In this article, we review state-of-the-art of Light-Fidelity (LiFi) technology. Afterward, we show how hybrid LiFi/WiFi system enhances the system throughput and user's quality-of-services in the heterogeneous networks. Finally, we highlight the ongoing research efforts and open challenges toward internet of light with large-scale LiFi deployment in future wireless networks.
KEYWORDS
HetNet, LiFi, VLC, WiFi/LiFi1 Recently, the VLC standardization initiatives are being taken as a part of IEEE 802.15.7. 2
What is LiFi?Light-Fidelity (LiFi)-the term was first coined by Harald Haas in 2011 3 -transmits the wireless data through the modulation of the visible light. Generally, LiFi uses LEDs for transmission with intensity modulation (IM) and the signal is detected by using the principle of direct detection with a photodiode. LiFi extends the concept of VLC for highly secure, bi-directional, and fully networked wireless communication systems. Unlike point-to-point communications in VLC, LiFi provides multipoint communications with light emitting diodes (LEDs) as access points (APs) in the networks. 4,5 In addition, user mobility and multiuser access are supported by LiFi with attocells 6,7 in the network.