VLC Light Source Segmentation for Mobile Terminal Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems experience unnecessary power consumption due to transmitting data using all light sources without considering the mobility of mobile terminals, leading to inefficient data transmission and increased power usage.
Innovation Solution
The VLC system includes a light source manager and controller that dynamically manage and activate only the necessary light sources based on the mobile terminal's location, searching for and exchanging data with the terminal in specific cells and adjusting the visible light active region as needed to support mobility, thereby reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If all light sources are used for data transmission, then data transmission coverage is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting lamp is divided into multiple light sources that can be independently controlled. The system segments the light sources into different cells and selectively activates only the light sources in the cell where the mobile terminal is located, rather than activating all light sources simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data transmission coverage while reducing power consumption by turning off unused light sources.
2Reliability
If all light sources transmit the same data, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by making each light source have different functional properties based on the mobile terminal's location. Instead of all light sources transmitting the same data uniformly, the system identifies the specific cell containing the mobile terminal and directs data transmission only to light sources in that cell. This creates a non-uniform transmission pattern where only the relevant light sources are active, maintaining communication reliability for the terminal while reducing overall power consumption.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If light sources are selectively activated based on terminal location, then power consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by making the light source activation pattern adaptive and changeable based on the mobile terminal's real-time location. The controller dynamically determines which light sources should be activated by first identifying the cell containing the terminal, then selecting appropriate light sources in that cell for data transmission. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to reduce power consumption according to actual usage conditions while managing complexity through location-based automation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures seamless data service by activating only required light sources, reducing power consumption and maintaining efficient data transmission as the mobile terminal moves within the VLC system.
Implementation Method 1
The lighting lamp 100 includes at least one LED 115 or Laser Diode (LD) whose color and illumination intensity can be controlled, such that the lighting lamp 100 provides a lighting function and transmits data received from an Access Point (AP) 110 by using visible light.
Implementation Method 2
A reception side, i.e., the mobile terminal 105, processes the visible light using, for example, a Photo Diode (PD), thereby performing VLC.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for supporting mobility of a mobile terminal in a Visible Light Communication (VLC) system. The method includes searching, by the VLC device, for a first mobile terminal in a plurality of cells; locating the first mobile terminal in a first cell among the plurality of cells; exchanging data with the first mobile using a light source of the first cell; determining whether a response signal corresponding to data reception is received from the first mobile terminal in the first cell; searching for the first mobile terminal in a neighboring cell of the first cell, if the response signal is not received; and determining the neighboring cell as a second cell for visible light activation, if the first mobile terminal is located in the neighboring cell.