Practical Aspects of Optical Wireless Communications - Technologies, Applications and Markets

Description

List of Tables

Optical Wireless Communications (OWC) systems utilize the free-space optical links (air or vacuum) between the transmitter and the receiver to transmit data. OWC technology has an edge over the RF technology due to various factors. These factors include but are not limited to high energy efficiency, widely spread bandwidth, which is free from regulation, intrinsic security, and low economical costs.

OWC technologies complement and enhance 5G wireless communications. By utilizing its greater available spectrum, light can be used to deliver large amounts of data at fast speeds and with high security.

With the inherent advantages, such as ultra-high bandwidth, long communication distance, and strong data privacy, optical wireless systems will become an essential building block of the future communication network infrastructure. Optical wireless communications will play an important role in network operations for 6G, WLANs, AR/VR, and beyond. Optical wireless system design and coordination is also an open topic.

The report researches a wide spectrum of OWC - related subjects and concentrates on:

VLC - Visible Light Communication
LiFi - Light Fidelity
OCC - Optical Camera Communications
FSF - Free Space Fiber
Other.

The differences among these technologies are very specific. The unique characteristic of VLC is the use of visible light as communication media. A LiFi system must support seamless mobility, bidirectional communication, and point-to-multipoint, as well as multipoint-to-point communications. Only the OCC system uses camera or image sensor as a receiver among all the OWC technologies. Due to the narrow beams of focused light from a LD transmitter, a FSF system can form a very long distance as well as a high-data-rate communication link.

The report addresses Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) technologies and markets. LEDs, in the near future, will be a dominate source of illumination; and used also as a transmitting device. The OWC LED-based channels promise to deliver high-speed data in office, home and other environments with high signal-to-noise ratio, and minimum infrastructure expenses.
The report is analyzing the emerging OWC, and particular:

Industry

The survey of more than 40 companies' profiles shows the industry strength and growth.

Economics

The markets specifics of VLC/LiFi/OCC and FSF are evaluated (2024-2028).

Technologies

The detailed analysis of OWC technologies, their strengths and weaknesses, including the latest developments is provided. The report is addressing the specifics of each OWC technology and compare their functionalities.

Standardization

An important prerequisite for the large-scale adoption of OWC technologies is the availability of standards. In this context, IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.11, ITU-R as well as other organizations are working to standardize OWC technology. Multiple OWC standards are analyzed in this report to create a diverse picture of the industry directions.

Applications

The report emphasizes that the spectrum of OWC applications is increasing with each year to support such developments as Intelligent Transportation Systems, Localization and other. Both indoor and outdoor users can appreciate OWC features in multiple instances when compare them with RF transmission.

The report also surveys OWC-related patents.

This report is important to a wide population of researches, technical and sales staff involved in the developing of advanced Optical Wireless Communications systems. It is recommended for both service providers and vendors that are working with related technologies.

1.0. Introduction

1.1. Report Goals
- 1.1.1. Electromagnetic Optical Spectrum
- 1.1.2. OWC Classes
1.2. OWC Technologies
1.3. Scope
1.4. Research Methodology
1.5. Target Audience

2.0. LED Properties

2.1. General
2.2. Spectrum
2.3. LED Types
2.4. LED Modulation
- 2.4.1. Limitations
2.5. LED Evolution
- 2.5.1. General
- 2.5.2. Benefits
- 2.5.3. Market Characteristics
- 2.5.4. Factors: New Regulations

3.0. Visible Light Communication (VLC)

3.1. General
- 3.1.1. VLC Drivers
- 3.1.2. Organizations - Examples
  - 3.1.2.1. UC-Light Center
3.2. Details
- 3.2.1. Communication Channel
- 3.2.2. Transmitter
- 3.2.3. Receiver
- 3.2.4. Major Characteristics
  - 3.2.4.1. General
  - 3.2.4.2. Modulation
  - 3.2.4.3. VLC Channel: Characteristics Summary
- 3.2.5. Applications Examples
  - 3.2.5.1. Intelligent Transportation Systems
  - 3.2.5.2. Optical Wireless LAN
  - 3.2.5.3. Medical
  - 3.2.5.4. Visible Light Positioning
  - 3.2.5.5. City Wide Wireless Network
  - 3.2.5.6. Summary
3.3. Challenges

4.0. Light Fidelity (LiFi)

4.1. General
4.2. Differences - LiFi and VLC
4.3. LiFi Consortium
4.4. Light Communications Alliance
4.5. LiFi Limitations

5.0. Optical Camera Communications (OCC)

5.1. General
5.2. Driving Forces
5.3. Principles
5.4. Image Sensors
- 5.4.1. Specifics
5.5. Applications
- 5.5.1. Deep Learning-Based Optical Camera Communications

6.0. Free Space Fiber

6.1. General
- 6.1.1. Background
6.2. Major Characteristics
6.3. Protection
6.4. Major Use Cases
- 6.4.1. Requirements
- 6.4.2. Inter-satellite Links
  - 6.4.2.1. Commercialization
- 6.4.3. Intra-building Communications
  - 6.4.3.1. New Applications
- 6.4.4. Inter-building Communications
- 6.4.5. Summary
6.5. FSF Communications Benefits and Limitations: Summary
- 6.5.1. Weather Factor
- 6.5.2. Building Swaying
- 6.5.3. Atmospheric Attenuation
6.6. Design Issues
- 6.6.1. Directions
- 6.6.2. Major Use Cases
- 6.6.3. Enhancements
6.7. Diversification

7.0. OWC Standardization

7.1. VLC/LiFi/OCC/FSF Standards Development
- 7.1.1. IEEE - 802.15.7-2018
  - 7.1.1.1. Considerations
    - 7.1.1.1.1. Purpose
    - 7.1.1.1.2. New Communications Media
  - 7.1.1.2. Project
    - 7.1.1.2.1. Coexistence
    - 7.1.1.2.2. Essence
    - 7.1.1.2.3. Base
    - 7.1.1.2.4. Use Cases and Devices
    - 7.1.1.2.5. Physical Layer
      - 7.1.1.2.5.1. General
      - 7.1.1.2.5.2. Responsibilities
      - 7.1.1.2.5.3. Types
      - 7.1.1.2.5.4. Error Correction
      - 7.1.1.2.5.5. Rates
      - 7.1.1.2.5.6. Frequency Plan
      - 7.1.1.2.5.7. PHY Services
      - 7.1.1.2.5.8. Regulations
    - 7.1.1.2.6. MAC Layer
      - 7.1.1.2.6.1. Topologies
      - 7.1.1.2.6.2. Responsibilities
      - 7.1.1.2.6.3. Functionalities
      - 7.1.1.2.6.4. Channel Access
    - 7.1.1.2.7. Security
- 7.1.2. IEEE - 802.11bb
  - 7.1.2.1. Differences
- 7.1.3. IEEE- 802.15.13-2023
- 7.1.4. IEEE 802.15.7m - OCC Standardization
  - 7.1.4.1. Background
  - 7.1.4.2. Process
  - 7.1.4.3. Modulation
    - 7.1.4.3.1. Directions: From 5G-to-6G
  - 7.1.4.4. OCC Performance Requirements
  - 7.1.4.5. Physical Layer
- 7.1.5. Jeita (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association) Standards
  - 7.1.5.1. JEITA CP-1221
  - 7.1.5.2. JEITA CP-1222
  - 7.1.5.3. JEITA CP-1223
- 7.1.6. Visible Light Communications Association (VLCA)
- 7.1.7. ECMA 397-2010
- 7.1.8. ITU G.9991
- 7.1.9. ITU Report ITU-R SM.2422-0 (06/2018)
- 7.1.10. FSF ITU G.640
- 7.1.11. FSF ITU-R P.1814-2007
- 7.1.12. FSF ARIB STD-T50 (OPTICAL WIRELESS LAN SYSTEM) v4-2009

8.0. OWC Industry

8.1. VLC/LiFi/OCC Industry
- Casio
- Firefly
- Fraunhofer IPMS
- Global LiFI Tech
- Lightbee
- Nakagawa Laboratories
- NEC
- OptiPulse
- Outstanding Technology
- Oledcomm
- PureVLC-PureLiFi
- Qualcomm
- Renesas
- Signify (Philips Lighting)
- Supreme Architecture
- VLNComm
- Zero1
8.2. FSF Industry
- AIRLINX Communications
- BridgeComm
- CableFree
- CBL
- Collinear
- Dailianxu Engineering Company
- fSONA
- Guilin
- Plaintree
- SA Photonics (a CASI Company)
- Tesat
- Transcelestial
- Taara

9.0. OWC Market

9.1. Factors
9.2. Estimate - VLC/LiFi/OCC Markets
9.3. FSF Market
- 9.3.1. General
- 9.3.2. Market Drivers and Use Cases
- 9.3.3. Market Segments
- 9.3.4. Competition
  - 9.3.4.1. Fiber Optics Systems
  - 9.3.4.2. Microwave
  - 9.3.4.3. PONs
- 9.3.5. Forecast
  - 9.3.5.1. General
  - 9.3.5.2. Model Assumptions
  - 9.3.5.3. Structure
  - 9.3.5.4. Market Characteristics
9.4. VLC and FSF

10.0. Issues

11.0 5G View
11.1. Attocell
- 11.1.1. Cell Structures
  - 11.1.1.1. Attocells Specifics
- 11.1.2. Hybrid: OWC/RF
11.2. Advantages of OWC Networking
- 11.1.3. OWC and Self-driven Car

12.0. Conclusions

Attachment I: OWC - related Patents Survey (2018-2024)

List of Figures

Figure 1: Diagram of Electromagnetic Spectrum
Figure 2: Visible Light Spectrum
Figure 3: OWC Illustration
Figure 4: Illustration - Use Cases - OWC
Figure 5: OWC Technologies
Figure 6: LED Structure
Figure 7: LED Spectrum
Figure 8: White LED Properties Illustration
Figure 9: Estimate: Lighting LED Market - Global ($B)
Figure 10: LED Price Factor ($/W)
Figure 11: Cost and Brightness- Light Sources (Illustration)
Figure 12: Illustration: VLC Place
Figure 13: Illustration-VLC Channel
Figure 14: VLC Applications - Examples
Figure 15: OWC Applications in ITS
Figure 16: Simplified FSF Channel Diagram
Figure 17: PHY Types
Figure 18: Topologies
Figure 19: OWC Market Categories
Figure 20: Estimate: OWC Technologies Projected Market Size - Global ($B)
Figure 21: OWC Market Geography (2024)
Figure 22: FSF Market Segments
Figure 23: Estimate: FSF Global Market Value ($B)
Figure 24: FSF Market Geography
Figure 25: Hybrid VLC/RF System
Figure 26: Hybrid Structures

List of Tables

Table 1: LED Wavelengths (nm)
Table 2: Properties - Laser vs. LED
Table 3: Light Sources Characteristics
Table 4: VLC vs RF Properties
Table 5: VLC, IR and RF Communications - ITS Applications Comparison
Table 6: Locations Technologies
Table 7: Atmospheric Attenuation
Table 8: VLC Use Cases
Table 9: Devices and Characteristics
Table 10: Comparison: Position Use Cases
Table 11: Frequency Plan
Table 12: OCC Types of Modulation
Table 13: OCC Performance Characteristics
Table 14: VLC vs FSF

Practical Aspects of Optical Wireless Communications - Technologies, Applications and Markets

Description

Table of Contents

List of Tables

Industry

Economics

Technologies

Standardization

Applications

Table of Contents

1.0. Introduction

2.0. LED Properties

3.0. Visible Light Communication (VLC)

4.0. Light Fidelity (LiFi)

5.0. Optical Camera Communications (OCC)

6.0. Free Space Fiber

7.0. OWC Standardization

8.0. OWC Industry

9.0. OWC Market

10.0. Issues

12.0. Conclusions

Attachment I: OWC - related Patents Survey (2018-2024)

List of Figures

List of Tables