Special Issue on Development, Implementation and Application of Visible Light Communication Systems in 5G/6G Networks

According to the “2030 + Technology Trends White Paper” by the China Mobile Research Institute, future wireless communication networks will use full spectrum communication. In other words, they will draw on the dynamic complementarity of frequency bands such as the millimeter wave (MMW), terahertz (THZ), visible light, etc., to optimise overall network service quality.

The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-type communication networks has introduced new challenges and opportunities for higher wireless network capacity. Visible light communication (VLC), in particular, is considered a promising technology for improving data rate and system capacity. The VLC spectrum ranges from 430 THz to 790 THz, offering rich, yet unused spectrum bandwidth, and a wide range of potential applications in homes and offices. Meanwhile, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) have a longer life expectancy and lower power consumption than traditional incandescent or fluorescent lights.

This special issue brings together researchers from academia and industry to explore studies on the development, implementation and application of visible light communication systems in fifth generation (5G) and sixth generation (6G) wireless communication networks.

Topics Covered:

These include, but are not limited to:

• LED-IoT communications in VLC networks
• Higher-data-rate VLC for 5G/6G networks
• New hardware and software implementation for VLC (e.g., LED chip design)
• Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-aided and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided VLC systems
• Statistical modelling and channel estimation for VLC systems
• Machine learning and neural networks for VLC systems
• New multiple access technologies in VLC networks (e.g., non-orthogonal multiple access)
• New models, concepts and architectures supporting VLC networks
• Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV) in VLC networks
• VLC for indoor localisation/positioning and sensing in 5G/6G networks
• Scalable distributed learning for VLC systems (e.g., federated learning)
• Multiuser VLC networking, advance modulation techniques
• Security and privacy issues in VLC
• Underwater VLC
• VLC for Internet of Vehicles (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles, cars)
• AI-based blockchain for VLC
• AI-based digital twins for VLC      

Important Deadlines:

• Submission deadline: 30 December 2021
• First review due: 28 February 2022
• Revision due: 30 March 2022
• Second revision due: 30 April 2022
• Final manuscript due: 15 May 2022

Submission Instructions:

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online; please select SI: Development of Visible Light Communication Systems on submission.

Guest Editors:

• Managing Guest Editor: Dr. Lisu Yu, Nanchang University, China. Email: lisuyu@ncu.edu.cn
• Prof. Yuhao Wang, Nanchang University, China. Email: wangyuhao@ncu.edu.cn
• Prof. Zhenghai Wang, Nanchang University, China. Email: wangzhhai@126.com
• Prof. Xun Zhang, Institut Supérieur d’Electronique de Paris (ISEP), France. Email: xun.zhang@isep.fr
• Dr. Shuping Dang, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. Email: shuping.dang@kaust.edu.sa
• Dr. Hongliang Zhang, Princeton University, USA. Email: hz16@princeton.edu