Accuracy analysis and improvement of visible light positioning based on VLC system using orthogonal frequency division multiple access

Abstract

In this paper, we proposed a system that realized simultaneously visible light positioning (VLP) and visible light communications (VLC) in the same band by using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA). This system used the power of data sequence as the metric to estimate the transmission distances and consequently the receiver’s position, without deteriorating the VLC’s throughput. We theoretically analyzed the positioning errors in both overdetermined and determined VLP systems. In overdetermined VLP system, optimal selection of master light-emitting diode (LED) avoided the fluctuation of positioning error. Excluding the LED with longest transmission distance changed the overdetermined VLP system to determined VLP system, and reduced the positioning error. The power allocation scheme reduced further the positioning error in determined VLP system. This method was fast and e ective. The well-matched theoretical and Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation results validated our proposed VLP based on VLC system using OFDMA.