Enhanced performance of single-input multiple-output visible light communication system utilizing space diversity technology

Abstract

Contradictions among receiver optical power, bandwidth of photodiode, and transmission distance are ubiquitous in visible light communication (VLC) systems. In order to moderate such contradictions and improve the performance of VLC systems, we proposed a space diversity receiver for a light-emitting diode (LED)-based VLC system and experimentally demonstrated the highest data rate for an RGB LED with a 1.4 Gbit/s data rate employing two detectors located in different space positions at the same time. The maximal ratio combining algorithm was used in the VLC system for the first time. As a result, the bit error ratios of the receivers can be reduced by 48.08 dB (red LED), 12.04 dB (green LED), and 27.48 dB (blue LED) compared with any separate detector. The performance of the VLC system was significantly improved. It turned out that it was highly desirable to use multiantennas in the VLC system.