Li-Fi and Wi-Fi with Common Backhaul: Coordination and Resource Allocation

Visible light communication (VLC) -also known as light fidelity (Li-Fi)- networks will play an important role in the near future, since they will provide full coverage and improved data rates for indoor wireless applications. In this paper, the coexistence of Li-Fi and Wi-Fi networks is investigated for the multi-user scenario, under the practical assumption that both of them are served by the same backhaul network (e.g., optical fiber). More specifically, we study the resource allocation and coordination problems by maximizing the proportional fairness of all users. To do so, we formulate and solve an optimization problem for the power allocation of the hybrid Li-Fi/Wi-Fi scenario, under the constraint of the common backhaul. Computer simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed analysis.