Merging Visible Light Communications and Smart Lighting: A Prototype with Integrated Dimming for Energy-Efficient Indoor Environments and Beyond
Abstract
1. Introduction
- Development of a dual-function VLC prototype that simultaneously supports indoor illumination and data communication, with integrated dynamic dimming functionality based on ambient light conditions.
- Experimental validation of the VLC system’s performance, demonstrating reliable data transmission of 100 kb/s with a BER lower than 10−7, ensuring communication robustness even under variable lighting conditions.
- Implementation of an adaptive dimming algorithm that enables the VLC transmitter to adjust the duty cycle within a 10–90% range, effectively balancing energy consumption and visual comfort by responding in real time to natural and neighboring light sources.
- Simulation-based scalability analysis of the proposed VLC solution in a multi-user office-like environment, evaluating the system’s ability to maintain acceptable lighting levels (~300 lx) and connectivity for up to six users while minimizing energy consumption.
- Demonstration of energy-saving potential, with simulation results confirming that the proposed system can dynamically allocate resources based on users’ presence and illumination needs, thereby contributing to sustainable indoor lighting and communication infrastructure.
2. Model and Methods
2.1. General Assumptions
2.2. The Mathematical Model for VLC LED-Based Luminaires
- -
- room dimensions are L × l × h = 8 m × 6 m × 3.5 m;
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- the luminaires are 6 in total, placed in a 2 m × 2 m ceiling grid (regular spacing);
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- each workspace is under one luminaire, at height from the floor, so the vertical distance from each luminaire to its workspace is:
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- transmitters are generalized Lambertian sources, i.e., each luminaire is constituted from multiple tiny LEDs, closed enough to each other to be considered a Lambertian source as a whole;
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- maximum radiant power per each luminaire is ;
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- the required illuminance at the workspace level is ;
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- each luminaire can transmit VLC data using VPPM with a duty cycle ranging from 1% to 99%, so each luminaire will have a transmitted power given by , where ;
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- each luminaire has the same luminous efficacy, ;
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- each luminaire is numbered with , where and each workspace position is numbered with , where ;
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- the photodetector has a wide FoV, enough to capture ambient light from its surroundings;
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- the half-power angle, , of the luminaire is 75°, and, in this case, the Lambertian coefficient is determined to be:
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- in this scenario, the photodetector is presumed to be oriented toward the ceiling, so .
2.3. The Mathematical Model for Natural Light
- -
- the window is placed on the left 6 m-wall, is 5 m wide, centered, and 1 m high, starting at 1 m from the floor, so the points on the window surface have the following coordinates: , and ;
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- the exterior natural light enters the room through the window clear double-glazed glass with a transmission factor ;
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- the window is considered a rectangular Lambertian emitter as a diffuse luminous surface;
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- the emission is normal to the window plane, along the x-direction (perpendicular to the 6 m-wall);
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- exterior illuminance (in lux) is {5000, 10,000, 20,000};
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- the photodetector remains oriented toward the ceiling, so the incidence angles are calculated accordingly.
2.4. The Mathematical Model for Combined Illumination
2.5. The Mathematical Model for the Energy Consumption Optimization
3. Implementation of the Visible Light Communications Prototype and Experimental Evaluation
3.1. Hardware Implementation of the Visible Light Communications System
3.2. Experimental Testing Procedure and Experimental Results
3.3. Experimental Results
4. Investigating the Visible Light Communications Concept’s Scalability and Its Potential for Energy Savings
4.1. Simulation Setup
4.2. Simulation Use Cases
4.2.1. Analysis of the Distribution of Natural Light Coming from External Sources
4.2.2. Assessing the Benefits of Adapting Artificial Light to the Presence of Users and the Influence of Neighboring Light Sources
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| VLC | Visible Light Communications |
| Li-Fi | Light-Fidelity |
| BER | Bit Error Rate |
| EU | European Union |
| EPBD | Energy Performance of Buildings Directive |
| IEA | International Energy Agency |
| EED | Energy Efficiency Directive |
| BMS | Building Management System |
| ETS | Emissions Trading Scheme |
| ZEB | Zero Emissions Buildings |
| FoV | Field-of-View |
| JRC | Joint Research Centre |
| BIPV | Building Integrated Photovoltaics |
| EMI | ElectroMagnetic Interference |
| VPPM | Variable Pulse Position Modulation |
| PWM | Pulse Width Modulation |
| PPM | Pulse Position Modulation |
| IR | InfraRed |
| AGC | Automatic Gain Control |
| SNR | Signal-to-Noise Ratio |
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| VLC Prototype Functionalities | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Optical Communication Parameters | -Visible light for download and infrared radiation for upload with full-duplex communication capability; -Automatic light intensity adjustment based on brightness measured at the VLC receiver; -Modified VPPM with duty cycle adjustable between 10% and 90%; -Data rate of 100 kb/s |
| Lighting Source Parameters | -VLC transmitters integrated into the lighting luminaire with 4 × 60 cm 9 W LED tubes; -Optical emission up to 188 lx at the workspace level (2.7 m from the ceiling) for each luminaire; -Infrared optical receiver for data reception, also used for feedback in illuminance adjustment; -Work room size: 8 m × 6 m × 3.5 m; -Lighting luminaire arranged in a 2 m × 2 m grid; -Workspaces located under each luminaire; -Window placed along the width of the room, measuring 5 m × 1 m; |
| Mobile VLC Device Parameters | ±53° FoV; -Adaptive gain; -Data processing in real-time; -No error correcting codes; -Illuminance measurement function; -Data upload function using an IR transmitter. |
| Envisioned Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Room dimensions | 8 m (length) × 6 m (width) × 3.5 m (height) |
| Workspace level | 0.8 m from the floor |
| Window | 5 m × 1 m (on the 6 m side) |
| Maximum number of people | 6; Variable presence of people, not all simultaneously; |
| Lighting fixtures | 6 × 36 W; Light fixture arrangement: 3 on each 8 m side; The fixtures are placed on a 2 m × 2 m grid |
| Lighting purpose | VLC coverage; Uniform distribution; Natural light compensation; Maintain user(s) comfort |
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Beguni, C.; Zadobrischi, E.; Căilean, A.-M. Merging Visible Light Communications and Smart Lighting: A Prototype with Integrated Dimming for Energy-Efficient Indoor Environments and Beyond. Sensors 2025, 25, 6046. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25196046
Beguni C, Zadobrischi E, Căilean A-M. Merging Visible Light Communications and Smart Lighting: A Prototype with Integrated Dimming for Energy-Efficient Indoor Environments and Beyond. Sensors. 2025; 25(19):6046. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25196046
Chicago/Turabian StyleBeguni, Cătălin, Eduard Zadobrischi, and Alin-Mihai Căilean. 2025. "Merging Visible Light Communications and Smart Lighting: A Prototype with Integrated Dimming for Energy-Efficient Indoor Environments and Beyond" Sensors 25, no. 19: 6046. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25196046
APA StyleBeguni, C., Zadobrischi, E., & Căilean, A.-M. (2025). Merging Visible Light Communications and Smart Lighting: A Prototype with Integrated Dimming for Energy-Efficient Indoor Environments and Beyond. Sensors, 25(19), 6046. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25196046

