1. May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Light Communications Topic Interest Group Short Overview of Light Communication
Date:
Author:
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

2. May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Abstract
This document presents a short overview on the use of light for wireless communications.
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

3. LC in a nutshell What is LC? Unique Selling Points Use cases
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
LC in a nutshell
What is LC?
Unique Selling Points
Wireless communication via light
Retain mobility by using LED lighting
Bidirectional low and high speed data transmission
Ubiquitous LED lighting as “hotspot”
Use of unregulated optical spectrum
Light does not pass through walls
No mutual interference with radio
Use cases
Wireless backhaul
Networked streetlights
Industrial communication
Localization
Conference rooms
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

4. Advantages and Challenges for LC
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Advantages and Challenges for LC
Advantages
Challenges
Use existing lighting infrastructure for both, access and backhaul
No license fees, no RF interference
Idea: Secure links in limited areas as a complement to mobile radio
Mobility is supported
Dynamic rate adjustment
Handover and interference mgmt.
High-power LEDs are bright
Allow high spectral efficiency
Slow modulation (< 30 MHz BW)
Gbit/s links with little more energy
Non-line-of-sight links
Dimming
Handover in multicell multiuser scenarios
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

5. Roadmap for LC January 2017 B5G MU MIMO P2P 2016 2018 2020 2022
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Roadmap for LC
P2P
MIMO MU
B5G
P2P: Point-to-Point
MIMO: Multiple-Input Multiple-Output
MU: Multi-User LC (P2MP)
B5G: Networked LC (MP2MP)
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

6. Use cases for LC January 2017
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Use cases for LC
IEEE r1 Technical Considerations Document, xx-007a-technical-considerations-document.doc
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

7. Mobile backhaul Robust, rate adaptive optical link
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Mobile backhaul
Robust, rate adaptive optical link
Robust against weather conditions (fog, snow)
Easy adjustment, low cost design
Networked streetlight, Smart city, 5G deployment
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

8. SoA and Market Potential
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
SoA and Market Potential
State of the Art
Market Potential
LED-based Prototype (TRL6)
Tested in outdoor field trial
Performance m m m
No interference with existing RF links
Optical spectrum – No license fees
Optics has potential for higher data rates
Provisional mobile networks for big events
Backhaul for 5G network deployment
Gigabit wireless-to-the-home (WTTH)
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

9. May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Industrial Wireless
Personalized products need more flexible manufacturing
Optical wireless cannot be jammed from outside a building
Low latency (<5 ms is enough for >95% of all use cases)
Robustness: LOS can be blocked  multiple links (MIMO)
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

10. May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Industrial Wireless
Personalized products need more flexible manufacturing
Optical wireless cannot be jammed from outside a building
Low latency (<5 ms is enough for >95% of all use cases)
Robustness: LOS can be blocked  multiple links (MIMO)
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

11. SoA and Market Potential
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
SoA and Market Potential
State of the Art
Market Potential
Early research (TRL1-3)
MIMO measurements in a manufacturing scenario
High path loss  lower rate
Power-efficient waveforms (single-carrier, unipolar)
Shadowing is significant and can be quite fast
Bit and power loading, rank-adaptive MIMO
LC has severe potential for industrial wireless
Radio has known issues
Would need licensed spectrum
Suffers from interference/jamming
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

12. May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
LC for mobile access
Combination of illumination and Gbit wireless “hotspot”
Small cell size (1 m diameter), frequently reused
Downlink is white light, uplink through infrared or RF
Robust, bidirectional and rate-adaptive communication
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

13. SoA and Market Potential
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
SoA and Market Potential
State of the Art
Market Potential
Prototypes (TRL6)
Up to 800 Mbit/s
2ms latency
Early-adopter‘s tests in real application scenarios
Several pilot installations
Mainau (conference room)
Stuttgart (class room)
Energy efficiency and form factor are still an R&D topic, combined with Gbit rates
Efficient MP2MP is t.b.d.
LC for meeting rooms
LC for classrooms
LC for home environments (in each luminaire)
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)

14. Summary LC can be regarded as a useful extension of WiFi
May 2015
doc.: IEEE /0496r1
January 2017
Summary
LC can be regarded as a useful extension of WiFi
Smaller cell size, enhanced privacy
Development from P2P  P2MP  MP2MP
Use cases: Mobile backhaul, industrial wireless, wireless access
Can be addressed partly by tailoring existing technologies
802.11n, ITU-T G.hn
Mobile access scenario needs minaturization
Economies of scale need a new standard
New target is the mass market
Volker Jungnickel (Frauhnhofer HHI)
Edward Au (Marvell Semiconductor)