The invention relates to a communication device comprising a docking station and a central processing unit.

The docking station comprises a plurality of photoreceptors and a plurality of light sources interjacent with the photoreceptors.

The plurality of photoreceptors and the plurality of light sources are suitable for visible light communication (VLC).

The central processing unit is configured for obtaining an initialization signal, selecting a portion of the plurality of light sources of the docking station, ordering an emission of a pairing signal, obtaining a response signal, and ordering a pairing of the terminal with a portion of the plurality of photoreceptors of the docking station and with a portion of the plurality of light sources of the docking station.

An access network for communication with a wireless device (100), the access network comprising a plurality of antennas each configured to provide a cell for radio frequency communication with the wireless device, and a plurality of sets of optical elements (40) configured for optical communication with the wireless device (100). The access network comprises a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said apparatus is operative to connect to the wireless device with both the radio frequency communication and optical communication, and connect to the wireless device with the radio frequency communication at least in a downlink direction, and connect to the wireless device with the optical communication at least in an uplink direction.

In an example embodiment, an optical communication system includes an implantable optical transmitter and an external optical receiver. The transmitter includes a housing having one or more drivers, plural light emitting sources, and an optical element arranged therein. Each driver converts a digital data signal into modulation signals to drive the sources. Each source generates a light beam in response to a corresponding modulation signal, each light beam contributing to form a single optical signal. The optical element directs the light beams to exit the housing such that a peak position of light intensity of each light beam is separated from a corresponding peak position of light intensity of an adjacent light beam by at least a first distance and less than a second distance. The optical receiver includes at least one photodiode that detects light generated by the sources and generates a reconstructed data signal.

In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes: causing a camera module to capture a plurality of frame portions with an exposure time at a sampling clock period. The frame portions correspondingly reflect a predetermined number of first signal pulses periodically generated by a light source. The exposure time corresponds to a duration of one of the predetermined number of first signal pulses. A first data sequence is encoded into the first signal pulses. The sampling clock period is different from a duration of the first data sequence such that a second data sequence is obtained from cycling through all of the first data sequence.

Useful data is transmitted to a terminal existing in a transportation vehicle. A communication apparatus installed in the transportation vehicle and configured to transmit the data to the terminal existing in the transportation vehicle includes a data selection unit and an illumination unit. The data selection unit acquires location information indicating a location of the transportation vehicle in which the terminal exists and which is traveling. Based on the acquired location information, the data selection unit selects approaching-location data related to a location ahead of a current location of the transportation vehicle in a traveling direction from a plurality of pieces of data related to the location. The illumination unit transmits, as a modulated light signal, a signal comprising the approaching-location data.

In one embodiment, a controller identifies access points forming an overhead mesh of access points in an area, each access point comprising one or more directional transmitters each configured to transmit a beam cone in a substantially downward direction towards a floor of the area. The controller assigns the access points to access point groups. The controller generates communication schedules for the access points such that each access point in an access point group is on a common channel and only one of neighboring directional transmitters of access points in that group is able to transmit at any given time. The controller sends the communication schedules to the access points forming the overhead mesh of access points in the area.

Liquid crystal (LC) beam modulation devices are applied to lighting control or to optical wireless communications to improve performance of lighting or communications. A flexible optical network using LC beam modulation and common control of beam intensity and solid angle of beams are also described.

The disclosure provides for a method for reacquiring a communication link between a first communication device and a second communication device. The method includes using one or more processors of the first communication device to receive historical data related to the first communication device and an environment surrounding the first communication device. The one or more processors are then used to determine one or more trends in the historical data related to fading of the communication link. Based on the one or more trends, the one or more processors are used to determine a starting time and an initial search direction for a search for the communication link. The one or more processors then execute the search at the starting time from the initial search direction.

A system for use in issuing commands to a plurality of appliances each of a specific one of a plurality of different appliance types includes a smart device adapted to transmit command communications and a plurality of low-energy consuming controllers each adapted to transmit a command to a one of the plurality of appliances of a specific one of the plurality of different appliance types in response to receipt of a command communication originating from the smart device.

Wireless communication using germicidal light frequencies is a system and method for transmitting and receiving data using Far-UVC light. The system communicates data using Far-UVC light of a germicidal wavelength. Far UV is a specific spectrum of UV light. The ultraviolet spectrum is a band of electromagnetic radiation with higher energy, thus shorter wavelengths, than visible light. With respect to this system, the UV light wavelengths of interest are Far-UVC for solar-blind data-carrying frequencies in the THz range to provide a UVGI function.