This disclosure relates to visible light communication (VLC) for locks. A VLC smart lock apparatus may include a photodetector, a VLC decoder, a controller, a memory, a lock, and/or other components. The photodetector may be configured to receive visible light emitted from a hardware key device. The VLC decoder may be coupled to the photodetector and configured to decode the visible light received by the photodetector to obtain a key code. The memory may be configured to store a preset key code. The controller may be coupled to the VLC decoder, the memory, and the lock. The controller may be configured to unlock the lock when the preset key code is associated with the key code.

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Additionally, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones. Moreover, optically narrowcast content may be filtered using at least identification data extracted from optical beacons received from optical transmitters such that only optically narrowcast content of interest is presented on a display and/or stored in a persistent storage.

Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.

There is provided an optical transmitter including a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and the processor to generate an electric signal, an optical generator to generate light, an optical modulator to modulate the light with the electric signal to create an optical signal, a first voltage electrode to apply a first voltage to the optical signal, a second voltage electrode to apply a second voltage to the optical signal to which the first voltage is applied, and a detector to detect an optical power of the optical signal to which the second voltage is applied, wherein the processor stops generating the electric signal, controls the first voltage electrode to change the first voltage after the stop of generating the electric signal, and controls the second voltage electrode to change the second voltage according to the detected optical power after the change of the first voltage.

This disclosure relates to visible light communication (VLC) system-on-a-chip (SoC) systems/methods and VLC system-in-a-package (SiP) systems/methods. A VLC SoC system may include an integrated circuit comprising a VLC encoder and an LED driver fabricated on a first portion of a silicon substrate and an LED fabricated in a compound semiconductor selectively grown on a second portion of the silicon substrate. A VLC SiP system may include an integrated circuit comprising a VLC encoder and an LED driver fabricated on a silicon substrate and an LED fabricated in a compound semiconductor. The integrated circuit and the LED may be packaged in a SiP module. Interconnects may be formed between the integrated circuit and the LED.

An optical transceiver includes a transmitter including transmitter signal processing circuitry configured to receive a transmit signal and provide two drive voltage signals V1, V2 to a modulator configured to modulate a laser based thereon; and a receiver including i) optical couplers configured to coherently combine received signals with a Local Oscillator (LO) formed by the laser and provide the combined signals to photodetectors for balanced detection, and ii) receiver signal processing circuitry configured to demodulate outputs from the balanced detection, wherein the receiver signal processing circuitry comprises an analog front-end and digital back-end.

An optical transceiver includes a transmitter including transmitter signal processing circuitry configured to receive a transmit signal and provide two drive voltage signals V1, V2 to a modulator configured to modulate a laser based thereon; and a receiver including i) optical couplers configured to coherently combine received signals with a Local Oscillator (LO) formed by the laser and provide the combined signals to photodetectors for balanced detection, and ii) receiver signal processing circuitry configured to demodulate outputs from the balanced detection, wherein the receiver signal processing circuitry comprises an analog front-end and digital back-end.

This disclosure relates to visible light communication (VLC) system-on-a-chip (SoC) systems/methods and VLC system-in-a-package (SiP) systems/methods. A VLC SoC system may include an integrated circuit comprising a VLC encoder and an LED driver fabricated on a first portion of a silicon substrate and an LED fabricated in a compound semiconductor selectively grown on a second portion of the silicon substrate. A VLC SiP system may include an integrated circuit comprising a VLC encoder and an LED driver fabricated on a silicon substrate and an LED fabricated in a compound semiconductor. The integrated circuit and the LED may be packaged in a SiP module. Interconnects may be formed between the integrated circuit and the LED.

Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Additionally, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones. Moreover, optically narrowcast content may be filtered using at least identification data extracted from optical beacons received from optical transmitters such that only optically narrowcast content of interest is presented on a display and/or stored in a persistent storage.