Performance of Integrated 3GPP 5G and IEEE TSN Networks

Abstract

The digitization of industrial automation processes calls for flexible, adaptable, and scalable communication solutions to enable the vision of a true “cyber-physical system.” In this context, IEEE iime-sensitive networking (TSN), developed by the Time-Sensitive Networking task group of the IEEE 802.1 working group, is receiving particular interest as it defines mechanisms for the time-sensitive (i.e. deterministic) transmission of data over Ethernet networks. In order to enable novel use cases and further improve the efficiency of industrial automation, mobile and wireless solutions are needed. Here, 3GPP Release 16 supports applications requiring deterministic communication or isochronous communication with high reliability and availability, such as IEEE TSN, over wireless networks. In this article, the focus lies specifically on the end-to-end latency performance of an integrated IEEE TSN and 3GPP 5G system. The article shows how 3GPP 5G can utilize information provided by an IEEE TSN in order to optimize its operation and provide very low end-to-end delays. Furthermore, the article illustrates the impact of individual IEEE 802.1 features on the end-to-end performance when being integrated with a 3GPP 5G System.