The present invention relates to a fiber branch structure for spatial optical communication for transmitting information by emitting communication light. The fiber branch structure is provided with: a light emitter configured to emit communication light; a light emission controller configured to control the light emitter; an optical fiber configured to transmit the light emitted from the light emitter; a distributor configured to distribute the light, the distributer being optically coupled to an output terminal of the optical fiber; and an optical fiber group optically coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the distributor. According to the present invention, a communication area can be established without blind spots. That is, the fiber branch structure for spatial optical communication according to the present invention includes an optical fiber group optically coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the distributor. A communication area can be established more assuredly by such an optical fiber group, which prevents the optical communication from being interrupted.

Systems and methods are provided for improving signal propagation using lasers. A laser device is used to clear the air between a first fixed station, such as a base station, and a second fixed station, such as a fixed wireless access device. In the wake of the laser, particles in the air interface are cleared along a path that can then be used to communicate one or more sets of wireless signals. In the wake of the laser, the wireless signals experience less absorption, reflection, and refraction, reducing path loss, and increasing the overall effectiveness of the wireless systemparticularly at or near the cell edge or when a meteorological condition exists between the fixed stations.

A method of allocating transmission time slots in an optical wireless system. Resources are allocated taking account of asymmetry of interference diagrams on uplink and downlink and adopting reuse of transmission intervals for each channel, in areas in which there is no interference. In some embodiments, the allocation method allows for relaying between access points through the network to take account of the fact that the access point providing the best uplink (or downlink) can be distinct from the access point associated with the terminal.

Embodiments are provided for facilitating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) network. The UAV network in accordance with the disclosure can comprise multiple UAVs, ground processing stations, and/or any other components. A particular UAV in the network can carry payloads consisting of optical image sensors, processing devices, communication systems, and/or any other components. An individual UAV in the network can comprise photovoltaic cells capable of absorbing solar energy. Embodiments are provided for converting the solar energy to electricity for providing power to payloads aboard the UAV and as well as charging a battery aboard the UAV. In certain embodiments, the UAV can fly up to 65,000 feet and can cover as much as 500 km in range. One motivation of the present disclosure is to outsource some or entire information processing by an UAV to existing infrastructure, such as the ground processing station.

Control of access to an on-line service, the access to the service being requested, via a communication network, by a terminal suitable for receiving data broadcast by a plurality of devices for data transmission by light modulation producing a light beam. In particular: each transmission device is characterized by a unique identifier; and each transmission device belongs to a group of devices. The following steps, carried out by a server connected to the transmission devices, are provided: upon receiving a request from the terminal to access the service via a second transmission device identified by a second identifier, verifying whether a previous access request for said same terminal was accepted for a first transmission device identified by a first identifier; and, when the first and second identifiers correspond to devices of the same group, processing the access request.

A system for providing small cell backhaul communication comprises a small cell backhaul network includes a plurality of small cell network nodes. At least one transceiver at each of the plurality of small cell network nodes establishes communication links with other small cell network nodes within the small cell backhaul network. A fast failover group table is located at each of the plurality of small cell network nodes. A software defined network controller controls communication link configuration by the at least one transceiver. The software defined network controller calculates for each of the communications links within the small cell backhaul network a primary link and at least one back-up link. The software defined network controller stores the calculated primary link and at least one back-up link in the fast failover group table of each of the plurality of small cell network nodes. Each of the plurality of small cell network nodes locally determining to establish the at least one back-up link responsive to a determination that the primary link is down and the stored at least one back-up link for an associated small cell network node.

Techniques are described herein for to improving optical wireless communications based on mobility patterns. In various embodiments, one or more mobility patterns observed in an area over time may be determined (302). The area may be illuminated by one or more lighting units (102) configured to transmit information using optical wireless communications (OWC). An applicable mobility pattern may be selected (308) from the one or more mobility patterns. Based on the selected mobility pattern, usage in the area of a plurality of OWC-based mobile apps (230) may be predicted (310). One or more OWC resources of at least one of the one or more lighting units may be allocated (312) for transmission of data to one or more of the plurality of OWC-based mobile apps operating on one or more mobile devices operated within the area. In various embodiments, the allocating may be based at least in part on the predicted usage.

Techniques are described for providing an ad hoc mesh network of nodes that employ a light-based transmission protocol, such as a version of light fidelity (LiFi). The mesh network includes multiple nodes that each includes transceiver(s) for sending and receiving light-based communications. A node in the mesh network can receive a message signal sent by another node, by detecting the light modulations emitted by the sending node to transmit the message signal. The receiving node can forward the message signal to other node(s) that are proximal to the receiving node (e.g., that are in line-of-sight with the receiving node), by emitting the appropriate light modulations to send the message signal. In this way, a message signal can be conveyed from one node to another, from one endpoint of the mesh network to another endpoint of the mesh network.

The invention relates to a communication device of a motor vehicle (X), comprising an imaging camera (2) of a scene image (11) connected to control electronics (1), to which a DMD (7) is connected, the mirror surface (70) of which is preceded by optics (3), whereby the mirror surface (70) is functionally associated with a secondary imaging unit (5) having an optical sensor (50) adapted to receive a selected part of the light (32) from the scene image (11) reflected by a selected part of the mirrors of the mirror surface (70) of the DMD (7). The DMD (7) is part of the vehicle lighting device (0) in which an illumination unit (4) is arranged towards the mirror surface (70) of the DMD (7), the illumination unit (4) being adapted to illuminate controllably at least a part of the mirror surface (70) of the DMD (7) and to emit the desired light output beam (30).

In addition, the invention relates to a lighting device (0) of a motor vehicle for a communication device of a motor vehicle and a car2car or car2X communication method for a motor vehicle.

The disclosure includes embodiments for providing on-demand street lighting for a connected vehicle. In some embodiments, a method includes controlling an operation of a street light based on a lighting policy and a presence of a connected vehicle. In some embodiments, the street light is operated consistent with the lighting policy. In some embodiments, the presence of the connected vehicle is determined based on a receipt of a wireless message that is transmitted by the connected vehicle. In some embodiments, the lighting policy is operable to reduce an energy consumption of the street light while also providing illumination for the connected vehicle.