Optical wireless MIMO communication

This thesis provides an in-depth investigation and evaluation of infrared optical wireless MIMO communication systems to be applied in both indoor and outdoor environment. The principle objective of the research is to demonstrate both the advantages and disadvantages of the optical wireless MIMO systems using different modulation types. The first part provided analyses of important OW configurations using APD receivers using WMC model and SISO, MISO, SIMO and MIMO configuration. Thus, an analytical expression for 2-1 MISO, 1-2 SIMO and MIMO was successfully developed. This part also illustrates the coding gains possible using diversity schemes for APD OW systems. In the presence of strong fading, the SISO approach is rendered virtually useless, whereas diversity offers acceptable BER values. The results underpin the approach of this thesis, where indoor PIN diode based experimental measurements confirm the gains offered by diversity. In the second part of the work, several optical wireless MIMO systems applicable for the indoor environment are developed for three different modulation types, OOK modulation, PPM modulation and SIR-RZI modulation. These modulations are used in optical MIMO systems are studied for which, mathematical models that evaluate the BER performance of the MIMO system for different axis displacement and for different distances between transmitters and receivers. Based on the results, the PPM system has been shown to present the best BER performance, including high interference-resistance capability. A group of new mathematical models have been evaluated, which demonstrates a high level of correlation with the results derived from empirical models at 93%. Thus, the mathematical models developed and used for the specified evaluation appear to correspond reasonably well, and can be applied in future research on these aspects