IP Library Granted Patent US 9,621,268
Granted Patent B2
US 9,621,268 · App. 14/894,089 · Granted Apr 11, 2017

Optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (O-OFDM) system with pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming

Inventors: Hany Elgala (Chestnut Hill, MA); Thomas Little (Newton, MA)
Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
H04B10/116H04L25/4902H04L27/2627H04L27/2697
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,621,268
App. No.
14/894,089
Granted
Apr 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (O-OFDM) system with pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming includes a driver responsive to one or more predetermined dimming set points configured to generate PWM signals having a predetermined duty cycle and configured to supply current to one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). An O-OFDM generator responsive to the one or more predetermined dimming set points and digital data is configured to generate digital inverted O-OFDM signals during on-states of the PWM signals and non-inverted O-OFDM signals during off-states of the PWM signals according to the predetermined duty cycle and convert the digital inverted O-OFDM signals and the digital non-inverted O-OFDM signals to analog output O-OFDM signals. A combiner circuit responsive to the current from the driver and the analog output O-OFDM signals is configured such that the analog output O-OFDM signals modulate the current to the one or more LEDs to provide a high capacity visible light communication link

Claims (29)

1. An optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (O-OFDM) system with pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming, the system comprising:

a driver responsive to one or more predetermined dimming set points configured to generate PWM signals having a predetermined duty cycle and configured to supply current to one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs);

an O-OFDM generator responsive to the one or more predetermined dimming set points and digital data configured to generate digital inverted O-OFDM signals during on-states of the PWM signals and non-inverted O-OFDM signals during off-states of the PWM signals according to the predetermined duty cycle and convert the digital inverted O-OFDM signals and the digital non-inverted O-OFDM signals to analog output O-OFDM signals; and

a combiner circuit responsive to the current from the driver and the analog output O-OFDM signals configured such that the analog output O-OFDM signals modulate the current to the one or more LEDs to provide a high capacity visible light communication link.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the O-OFDM generator includes an inverter configured to generate the digital inverted O-OFDM signals during the on-states based on the predetermined duty cycle.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the O-OFDM generator includes a digital to-analog converter for converting the digital inverted O-OFDM signals and the digital- non-inverted O-OFDM signals to the analog output O-OFDM signals.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the combiner circuit includes at least one amplifier transistor configured such that the analog output O-OFDM signals modulate the current to the one or more LEDs to provide the high capacity visible light communication link.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the combiner circuit includes at least one amplifier transistor and at least one switching transistor configured such that the analog output O-OFDM signals modulate the current to the one or more LEDs to provide the high capacity visible light communication link.

6. The system of claim 2 in which the digital inverted O-OFDM signals include a steam of O-OFDM symbols.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the digital non-inverted O-OFDM signals include a steam of O-OFDM symbols.

8. The system of claim 6 in which the inverter is configured to invert a predetermined number of O-OFDM symbols based on the predetermined duty cycle.

9. The system of claim 6 in which the inverter is configured to invert a predetermined number of O-OFDM symbols based on duration of the on-states.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the O-OFDM generator is configured to generate unipolar inverted O-OFDM symbols during the on-states.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the O-OFDM generator is configured to generate unipolar non-inverted O-OFDM symbols during the off-states.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the one or more LEDs are integrated with a luminaire.

13. An optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (O-OFDM) method with PWM dimming, the method comprising:

providing one or more predetermined dimming set points and digital data;

generating, in response to the one or more predetermined dimming set points, PWM signals having a predetermined duty cycle;

generating, in response to the predetermined duty cycle and the digital data, digital inverted O-OFDM signals during on-states of the PWM signals and non-inverted O-OFDM signals during off-states of the PWM signals;

converting the digital inverted O-OFDM signals and the digital non-inverted O-OFDM signals to analog output O-OFDM signals; and

modulating the current to the one or more LEDs using the analog output O-OFDM signals to provide a high capacity visible light communication link.

14. The method of claim 13 in which generating the digital inverted O-OFDM includes generating the digital inverted O-OFDM signals during the on-states based on the predetermined duty cycle.

15. The method of claim 13 in which generating the digital inverted O-OFDM signals includes generating a steam of O-OFDM symbols.

16. The method of claim 13 in which generating digital non-inverted O-OFDM signals includes generating a steam of O-OFDM symbols.

17. The method of claim 15 in which combining the digital inverted O-OFDM signals with the PMW signals during the on-states includes inverting a predetermined number of O-OFDM symbols based on the predetermined duty cycle.

18. The method of claim 15 in which combining the digital inverted O-OFDM signals with the PMW signals during the on-states includes inverting a predetermined number of O-OFDM symbols based on duration of the on-states.

19. The method of claim 13 further including generating unipolar inverted O-OFDM symbols during the on-states.

20. The method of claim 13 further including generating unipolar non-inverted O-OFDM symbols during the off-states.

21. The method of claim 13 in which the one or more LEDs are integrated with a luminaire.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jan 8, 2020
From: BOSTON UNIVERSITY, CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 051517/0124 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2016
From: ELGALA, HANY; LITTLE, THOMAS
To: TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 038551/0409 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61840649 · Jun 28, 2013
Related Publication 20160134366A1 · May 12, 2016