ABSTRACT

In this paper Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology is used for giving information about different
monuments in the museum. Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a technology in which visible light
spectrum is used as a wireless medium for communication. The light source may be Light Emitting
Diodes (LED) or LASER’s. The light source does two functions, illumination and communication,
simultaneously. The LEDs are used as the optical source which is connected over the monuments. An
audio information signal is used to modulate the intensity of light emitted by the light sources. This
audio signal contains the factual information related to the monuments. The optical signal is sensed at a
photosensitive target and is demodulated at the receiver end. The receiver modules are connected to
headphones. In this way, the factual information related to the monument is conveyed to the visitors.

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION
According to the recent statistical survey, the museums in our country generate revenue of more than
six million US dollars every year and this number is on rise. Thus museums happen to be a very
important element of the tourism industry. In the early days, the information related to different
monuments was conveyed by human guides. This required considerable amount of man power to
attend each and every visitor. Later the museums came up with information catalogues which could be
hand held were given to the visitors. The visitors would have to match the numbers in the catalogue
with the numbers given to the monuments and read the information related to it. These catalogues
were later replaced with boards having description of the monuments. Another method which was used
was using a MP3 player and headphones which had preloaded audio files of the description,from which
the visitors had to select the appropriate audio file as he moved from one statue to another. The most
recent development is the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) system in which the visitors need to
pair their devices to the transmitting device in order to obtain the information. The NFC system operates
on radio frequencies which is hazardous to the health. Moreover pairing is required each time the visitor
wants to access the information. Besides this, not all the devices with common users support NFC
technology. Thus, in order to overcome limitations of the above used method, a system for delivering
information using Visible Light Communication (VLC) is proposed.

HISTORY OF VLC
Communication through visible light is not a new concept. Even in ancient times, humans used to
beacon fires, mirror reflections, and light houses to communicate over large distances. However, the
first known electronic wireless communication using visible light was invented by Alexander Graham
Bell. In 1880, he developed a photo phone which transmitted modulated voice data over 200m using
rays of sunlight. This design by Bell was further improved by using tungsten lamp and IR filters, and high
pressure vapor and mercury arc lamp. Today, the LED lighting systems are used in almost all forms of
illumination application because of its high efficiency, less power consumption and long life. This has
also created a ground for further development of Visible Light Communication (VLC) as a high speed
data transferring medium. The concept of VLC was used in Japan in 1999 by Pang who designed a VLC
system implemented on LED traffic lights to achieve open space, wireless broadcasting of audio
messages. In 2001, Kulhavy of Twibright Labs developed RONJA(Reasonable Optical Near Joint Access),
a free technology project for reliable free-space optical data links using visible light with a range of 1.4
km and communication speed of 10 Mbps full duplex. The use of white LED for both lighting and
communication was driven by Tanaka reporting a 400Mbps data transmission based on numerical
analysis and computer simulations. In recent years, several research groups have been able to
demonstrate high rates using VLC technology.
BLOCK DIAGRAM

DESCRIPTION

The basic block diagram consist of

 Input from the Source
 Comparator.
 Led Driver.
 LEDs.
 Photo Detector.
 Amplifier and Speaker.
 Output

INPUT
Input consists of analog signal, which is usually taken from the Audio output of the
Mobile Phone, Laptop or any other Musical Instruments. The signal will be at low voltage
level which is not enough to drive an LED, So in order to drive the LEDs we have to amplify
the signal using amplifiers.

COMPARATOR
The input signal from an audio device will be at low voltage level, so in order to
modulate the signal using visible light, we have to convert the signal in to a Pulse wave format
(signal representing 0 & 1). The comparator compares the input signal with a reference voltage and
produces an output which will be in Pulse wave form. The pulse wave so formed is amplified
and modulated at the Lamp Driver.

LED DRIVER
The pulse wave from the comparator has to be amplified to drive the LEDs. And
Modulation of the input signal and Carrier Light signal is also taking place at the Led driver.
The amplified and modulated pulse signal is used to drive the LEDs. These LEDs transmit the
modulated signals to the receiver.

LEDs
In Li-Fi Transmission, the most important requirement of light source is its ability to
turn ON and OFF Repeatedly in very short intervals (in ns range). So we use LEDs which have
very low switching time. These LEDs turn ON and OFF in Nano second based on the Pulse
signal. Since the switching taking at a faster rate, it cannot be detected by Human eye. So it
will appear as illuminating even though they are blinking. Thus modulated signal is transmitted
to receiver via Visible Light.

PHOTO DETECTOR
The transmitted signal from the LEDs has to be detected, demodulated and
acknowledged. So in order to detect the message signal from the blinking LED light, we use a
photo cell or a Solar Cell (which comprises large no of photo cells connected in series). The
solar cell detects only the variation of the light, since the blinking can be easily detected and
output of the solar cell will be the message signal in the analog form. So using solar we could
detect and demodulate the message signal transmitted.

AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKER

The demodulated signal will be at low voltage range. So it is Amplified to the arbitrary
voltage level using an amplifier. This amplifier will be same type of amplifier which we used
in transmitter side. This is due to the fact that if any phase errors occurred, it will be cleared at
this stage. The speaker will convert the electrical signal to the audible form using electro
magnets present in the speaker.

OUTPUT
The demodulated audible signal is transmitted from speaker to its final destination. So
that the audience can listen to the message that has been transmitted from the source

ADVANTAGES OF VLC OVER RF

The Radio Frequency band (3KHz-300GHz) is the most widely used band for wireless communication.
The increase of the wireless traffic at an alarming rate and a constant demand is leading to congestions
and also limiting the capacity of the network. The conventional methods can improve the system
capacity upto to certain extend, but they are not capable enough overcome the limitations completely.
Therefore a new communication medium is a need of the time.
• The visible light spectrum is not regulated, non- licensed and is ten thousand times wider than the
RF-spectrum.
• Most of the illuminations required for different applications are done using LEDs. Thus VLC can be
implemented easily with the existing infrastructure.
• Due to the use of LED lighting system, VLC is higly efficient and the power required for data
transmission is minimal.
• Visible light cannot pass through solid objects and can be easily directed through optical elements ,
eliminating the interference with other devices and allowing the co existence of numerous non
interfering links.
• The light waves do not create electromagnetic interference; this makes VLC suitable for applications
in places where EMI is potentially dangerous.
• Radio frequencies can have serious effects on the human body which limit the power used in RF
communication. On the other hand the visible light does not have any known cause that can harm
the human body.

APPLICATION:

VLC in Exposition

As VLC (Visual Light Communication ) is being implemented for its advantages over RF signals, it can
be put into use for various application in the field of communication. One such application is that it can be
use in expos held by various companies. As we know in expos many item by the companies are on
display, and a person interested in that item /product would like to get information on it. At every counter
we have a person who would explain the product to the person, however it could be tiring for the person
to keep on repeating the information about their product to every new person that come to see their
product. This is where VLC comes in to use.

We can use VLC to transmit to each any every individual person coming to the counter. For this every
stall will have a LED light placed on top of each stall which will be configured to send information about
the product by blinking at a very high rate, each person coming to the expo would be given a device
which would have a photo diode or solar panel as a detector for the information that is being given by the
blinking of the light, this information is then converted in to the required format and can be heard through
a common 3.5 mm headphone/ earphone. In this way each user that passes through the LED light at each
stall will be able to get the information about the desired product.

In Vehicles for maintainance

Now days when we give our vehicles for maintenance /repair in the workshop, most of the components of
the cars can be electronically checked for problems in the system. The car service centre attaches an
electronic instruments which collects the reading, this instrument is then plugged into the computer to see
this reading. By using VLC, we can make use of the vehicles light to give information about the vehicles
system directly to the detector which would be interfaced to the computer. Thus this makes it easier and
faster.

Use of VLC in street lamps

When going in holidays to a new place, we as tourist are not well versed with location and we ask the
people and shopkeepers for directions or information about the place. And in the night when its to dark
we hesitate to ask a stranger about directions on information. In such cases, we can use VLC in the street
lamps to give information/directions that we may need.

In Vehicles for inter vehicle communication

By using VLC, every vehicle can communicate with every other vehicle. This can help on many cases
such as when there is an emergency and a person needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. Normally
if we have a vehicle we would drove the person to the hospital. However when we are on our way to the
hospital, unlike the ambulance we cant have a siren in our personal vehicle, so we may get stuck in traffic
and we would not have any way to ask the vehicles in front of us to gove way as it is an emergency. By
making use of VLC it will be possible to communicate with other vehicles to indicate that there is a
emergency and to give way