Adaptive Software-Defined Visible Light Communication Networks

A platform for software-based Visible Light Communication (VLC) can be built with simple hardware components and VLC can be integrated into a room's lighting system. VLC is therefore a good match for indoor setups that need to support a large number of nodes with moderate bandwidth requirements. But designing a VLC system for worst-case operating conditions is more restrictive than necessary. This paper presents a software-based VLC system that adapts link sensitivity and capacity to match environment constraints. Compared to a fixed sensing scheme, an adaptive scheme increases channel capacity by almost an order of magnitude under favorable conditions or significantly extends the communication range. This adaptive link sensitivity allows communication even without a direct line of sight between two devices, opening new opportunities to use VLC systems in novel scenarios involving different types of embedded devices -- ranging from network nodes that only include a single Light Emitting Diode (LED), such as consumer electronics, toys, and wearables, to LED light bulbs that run Linux and provide an indoor VLC communication fabric.