Sensors

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Next Generation Communication Network Using Advanced LiFi Technology

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the next-generation wireless communication, an immense number of heterogeneous devices and services will request ultra-reliable, massively connected, and exceptionally high-speed data links. Hence, new forms of communication technologies and architectures have been researched actively in both industry and academia. Light fidelity (LiFi) is a wireless technology based on visible-light communications (VLC), and it is acknowledged as a promising technology enabling an array of innovative applications, including immersive VR/AR, Gb/s class mobile broadband communications, artificial intelligence (AI)-based services, and autonomous driving. Recently, the feasibility of Tbps wireless LiFi links with optimized optical devices. Additionally, the use of machine learning-based spectrum sharing for building future LiFi networks with considerably enhanced quality of service (QoS) and level of security. Furthermore, the convergence of optical fiber-based infrastructures and LiFi based wireless networks is envisioned to unlock the fundamental limit of the wireless data capacity by constructing an all-optical wired/wireless network. As such, LiFi will play an essential role in the next-generation wireless networks.

Several key research challenges have emerged within the domain of LiFi technology for the future wireless networks, including (but not limited to) the following:

Advanced LiFi technologies, systems, and networks;
Smart modulation/multiplexing/dimming schemes;
Localization and positioning using LiFi technology;
Reconfigurable intelligent surface in LiFi network;
Machine-learning technologies for LiFi system;
LiFi based physical layer security and QKD;
LiFi / RF hybrid system;
LiFi systems for Vehicle-to-everything (V2X).

Prof. Dr. Hyunchae Chun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

advanced LiFi technologies
LiFi networks
localization and positioning
machine learning
LiFi based physical layer security and QKD
LiFi/RF hybrid system
vehicle-to-everything (V2X)

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

45 pages, 5043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multicriteria Decision-Making Framework for Access Point Selection in Hybrid LiFi/WiFi Networks Using Integrated AHP–VIKOR Technique

by Rozin Badeel, Shamala K. Subramaniam, Abdullah Muhammed and Zurina Mohd Hanapi

Sensors 2023, 23(3), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23031312 - 23 Jan 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1969

Abstract

Since light fidelity (LiFi) and wireless fidelity (WiFi) do not interfere with one another, a LiFi/WiFi hybrid network may provide superior performance to existing wireless options. With many users and constant changes, a network can easily become overloaded, leading to slowdowns and fluctuations in data transfer speeds. Access point assignment (APA) is required with the increase of users, which can negatively impact the system performance and quality-of-service (QoS) due to mobility and line-of-sight (LOS) blockage. Many variables could influence the APA process; these variables are considered as criteria, such as the network capacity, the degree of blockage, the speed of the connected user, etc. Unlike conditional APA methods, recent studies have considered treating these variables as “evaluation criteria”. Considering these criteria can offer better and more accurate results, eventually enhancing the APA process and QoS. However, the variety of these criteria, the conflict amongst them, their weights (importance), and priority have not been addressed so far. Moreover, treating the criteria equally might result in inaccurate outcomes. Therefore, to solve this issue, it is essential to investigate the impact of each criterion on the APA process. In this work, a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) problem is formulated to determine a network-level selection for each user over a period of time The decision problem is modeled as a hierarchy that fragments a problem into a hierarchy of simple and small subproblems, and the selection of the AP network among various alternatives is a considered as an MCDM problem. Based on the previous works, we are not aware of any previous research attempts using MCDM methods in the LiFi research area for network selection. Therefore, this work proposes an access point assignment framework using an MCDM approach for users in a hybrid LiFi/WiFi network. The experiment was conducted based on four phases: Five criteria were identified and evaluated with eleven APs (alternatives). The outcome of this phase was used to build the decision matrix and an MCDM was developed and built based on user mobility and blockages with various scenarios using all the criteria; The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to identify the criterion of the subjective weights of each criterion and to determine the degree of importance supported by experts’ judgement. Determining the weights in the AHP process considered various investigations, including the consistency ratio (CR) and the AHP consensus indicator, which is calculated using the rank-based maximum likelihood method (RGMM) and Shannon entropy techniques. The VIekriteri-Jumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) method is adopted in the selection of the optimal AP for the proper selection of whether a LiFi or WiFi AP must serve the users. The integrated AHP–VIKOR was effective for solving the APA and was the best solution based on using weighted criteria simultaneously. Moreover, the ranking outcomes of the developed integrated AHP–VIKOR approach were evaluated using sensitivity analysis. The result of this work takes the APA for hybrid LiFi networks to a new perspective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Next Generation Communication Network Using Advanced LiFi Technology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 6694 KiB

Open AccessReview

Evolution of Hybrid LiFi–WiFi Networks: A Survey

by Toni Besjedica, Krešimir Fertalj, Vlatko Lipovac and Ivona Zakarija

Sensors 2023, 23(9), 4252; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23094252 - 25 Apr 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2524

Abstract

Given the growing number of devices and their need for internet access, researchers are focusing on integrating various network technologies. Concerning indoor wireless services, a promising approach in this regard is to combine light fidelity (LiFi) and wireless fidelity (WiFi) technologies into a hybrid LiFi and WiFi network (HLWNet). Such a network benefits from LiFi’s distinct capability for high-speed data transmission and from the wide radio coverage offered by WiFi technologies. In this paper, we describe the framework for the HWLNet architecture, providing an overview of the handover methods used in HLWNets and presenting the basic architecture of hybrid LiFi/WiFi networks, optimization of cell deployment, relevant modulation schemes, illumination constraints, and backhaul device design. The survey also reviews the performance and recent achievements of HLWNets compared to legacy networks with an emphasis on signal to noise and interference ratio (SINR), spectral and power efficiency, and quality of service (QoS). In addition, user behaviour is discussed, considering interference in a LiFi channel is due to user movement, handover frequency, and load balancing. Furthermore, recent advances in indoor positioning and the security of hybrid networks are presented, and finally, directions of the hybrid network’s evolution in the foreseeable future are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Next Generation Communication Network Using Advanced LiFi Technology)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Next Generation Communication Network Using Advanced LiFi Technology

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (2 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI