WHAT IS Li-Fi

Li-Fi TECHNOLOGY FOR NEXT GENARATION

Li-Fi is a new paradigm for optical wireless technology to provide unprecedented connectivity within a localized data-centric environment. The increasing demand for higher bandwidths, faster and more secure data transmission as well as environmental and undoubtedly human friendly technology heralds the start of a major shift in wireless technology, a shift from RF to optical technologies.

The Li-Fi Consortium has several purposes:

• Promote optical wireless communications up to the multi-gigabit range in all their implementations;
• Inform potential implementers and investors of the companies and resources available to help them achieve their product or investment goals;
• Create whole solutions in anticipation of customer needs, and
• Coordinate with standardization groups and other industry organizations to provide OEM customers with a complete ensemble of technical and marketing support.

Li-Fi TECHNOLOGY

As a general rule, all technology shown on this website is developed by one of our members and is open for licensing. We also are able to tailor the Li-Fi technology shown to your specific solution or application. If you are interested, please make contact through our contact page and we can explore possibllities.

During the last few years, we mainly have focused on technology development with respect to data transmission speed. This was done in relation to different user scenarios. We developed new docking technology as well as wireless high speed data transfer for beaming and providing users with wireless data broadcasting and a wireless data hotspot based on high speed Li-Fi technology. For more information about the different technological approaches, please, use the technology links in the sidebar menu on the right.

The table above shows the general landscape of wireless RF (radio frequency) communication technology compared with IR (infra red) communication technology, related to transmission speed and range (distance). The green area indicates the technological abilities of our currently available developments.

This table shows the different data rates of the technological solutions we offer. The related interface and wireless range (distance) provides an insight into the technological abilities of our developed products.

A wireless local area network based on Li-Fi technology needs some additional features to provide the same qualities as an RF-based wireless network, without losing the main advantages Li-Fi technology is able to provide. Here are the missing links for a fully developed Li-Fi WLAN.

The Li-Fi room connector

Optical signals are not able to penetrate walls. This is an advantage in relation to security issues. However, in order to provide an optical wireless local area network, rooms need to be connected with each other. This is achieved via the Li-Fi room connector. The Li-Fi room connector is a replicator which sends the data stream from one side of the wall to the other via an optical fiber cable, which connects the two room connectors on each side of the wall. With smaller rooms, the Li-Fi room connector might be sufficient as the only Li-Fi hotspot in the room.

The Li-Fi router

The Li-Fi router is the networks connection to the external link (fiberoptic cable, DSL, GigE, etc.). The application is mainly useful for small office or home use with cloud & server functions. It connects office and/or entertainment equipment and covers a radius of 20 meters with a 100 Mbps transmission speed. The product is developed to a proof-of-concept stage.

The full features Li-Fi cloud

The Li-Fi cloud is a software solution enabling the user to control all the features within a datacentric Li--Fi environment. Part of this software has been developed already in connection with the developments of the Li-Fi applications we offer today.

OPTICAL MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY

The extended mobility concept of the Li-Fi Consortium is based on state of the art optical receiver chip technology. The architecture of the optical receiver chip is based on a biological design: The eye of a fruit fly. The fly eye design has a revolutionary architecture and impressive capabilities. It uses an optical sensor array, which is faceted like a fly’s eye. It has a wide field of view, implemented with multiple narrow fields of view elements. It is able to read reflections of light and overcomes with that the limitations of the typical optical Line-of-Site connectivity. The chip is able to identify the signal (+ transmitter) position in both angle and range.

With this development, mobile devices do not depend on a line of sight connection between sender and receiver. Fly eye receiver chips will be able to read reflections, also of very weak signals. Its large dynamic range is the basis of our mobility technology. The chip supports multi-channel high-speed communication while also tracking the transmission source electronically, with no moving parts. This enables “communication on the move”: That is a moving transmitter communicating with a fixed or even moving receiver.

This technology has been developed to concept stage and needs investment in chip development.