Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut has developed new broadband modules for visible light communication. The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) has set another breakthrough in the direction of high-speed Internet from the ceiling lamp.
The development of the new modules for the transmission of data via LED means significantly higher bandwidths can now be used in real time with data throughput rates up to 3 Gbit/s can be achieved in laboratory experiments. In the FOE 2013, the new modules will be presented.
The technology developed by HHI makes it possible to use the conventional LEDs for room lights to transmit data. With this Optical WLAN, under laboratory conditions, the data rates up to 800 Mbit/s can be achieved, while a complete real-time system exhibited at trade fairs reached data throughput of 500 Mbit/s. The newly developed patent protected components have now achieved a transmission rate in laboratory experiments of over 1 Gbit/s per single light frequency. As off-the-shelf LEDs mainly use three light frequencies or light colors, speeds of up to 3 Gbit/s are feasible.
Previously, the control of the LEDs was only possible with a bandwidth of about 30 MHz. New technical components allow a higher bandwidth of up to 180 MHz. Data are therefore transferred in the higher frequency range, so the data rate is increased. The modularly designed modules can be integrated in technology development, for example Ccar-to-X communication, depending on the customer’s claim.
However, the visible light communication also has a broad array of other possible applications ranging from areas like hospital operating theatres where safety is at a premium to places like trade shows and factory halls where radio communication is problematic. With this new development, an essential step in the direction of optical high-speed Wi-Fi has been reached.