Regular papers

Power Smart In-door Optical Wireless Link Design

¹ Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland
² Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland

^* n.riza@ucc.ie

Received: 5 October 2011

Abstract

Presented for the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the design of a power smart in-door optical wireless link that provides lossless beam propagation between Transmitter (T) and Receiver (R) for changing link distances. Each T/R unit uses a combination of fixed and variable focal length optics to smartly adjust the laser beam propagation parameters of minimum beam waist size and its location to produce the optimal zero propagation loss coupling condition at the R for that link distance. An Electronically Controlled Variable Focus Lens (ECVFL) is used to form the wide field-of-view search beam and change the beam size at R to form a low loss beam. The T/R unit can also deploy camera optics and thermal energy harvesting electronics to improve link operational smartness and efficiency. To demonstrate the principles of the beam conditioned low loss indoor link, a visible 633 nm laser link using an electro-wetting technology liquid ECVFL is demonstrated for a variable 1 to 4 m link range. Measurements indicate a 53% improvement over an unconditioned laser link at 4 m. Applications for this power efficient wireless link includes mobile computer platform communications and agile server rack interconnections in data centres.