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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Basics of optical wireless communication
Optical wireless communications is a form of optical communication in which
unguided visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light is used to carry a signal.Optical
communication, also known as optical telecommunication, is communication at a
distance using light to carry information. It can be performed visually or by
using electronic devices.
1.2 History of Optical Wireless Communication
Wireless communications technologies proliferated and became essential very
quickly during the last few decades of the 20th century, and the early 21st century. The
wide-scale deployment of radio-frequency technologies was a key factor in the
expansion of wireless devices and systems. However, the portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum used by wireless systems is limited in capacity, and licenses to use parts of
the spectrum are expensive. With the rise in data-heavy wireless communications, the
demand for RF spectrum is outstripping supply, causing companies to consider options
for using parts of the electromagnetic spectrum other than radio frequencies.
Optical wireless communication (OWC) refers to transmission in unguided
propagation media through the use of optical carriers: visible, infrared (IR),
and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The earliest use of sunlight for communication purposes
is attributed to ancient Greeks and Romans who used polished shields to send signals
by reflecting sunlight during battles. In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell invented
the photophone, the world’s first wireless telephone system.Military interest in photo
phones continued after Bell's time. For example in 1935, the German Army developed a
photo phone where a tungsten filament lamp with an IR transmitting filter was used as
a light source. Also, American and German military laboratories continued the
development of high-pressure arc lamps for optical communication until the 1950s.
Modern OWC uses either lasers or light emitting diodes (LEDs) as transmitters.
After the invention of the laser, OWC was envisioned to be the main deployment area
for lasers and many trials were conducted using different types of lasers and modulation
schemes. However, the results were in general disappointing due to large divergence of
laser beams and the inability to cope with atmospheric effects. With the development of
low-loss fiber optics in the 1970s, they became the obvious choice for long distance
optical transmission and shifted the focus away from OWC systems.
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1.3 invention, origin & overview

1.3.1 Invention
In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell invented the photo phone, the world’s first
wireless telephone system. Military interest in photo phones continued after Bell's time.
For example in 1935, the German Army developed a photo phone where a tungsten
filament lamp with an IR transmitting filter was used as a light source. Also, American
and German military laboratories continued the development of high-pressure arc
lamps for optical communication. Modern OWC uses either lasers or light emitting
diodes (LEDs) as transmitters.
1.3.2 Origin
After the invention of the laser, OWC was envisioned to be the main deployment
area for lasers and many trials were conducted using different types of lasers and
modulation schemes. However, the results were in general disappointing due to large
divergence of laser beams and the inability to cope with atmospheric effects.
1.3.3 Overview
We are continuously witnessing the emergence of new data services and
applications in wireless transmission systems. The existing radio frequency based
wireless communications are facing challenges in so far as being able to cope with these
varied, sophisticated and bandwidth hungry services and applications. The ever evolving
optical wireless communicationstechnology with its unique features such as a license-
free frequency spectrum, an inherent security, and significantly higher transmission
rates is seen as a potential alternative and complementary to the radio frequency based
wireless communications, which can address some of these challenges. This technology
can be used for short to long distance applications as in indoor visible light
communications, ultra-violet, and free space optics. The chapter gives an overview of
the OWC system focusing on the historical development and current status, as well as
existing and envisioned applications areas.

CHAPTER 2: THEME OF OPTICAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

2.1: BASICS OF OPTICAL COMMUNICATION

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Optical communication, also known as optical telecommunication,

is communication at a distance using light to carry information. It can be performed
visually or by using electronic devices. The earliest basic forms of optical
communication date back several millennia, while the earliest electrical device created
to do so was the photophone, invented in 1880.
An optical communication system uses a transmitter, which encodes
a message into an optical signal, a channel, which carries the signal to its destination,
and a receiver, which reproduces the message from the received optical signal.

Figure 2.1: Optical Communication

When electronic equipment is not employed the 'receiver' is a person visually
observing and interpreting a signal, which may be either simple (such as the presence of
a beacon fire) or complex (such as lights using color codes or flashed in a Morse
code sequence).Free-space optical communication has been deployed in space, while
terrestrial forms are naturally limited by geography, weather and the availability of light.
This article provides a basic introduction to different forms of optical communication can
be referred in figure 2.1.

CHAPTER 3: APPLICATIONS
3.1 Indoor Optical Wireless Communication
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The indoor applications may include a wide range of applications that OWC can
support. Namely, these applications may include, but are not limited to.
Indoor Networks: In this application, OWC may be used to connect devices inside
an offices, homes, conference rooms, hospital etc. In these application, we need to
remind that OWC may support applications that have short distances between
transceivers with fixed or slowly moving devices. For example, OWC may be used to
build a LAN inside an office, connect many devices together inside a shopping centre.
Further, OWC may be employed to transmit measurements regarding a patient to a
storage and processing device. Further, in application required high security like bank
offices.
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[2] F. Ishihara and F. Sheikh. 2004. Level Conversion for Dual-Supply Systems. IEEE
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[3] A. Chandrakasan, S. Sheng and R.W. Brodersen. 1992. Low-Power CMOS Digital
Design. IEEE Journal on Solid State Circuits. 27: 473-484.
[4] K. Usami and M. Horowitz. 2005. Clustered Voltage Scaling Technique for Low-
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pp. 3-8.
[5] C. Chi, H. H. Lee, S. H. Tsai and M. C. Chi. 2007

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