SDR Beyond Radio: An OOT GNU Radio Library for Simulation and Deployment of Multi-Cell / Multi-User Optical Wireless Communication Systems

Arsalan Ahmed; Gregory Dzhezyan; Hussam Aboutahoun; Victor Chu; Jordan DiViccaro; Vahae Ohanian; Sharareh Rezaeiboroujerdi; Ilyas Saheb; Evan Urban; James Wu; Michel Kulhandjian; Hovannes Kulhandjian; Michael B Rahaim

Arsalan Ahmed School of Built Environment, Engineering, and Computing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds England
Gregory Dzhezyan Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
Hussam Aboutahoun Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
Victor Chu Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
Jordan DiViccaro Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
Vahae Ohanian Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
Sharareh Rezaeiboroujerdi Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
Ilyas Saheb Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
Evan Urban Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
James Wu Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
Michel Kulhandjian Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
Hovannes Kulhandjian Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
Michael B Rahaim Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA

Abstract

Research in the field of optical wireless communications
(OWC) has led to significant advances
in high speed point-to-point communication
links, but there is much work to be done
in the area of multi-cell/multi-user OWC systems.
In order to make experimental research
in this area more approachable, we have developed
an SDR framework for OWC systems
and provided an open-source out-of-tree (OOT)
software library, namely gr-owc, that allows for
quick development and testing of novel OWC
techniques. In this paper we describe our recent
improvements to gr-owc, including the addition
of new OWC channel characteristics, modules
for DC-Biased Optical OFDM/OFDMA, and resource
allocation capabilities for custom hardware
that applies multi-color channels and enables
research in wavelength division multiplexing
(WDM) or wavelength division multiple access
(WDMA) systems. Furthermore, the hardware
deployment process is detailed to enable a
workflow that spans from simulated system analysis
to experimental evaluation.