Visible Light Positioning as a Next-Generation Indoor Positioning Technology: A Tutorial

Abstract

Indoor positioning technology has become undisputedly pervasive in modern society. It can be used for numerous applications in various environments, ranging from agriculture to smart industry. Among the different indoor positioning technologies, the development of the indoor visible light positioning (VLP) system has gained momentum recently thanks to its low cost and centimetre-order accuracy. Moreover, VLP is a promising candidate technology for integration with Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), which relies on the optical spectrum to build future wireless networks and plays a significant role in sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. This tutorial investigates VLP as a novel positioning technology in depth. The inherent characteristics and fundamentals of this technology are extensively described with the components of a VLP system and possible localization approaches being discussed. Furthermore, a mathematical and technical discussion of a simple minimum retrofit of the single photodiode (PD) received signal strength (RSS) VLP systems is provided. Finally, the paper concludes with open challenges and a future roadmap for VLP.