Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract— This paper presents the use of visible light as a data with a range of more than 3 cm while maintaining a constant
means of data communication, utilizing a Light Emitting Diode data rate through changing the modulation technique. The study
(LED) for data transmission, specifically the super bright LED (a) design a modulated digital signal generator circuit to produce
and utilizing a Laser diode (LD) module which has a more focused data inputs using Arduino software, (b) transmit and receive data
beam and further range. The study implemented a wireless visible inputs with varying modulation techniques such as Amplitude
light communication (VLC) system that can transmit and receive Shift Keying (ASK), Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and Phase
data with a range of more than 3 cm; through varying modulation Shift Keying (PSK) and (c) measure the Bit Error Rate (BER) of
techniques, namely Phase Shift Keying (PSK), Frequency Shift the wireless communication system under varying distances and
Keying (FSK) and, Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK). The process
compare the data with our target BER of 0.1%.
includes using two Arduino modules, one for signal transmission
and another for signal reception. The transmitter module is In a recent study conducted by Ryoichi Yoneda, Kuniyoshi
connected to a computer with the Arduino software where data Okuda, and Wataru Uemura at Ryukoku University, involving a
will be inputted for transmission. The receiver consists of a road-to-vehicle visible light communication system which
photodiode which sends the intelligence to the Arduino and utilizes Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and Pulse Width
projects data to the screen. In all of the said techniques, it is Modulation (PWM), emphasizes that using FSK is more
observed that the presence of Bit Error Rate (BER) increased as appropriate to use in a VLC system because the frequency of
the distance between the transmitter and receiver becomes
light is easier to alter. It is also indicated in the study that the
greater. The farthest distance that PSK can achieve for LED is 9.8
cm and 22.2 cm for laser. In FSK the limit is up until 9.4 cm for
lower the subcarrier frequency used, the longer the signal can
LED and 21.4 cm for laser. While in ASK, the BER is unacceptable travel and has higher signal to noise ratio. In their trials, it is
for all the distances in LED but in using the laser, it can reach as evident that the acceptable Bit Error Rate is at around 10-3[1]. In
long as 19.4 cm. In general, the researchers were able to extend the another study, Amal and Faruque made use of Amplitude Shift
transmission distance far greater than 3 cm. minimum distance Keying and Phase Shift Keying on a Visible Light System that
between the devices. utilizes a laser as a light source. In their study, the laser diverges
at around 12cm and that distance is their maximum transmission
Keywords: Light Emitting Diode, Laser Diode, Visible Light distance. They also claimed that different factors like rain, fog,
Communication, Phase Shift Keying, Frequency Shift Keying, atmospheric absorption, dispersion effects, scintillation, snow,
Amplitude Shift Keying, Arduino, Bit Error Rate. interference from other light sources, pointing stability in wind,
shadowing, pollution etc. plays their roles as the limiting factors
I. INTRODUCTION [2].
Radio Frequency (RF) signal is one of the main carriers for According to Shinichiro Haruyama, with white LEDs being
data and signal transmission and reception. From sending a text used for illumination purposes instead of fluorescent and
message to a phone call, RF signal is used as carrier to send and incandescent bulbs, it is a possibility to use these LEDs as a
receive data. Considering beyond radio frequency range, visible means for data communication with the LEDs being utilized as
spectrum or visible light can also be used for data the transmitter. By comparing VLC (Visible Light
communication using fiber optic media. In utilizing visible light Communication) with radio-wave wireless communication,
for communicating through fiber optic media, pulses of light Haruyama was able to identify some advantages and
pass through an optical fiber and forms a modulated disadvantages of using VLC. Basically, VLC is a “line-of-sight”
electromagnetic carrier wave that’s responsible for carrying the communication wherein the distance its able to handle is
information. In optic fiber media though, the fiber acts as the between 1 to 100 meters as well as the signal is easily disrupted
signals’ channel of transmission, but Radio Frequency (RF) when there is an obstruction between the transmitter and the
signals travel through free space as it carries the information. receiver. Another disadvantage of VLC is its low data rate which
The study implement a wireless Visible Light commonly is between kilobits per second to 10 megabits per
Communication (VLC) system that can transmit and receive second [3].
470
2016 6th IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 25–27 November 2016, Penang, Malaysia
were able to measure and analyse the Bit Error Rate (BER) of
the wireless system. BER was obtained by converting the
transmitted and received strings into binary and then compared
to see which bit/bits were altered in the transmission process.
BER was computed counting the error bits on the receiver side
divided by the total data bits sent by the transmitter, which is
256 bits was sent for PSK and 240 bits sent for FSK and ASK.
The Bit Error Rate is different in each modulation technique
(PSK, FSK, and ASK). Error is mostly present in Amplitude
Shift Keying because of the different factors present in the
environment which affects the communication system. In all of
the said techniques, it is noticed that the presence of BER grows
as the distance between the transmitter and receiver becomes
greater. The farthest distance that PSK can achieve for LED is
9.8 cm and 22.2 cm for laser. In FSK the limit is up until 9.4 cm
for LED and 21.4 cm for laser. While in ASK, the BER is
unacceptable for all the distances in LED but in using the laser,
it can reach as long as 19.4 cm. In general, the researchers were
able to extend the transmission distance far greater than 3 cm.
minimum distance between the devices.
V. REFERENCES
[1] Yoneda, R., Okuda, K., and Uemura, W. (2013). A Tight Curve
Warning System Using FSK Visible Light and Road-to-Vehicle
Communication, 2013 IEEE 3rd ICCE-Berlin.
[4] Tuo J., Shams, H. and Corbett, B., (2012). Visible Light
Communication by Using Commercial Phosphor based White
LEDs, NUI Maynooth, Tyndall National Institute, UCC.
[7] Yoneda, R., Okuda, K., and Uemura, W. (2013). A Tight Curved
Warning System Using FSK Visible Light and Road-to-Vehicle
Communication, 2013 IEEE 3rd ICCE-Berlin.
471