Title: “Hybrid communication systems, FSO/RF and RoF: reliable and scaled communications anywhere” Abstract: Current network and telecommunication systems are required to provide higher data rates in access networks to an increasing number of users. This fact is mainly due to the increase in the Internet traffic data, which is related with the higher demand of online added-value online content, as a result of a society increasingly more interconnected. New emergent radio technologies play a key role to supply these high-demand services to customer, e.g., UWB, WIMAX and LTE-advanced. [1-3] How to carry them to final customer? How to backup these services? Free-space optics (FSO), Radio-over-fibre (RoF) and RF/FSO Hybrid communication systems become a solution to deploy these services on indoor/outdoor scenarios avoiding architecture problems on WAN environments, e.g., university campus, companies’ parks [4]. Moreover, these systems will fit emergency scenarios, e.g. earthquakes, tsunamis, where the classical communications infrastructure cost and time replacement is very high [5]. On the other hand, the implementation of RF/FSO or RoF systems are enclosed in the new green communications issues, because they share the common goal to implement energy efficiency communications at anywhere scenario [6, 7]. Therefore, emergent radio technologies and their application on FSO and RoF systems are a challenging research issue nowadays. (abstract = 190 words) References: [1] J. Perez, M. Morant, M. Beltran, and R. Llorente, "Performance of MB-OFDM UWB and WiMAX IEEE 802.16e Converged Radio-over-Fiber in PON," Mwp: 2009 International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, pp. 235-238, 2009. [2] J. Perez, M. Morant, R. Llorente, and J. Marti, "Joint Distribution of Polarization-Multiplexed UWB and WiMAX Radio in PON," Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 27, pp. 1912-1919, Jun 15 2009. [3] R. Llorente, T. Alves, M. Morant, M. Beltran, J. Perez, A. Cartaxo, and J. Marti, "Ultrawideband radio signals distribution in FTTH networks," IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 20, pp. 945-947, May-Jun 2008. [4] E. Leitgeb, M. S. Awan, P. Brandl, T. Plank, C. Capsoni, R. Nebuloni, T. Javornik, G. Kandus, S. S. Muhammad, F. Ghassemlooy, M. Loschnigg, and F. Nadeem, "Current Optical Technologies for Wireless Access," Contel 2009: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Telecommunications, pp. 7-17, 2009. [5] S. Bloom, E. Korevaar, J. Schuster, and H. Willebrand, "Understanding the performance of free-space optics [Invited]," J. Opt. Netw., vol. 2, pp. 178-200, 2003. [6] Z. Yi, P. Chowdhury, M. Tornatore, and B. Mukherjee, "Energy Efficiency in Telecom Optical Networks," Communications Surveys & Tutorials, IEEE, vol. 12, pp. 441-458. [7] R. S. Tucker, "Green Optical Communications---Part II: Energy Limitations in Networks," Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of, vol. PP, pp. 1-14.

1. Hybrid communication systems
(FSO/RF and RoF):
reliable and scaled communications anywhere
Dr. Joaquín Pérez Soler*,
Prof. Z. Ghassemlooy and Prof. Dave Smith
*Optical Communications Research group
Northumbria Communications Lab
School of CEIS, Northumbria University
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 5th May 2011
Northumbria Research Conference 2011

2. 2
Outline
• Scenarios
• RoF and FSO: a complementary solution
• RoF: just pump
• FSO: free and powerful
• RF/FSO : scalable communications
• Next?
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3. 3
Scenarios
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4. 4
Scenarios
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5. 5
Scenarios
• Increasing number of new applications
– HD streaming, (netflix ©, lovefilm ©, ....)
– mobile broadband, (social apps, chating apps, videocalls, ...)
– online gaming, (motion games , playstation network ©, ...)
– high data-rate apps
anywhere, anytime, any service
just be connected
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6. 6
Some solutions: FTTx, 4G, ...
• Provide new access networks based in FTTx and Mobile
(4G, LTE-advance)
• Deploy new wireless technologies with high data rate in
short-medium ranges (UWB, WiMAX, 60GHz, ...)
• Research in complementary technology:
– Quick deployment // No license
– Secure backup service
– Low cost
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7. 7
RoF & FSO: complementary solutions
• Radio-over-Fibre and Free Space Optical comms are
reliable access technologies
• RoF :
– Mature technology for Indoor/Outdoor scenarios
– Last mile access indoor networks
– Long-haul network to deploy base station feeding
– Just pump your radio signal over the fibre !!
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8. RoF: just pump
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WiMAX
UWB
PON
Central Office
Core network
•Long-haul networks
~>25 km integrated distribution
•Short-range indoor networks
>300 m integrated distribution
8
*
* Perez, J.; Morant, M.; Beltran, M.; Llorente, R.; , "Performance of MB-OFDM UWB and WiMAX IEEE 802.16e converged radio-over-fiber in PON," .
MWP '09. International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, September, 2009

9. 9
RoF & FSO: complementary solutions
• Radio-over-Fibre and Free Space Optical comms are
reliable access technologies
• FSO:
– License free, indoor/outdoor solutions
– Visible light communications, laser comms, ...
• RoF :
– Mature technology for Indoor/Outdoor scenarios
– Last mile access indoor networks
– Long-haul network to deploy base station feeding
– Just pump your radio signal over the fibre !!
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10. 10
FSO comms
• Commercial products on MAN/LAN backbones (buildings links)
• New applications
– Ground-to-ground links (backbone access, disaster situations) (1 Gbps)
– Satellite links UL/DL/Inter
• Optical Inter-Satellite-Links: TerraSAR-X (launch Oct. 2006) (5.6 Gbps)
• Satellite-DL: OICETS – DLR-OGS (50 Mbps)
• Optical links from aerial platforms: Capanina Stratospheric Balloon – OGS (DLR)
(1.25 Gbps)
– Ground-to-air/air-to-ground (unmanned airborne vehicles, tactical comm)
– Airborne communications (A2A)
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Courtesy: NOVASOL Inc.Courtesy: Cablefree Solutions Limited.

11. 11
FSO under research
 Replication of outdoor
conditions under lab
controlled environment
• Defining Link margin criteria
,fog zones, scintillation, ...
• Replication outdoor
environments
• FSO chamber results (dots)
fits theory FSO fog models
(lines)
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0.2 0.36 0.67 0.85 0.92 1
0
1
3
5
6
Trasmittance
LinkMargin(dB)
Ptx
= -1.32 dBm
Thick
fog
V = 70 - 250 m
Light
fog
V =
500 - 1000 m
Dense
fog
V = 25 - 70 m
Moderate
fog
V = 250 - 500 m
BER<10e-6 limits is Q = 4.6
* S. Rajbhandari, Z. Ghassemlooy, J. Perez et al., "On the study of the FSO link performance under controlled
turbulence and fog atmospheric conditions”, 11th International Conference on Telecommunications , CONTEL 2011

12. 12
Hybrid RF/FSO: scaled comms
• Weather, blocking path, sun ligth, multiple indoor access
• Channel/Media diversity as a solution
– RF + FSO : viable and effective mitigation technique under
extreme weather conditions, since fog and rain drastically affect
the FSO and RF links, respectively, but only insignificantly vice
versa, and rarely occur simultaneously.
• Apps:
– Indoor: Home access networks ( 5-play, GigaBit Wireless Access )
– Backup networks for last mile access, rural access, ...
– Disaster areas deployment, hard geographical environments, ...
– Scaled communications depending on your needs
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13. 13
Apps: Home Access Network
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 ADSL
 FTTH
 RLL
 Mobile coverage
Office
Lounge
BedRoom
Indoor Free Space Optics
and/or Radio 60 Ghz
Home
Gateway
PLC
RF/FSO bridge
(Mesh) radio/fso
Wireless HD
Power line, radio, visible light and infrared communications

14. Apps: Hybrid FSO-RF communications
 >99.999 % link availability
• Free RF bands (WiFi, WiMAX, mmW)
Challanges:
 Soft-switch RF/FSO
 Atmospheric impairments replication
 mmW RF band to improve range
 Ring/Mesh network topology
 New modulation schemes
 FSO chamber
• FOG/Turbulence control
• RF – optic link
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Hot plates
Fan Fog MachineAperture
Heat controlRF txLASER tx
RF/FSO transmitter inside chamber

15. Hybrid FSO-RF communications
 Use of COTS products
• AD chip and boards
 Soft vs. Hard switching
• FPGA and µController
• Software Coding (raptor codes)
 Custom RF devices
• Antenna design
 Implementation of hybrid
RF/FSO network
• Avoid weather impairments
• 100 % link availability
• Indoor replication
Analog Devices
evaluation board WiMAX
Commercial
Antennas
Custom antennas
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16. 16
Next?
 Coding and Software Switching in hybrid systems
 60 GHz and THz signal generation
 Efficient signal modulations formats
 Visible vs IR vs Laser devices
 FSO interface for improve LTE-advance range and
base networking (eNodeB) at special environments
 Low cost deployments
• Indoor interfaces
• Optical Wireless home deployment
• Transceiver RF/FSO integrated
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17. 17
Next?
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18. ACK’S
NCRLab and OCRG research team and
facilities
VLC : Dr. Hoa Le-Minh’s team
FSO : Prof Zabih Ghassemlooy’s team
RoF : Dr. Wai-Pang Ng’s team
Prof. Z. Ghassemlooy and Prof. Dave Smith
EU COST IC0802
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joaquin.perez@northumbria.ac.uk
joapeso@upv.es
http://joaquinperezsoler.blogs.upv.es/

19. SchoolofComputing,Engineering
andInformationSciences