Bi-directional optical camera communication and visible light communication using a single side-emitting fiber

Side-emitting fibers have been proven to act as distributed transmitters for optical camera communication (OCC) and as distributed receivers for visible light communication (VLC). However, their simultaneous operation over a single side-emitting fiber has not yet been explored. In this work, we demonstrate a bi-directional VLC/OCC link using a single side-emitting fiber. We present the theoretical framework, and through a series of experiments, we show that both OCC and VLC channels perform below the forward-error-correction (FEC) limit of 3.8 · 10^-3, thereby confirming the capability of side-emitting fibers as both a distributed transmitter and receiver. These results highlight the potential for bidirectional communication and sensing using low-cost side-emitting fibers, enabling a simple indoor OCC downlink and a short-range VLC uplink. For example, a side-emitting fiber integrated around a doorway could provide identification and verification functionality while simultaneously illuminating an emergency exit.