Project

1 Project Management

2 Use cases and requirements

Use cases and requirements starts with the deployments of lab test networks using existing VLC prototypes, in order to identify the missing functions to support the new functionalities required for the IoT. By taking IoT use case requirements into account, a concrete plan will be developed and fed into WP3, WP4 and WP5, in order to achieve the final demonstration (WP6) that lighting can be turned into a powerful backbone for the future IoT.

3 Concepts and Algorithms

Concepts and algorithms studies the respective concepts and algorithms in detail. WP3 includes the dedicated tasks for the new functionalities required for the IoT. The use of light as a new wireless medium has the advantage that a guaranteed VLC bandwidth can be provided, not limited by interference from transmissions in other rooms. However, large rooms are normally covered by multiple luminaires which is also desired from a link reliability point of view. Accordingly, one major area in ELIOT is to combine several isolated VLC cells deployed in the same room into a networked solution. This approach has multiple advantages i) to enable positioning, ii) to allow mobility between the VLC cells and iii) to move between luminaires using MIMO multicast allow handover mitigate interference between adjacent luminaires. Moreover, an important issue is the ability of interworking between radio and VLC links ultimately targeting parallel operation in the same chipset at the device side. WP3 will further develop the open ELIoT architecture as a main outcome of the project, aligned to the outcome of WP2 on use cases and requirements. Leveraging the results of WP3 and WP4 on concepts, algorithms, and the design and implementation of advanced functions like positioning and multicasting, WP7 will develop a common open reference architecture in order to support the implementation of a reference model software. The open reference architecture and software will also play an important role in further dissemination activities, as it will visualize through a common representation the wide applicability of VLC across many network infrastructures and markets. Through the common representation of key players in the lighting and telecommunication sector, the open reference architecture is expected to play a crucial role in further product development.

4 IoT lighting infrastructure innovations

Details: Lighting Infrastructure Innovations implements VLC access and broadband transport technologies and exemplarily tests new positioning and multicasting algorithms in the lighting infrastructure by using the available prototypes as a starting-point and extending them by newly developed components and functionalities.

5 Mobile IoT device innovations

Details: Mobile IoT Device Innovations addresses another key area to ensure that future IoT devices can be used as mobile devices similary as smartphones are used today but carry VLC technology. Major challenges are the power consumption, in particular in the analogue transmitter front end and the baseband processing chip of the mobile IoT devices.

6 Validation through demonstration in real environment

Details: Validation through Demonstration in Real Environments will temporally deploy test networks in real environments and integrate the main new technologies developed for IoT support in ELIoT such as positioning, multicast communication and enhanced security in WP2-WP5 and reach TRL 7 for infrastructure, TRL 6 for system in realistic application setup and TRL4 for the mobile IoT device. A major step is to test that the required interfaces are functional and to demonstrate exemplary new IoT features in a diversity of different use cases operated in real environments (i.e. networks in operatorsoperator’s hand) such as offices, industrial manufacturing, retail and domestic outdoors.