PixNet: interference-free wireless links using LCD-camera pairs

Abstract

Given the abundance of cameras and LCDs in today's environment, there exists an untapped opportunity for using these devices for communication. Specifically, cameras can tune to nearby LCDs and use them for network access. The key feature of these LCD-camera links is that they are highly directional and hence enable a form of interference-free wireless communication. This makes them an attractive technology for dense, high contention scenarios. The main challenge however, to enable such LCD-camera links is to maximize coverage, that is to deliver multiple Mb/s over multi-meter distances, independent of the view angle. To do so, these links need to address unique types of channel distortions, such as perspective distortion and blur. This paper explores this novel communication medium and presents PixNet, a system for transmitting information over LCD-camera links. PixNet generalizes the popular OFDM transmission algorithms to address the unique characteristics of the LCD-camera link which include perspective distortion, blur, and sensitivity to ambient light. We have built a prototype of PixNet using off-the-shelf LCDs and cameras. An extensive evaluation shows that a single PixNet link delivers data rates of up to 12 Mb/s at a distance of 10 meters, and works with view angles as wide as 120 degree°.