Low-Cost, Flexible and Open Platform for Visible Light Communication Networks

Abstract

Built around a cost-effective embedded Linux system, OpenVLC1.0 is an open source, flexible, software-defined, and low-cost platform for research in Visible Light Communication (VLC) Networks. OpenVLC1.0 consists of simple electronic hardware for optical transmission and reception, and of software implementation that runs the MAC layer, part of the PHY layer, and offers an interface to Internet protocols. We have designed and developed a printed circuit board (OpenVLC1.0 cape) that implements a flexible optical front-end. Researchers can plug the cape into the main Beaglebone board and swiftly build and prototype innovative PHY and MAC protocols using the software implementation (OpenVLC1.0 driver). In this work, we provide preliminary measurement results that demonstrate the flexibility of the platform in a few but yet representative scenarios.