Flicker-Optimized Visible Light Communication: A Modulation-Dependent Trade-Off Between Data Rate, Ber, And Human-Centric Performance

Agha Yasir Ali; Muhammad Umar Khan; Abdul Moid Khan; Adnan Afroz; Ali Yousuf Khan; Syed Sajjad Imam Zaidi

doi:10.33411/IJIST/1976

Authors

Agha Yasir Ali Department of Applied Computing and Emerging Sciences, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
Muhammad Umar Khan Department of Telecommunication Engineering, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0696-0702
Abdul Moid Khan Department of Electronic Engineering, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
Adnan Afroz Department of Computer Engineering, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
Ali Yousuf Khan Department of Applied Computing and Emerging Sciences, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
Syed Sajjad Imam Zaidi Department of Software Engineering, Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33411/IJIST/1976

Keywords:

Flicker Mitigation Technique, IEEE Standard 1789 Analysis, Optical Wireless Communication, Photobiological Safety Metrics, Pulse Interval Modulation

Abstract

Using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Visible Light Communication (VLC) has two uses: lighting and sending data. However, fast on–off switching for data modulation causes flickering that can negatively impact human health even at imperceptible frequencies. Current flickering reduction strategies do not provide accurate measurement of flickering generated by modulation schemes such as PPM and DPPM. Worse channel conditions decrease data rates, thereby increasing flicker duration; nonetheless, earlier research disregards the trade-offs between flickering and communication performance. This study introduces a new flicker estimation technique for PPM and DPPM, examining how empty slots affect flicker. We investigate the balance among flickering rate, data rate, and BER to optimize VLC systems for both data transmission and human health. Using a threshold-based method derived from biological research, we simulate flickering. Theoretical analysis looks at the OFF cycles in PPM/DPPM symbols, and simulations compare the flickering rate, data rate, and BER for different modulation orders (4PPM to 8PPM) under different slot lengths. The findings reveal that shorter symbol durations (T_s = 2 ms), which correspond to higher data rates, generate insignificant LED flashing, whereas longer symbol durations (T_s = 10 ms), which correspond to lower data rates, increase flickering. But longer symbol durations provide better BER performance than shorter ones. DPPM also lowers the flickering rate by about 50% compared to PPM by removing unnecessary empty slots while still providing almost twice the data rate of PPM. Higher-order modulation (8PPM) lowers flickering but degrades BER (10^-1 to 10^-1.3), while lower-order modulation (4PPM) enhances BER (10^-3 to 10^-2.8) at the cost of more flickering. Moreover, to statistically validate the simulation results, each experiment was repeated 30 independent times using different random binary sequences. The mean and standard deviation of the flickering rate and BER were computed. This study offers a quantitative framework to create flicker-aware VLC systems, emphasizing DPPM for settings prone to flicker and directing modulation choice for applications where performance is critical.

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