Towards Multi-channel GTS Allocation in Visible Light Communication

Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a communication technology that is used to realise the data demands of futuristic Internet of Things (IoT) devices. VLC leverages the light-based infrastructure, such as LED lights, and laser light sources to enable fast and large data communication. The IEEE 802.15.7 protocol offers multiple physical layer options and Medium Access Control (MAC) sub-layer mechanisms to cater to various VLC applications. Specifically, within the MAC sub-layer, the standard provides support for contention-free communications through Guaranteed Timeslots (GTS), enabling the implementation of time-critical applications. Based on the protocol definitions, the frame structure that aids communication is rigid and fixed. This can be a problem in supporting the large data demands of IoT networks. In this paper, we propose a multi-channel GTS allocation scheme to support the large data demands of IoT applications. Based on our numerical analysis, we were able to witness almost 30% reduction in the overall delay and improved throughput using our proposed method.