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Positioning Using Visible Light Communication Footprints

Authors:
Paula Louro
Manuela Vieira
Manuel Augusto Vieira
Pedro Vieira

Keywords: Visible Light Communication; positioning;white LEDs; navigation cell; footprint map

Abstract:
Global Positioning System (GPS) cannot manage indoor positioning because the strong attenuation of the signal by walls and infrastructures results in a lack of signal or poor accuracy. Oher technologies based on RF, optical, magnetic or acoustic signals can be used for this purpose. Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a good alternative, providing good positioning accuracy. In this work, we propose a system using commercial tri-chromatic LEDs that illuminate and transmit modulated data that is used to infer the user’s position. The receiver is based on a dedicated pinpin heterostructure photodiode with selective response in the visible spectrum. The positioning system includes multiple, identical navigation cells. In each cell, the optical pattern created by the VLC transmitters defines specific spatial areas which are assigned to different optical excitations determining the cell footprints. The photocurrent signal measured by the photodetector is demodulated and decoded to provide identification of input optical excitations and enable position detection. The footprint model is evaluated under Line of Sight (LoS) conditions, assuming the Lambertian model for the LED light distribution. The channel gain is computed adjusting the model parameters related to gains and losses to experimental data to calibrate the system. Bit decoding algorithm provides data transmission recovery. Experimental data obtained in a prototype model scale confirms that the proposed VLC architecture is appropriate for indoor positioning application.

Pages: 21 to 24

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2022

Publication date: October 16, 2022

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-3514

ISBN: 978-1-68558-006-3

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Dates: from October 16, 2022 to October 20, 2022