A Single-Input Multiple-Output Optical System for Mobile Communication: Modeling and Validation

A single-input multiple-output optical communication system based on an LED transmitter and a receiving pixel grid of a camera is considered. The LED image received at a reference distance is modeled using a Gaussian mixture and the pixel values at any other desired distance are estimated using the reference image. Both optimal and suboptimal pixel combining techniques are analyzed. The experimental validation includes placement of the camera on a motorized translation stage to analyze the effects of random locations of the LED image on the pixel grid. Results show excellent agreement between proposed model and the experiment. When random image locations over the pixel grid due to mobility are considered, a receiver that uses only the best pixel is found to lose more than 50% of the received power over a maximal ratio combiner at a distance of 2 m.