Performance Analysis of Visible Light Communication Using CMOS Sensors

Area of Science:

• Optical Communications
• Image Sensors
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Visible Light Communication (VLC) offers a complementary wireless technology.
• CMOS sensors, ubiquitous in cameras, present a novel receiver option for VLC.
• The rolling shutter mechanism's unique operation in CMOS sensors influences VLC system design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the fundamental principles of VLC systems employing CMOS sensor rolling shutters.
• To integrate knowledge from photometry, camera operation, photography, and image processing for system explanation.
• To analyze VLC system performance concerning signal quality and data rate.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of relevant scientific domains (photometry, photography, image processing).
• Formulation of signal quality metrics, specifically the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR).
• Development and execution of a simulation model to validate analytical findings.

Main Results:

• Established a foundational understanding of VLC systems utilizing rolling shutter CMOS sensors.
• Quantified system performance through the derived SINR metric.
• Validated the analytical model through simulation, confirming its predictive capabilities.

Conclusions:

• Visible light communication is feasible using rolling shutter CMOS sensors.
• The SINR metric effectively characterizes system performance.
• Simulations confirm the analytical framework for rolling shutter VLC systems.