Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Services Networks at Xidian University in China have developed a novel framework for indoor visible light communication (VLC) systems that aims to balance energy efficiency, communication performance, and user comfort. The team, led by Xinyan Xie and Xuesong Wang, presents an adaptive integrated sensing, communication, and illumination (ISCI) framework that prioritizes energy savings without compromising on performance. Their findings were published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Communications.
Indoor VLC is a promising technology for sixth-generation (6G) networks due to its ability to provide directional and sensitive optical signals that can be used for both communication and sensing. However, current systems often face a trade-off between high performance, high energy consumption, and user visual comfort. The researchers’ adaptive ISCI framework addresses this issue by introducing a geometric methodology to partition the receiving plane into an activity area and a non-activity area, catering to distinct user requirements.
The system uses non-line-of-sight (NLOS) sensing to determine user location, which then acts as a dynamic switch for the system’s optimization objective. In the activity area, the system focuses on minimizing total transmit power while ensuring that communication and illumination performance are maintained. In the non-activity area, the system aims to maximize signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) uniformity. This adaptive approach allows the system to achieve significant energy savings and improve SNR uniformity without compromising on illumination constraints or localization accuracy.
Numerical results demonstrate that the adaptive ISCI approach achieves 53.59% energy savings over a non-adaptive system and improves SNR uniformity by 57.79%. The system also maintains a mean localization error of 0.071 m, ensuring accurate user tracking. These findings highlight the potential of adaptive lighting control in VLC systems to enhance energy efficiency and performance in indoor environments.
The practical applications of this research for the energy sector are significant. By integrating sensing, communication, and illumination in a single framework, the adaptive ISCI approach can help reduce energy consumption in indoor lighting systems while maintaining high performance and user comfort. This technology can be particularly beneficial for large-scale indoor environments such as offices, shopping malls, and warehouses, where energy efficiency and user experience are critical. Additionally, the adaptive nature of the system allows it to dynamically adjust to changing user requirements, making it a versatile solution for various indoor lighting applications.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.