The steady advances in light-emitting diode (LED) technology have motivated the use of LEDs in optical wireless communication (OWC) applications such as indoor local area networks (LANs) and communication between mobile platforms (e.g., robots, vehicles). In contrast to traditional radio frequency (RF) wireless communication, OWC utilizes electromagnetic spectrum that is largely unregulated and unrestricted. OWC communication may be especially useful in RF-denied environments, in which RF communication may be prohibited or undesirable. However, OWC does present some challenges, including the need to maintain alignment between potentially moving nodes. We describe a novel system for link alignment that is composed of a hyperboloidal mirror, camera, and gimbal. The experimental system is able to use the mirror and camera to detect an LED beacon of a neighboring node and estimate its bearing (azimuth and elevation), point the gimbal towards the beacon, and establish an optical link.

Date Published: 7 September 2016
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9954, Fifteenth International Conference on Solid State Lighting and LED-based Illumination Systems, 99540D (7 September 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2239515

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9954:
Fifteenth International Conference on Solid State Lighting and LED-based Illumination Systems
Matthew H. Kane; Nikolaus Dietz; Ian T. Ferguson, Editor(s)