-cavity design is reduced to reach the same level of channel capacity at the receiver compared with the external-cavity one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in both optical wireless communication (OWC) systems and implanted medical devices (IMDs) have introduced transdermal optical wireless (TOW) technology as a viable candidate for extremely high-speed in-body to out-of-body wireless data transmissions, which are growing in demand for many vital biomedical applications, including telemetry with medical implants, health monitoring, neural recording and prostheses. Nevertheless, this emerging communication modality is primarily hindered by skin-induced attenuation of the propagating signal bit carrier along with its stochastic misalignment-induced fading. Thus, by considering a typical modulated retroreflective (MRR) TOW system with spatial diversity and optimal combining (OC) for signal reception in this work, we focus, for the first time in the MRR TOW literature, on the stochastic nature of generalized pointing errors with non-zero boresight (NZB). Specifically, under these circumstances, novel analytical mathematical expressions were derived for the total average bit error rate (BER) of various system configurations. Their results revealed significant outage performance enhancements when spatial diversity was utilized. Moreover, taking into consideration the total transdermal pathloss along with the effects of stochastic NZB pointing errors, the critical average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) metric was evaluated for typical power spectral-density values.

This article proposes an amalgam of phase-shift keying and asymmetrically clipped frequency-shift keying (i.e., AC-FPSK) for low-energy/low-data rate optical wireless communications. We design a near-optimal, low-complexity harmonic receiver by analyzing the AC-FPSK time-domain (TD) and frequency-domain (FD) waveforms. The Euclidean distance analysis between AC-FPSK waveform pairs yields lower and upper bounds for theoretical bit error probability. Using numerical simulations, we present an exhaustive evaluation of the optimal cardinality of PSK, which illustrates the superiority of AC-FPSK. We show that AC-FPSK provides better energy efficiency versus spectral efficiency trade-off than state-of-the-art AC-FSK, direct current-FPSK, pulse amplitude modulation, and asymmetrically clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. We also demonstrate that by making a suitable choice for the cardinality of PSK, the proposed 2-tap harmonic receiver for AC-FPSK can reach a similar complexity as the AC-FSK harmonic receiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its unique advantages, the integration of Visible Light Communications (VLC) in vehicle safety applications has become a major research topic. Nevertheless, as this is an emergent technology, several challenges must be addressed. One of the most important of these challenges is oriented toward increasing vehicular VLC systems’ communication range. In this context, this article proposes a novel approach that provides a significant communication distance enhancement. Different from most existing works on this topic, which are based on refining the VLC receiver, this new article is focused on improving the VLC system based on the benefits that can be achieved through the VLC transmitter. The concept is based on Light-Emitting Diode (LED) current overdriving and a modified Variable Pulse Position Modulation (VPPM). Therefore, LED current overdriving provides the VLC receiver higher instantaneous received optical power and improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), whereas the use of the VPPM ensures that the VLC transmitter respects eye regulation norms and offers LED protection against overheating. The concept has been experimentally tested in laboratory conditions. The experimental results confirmed the viability of the concept, showing an increase of the communication range by up to 370%, while maintaining the same overall optical irradiance at the VLC transmitter level. Therefore, this new approach has the potential to enable vehicular VLC ranges that cover the requirements of communication-based vehicle safety applications. To the best of our knowledge, this concept has not been previously exploited in vehicular VLC applications.