Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) using Interface Diversity

An important ingredient of the future 5G systems will be Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC). A way to offer URLLC without intervention in the baseband/PHY layer design is to use interface diversity and integrate multiple communication interfaces, each interface based on a different technology. In this work, we propose to use coding to seamlessly distribute coded payload and redundancy data across multiple available communication interfaces. We formulate an optimization problem to find the payload allocation weights that maximize the reliability at specific target latency values. In order to estimate the performance in terms of latency and reliability of such an integrated communication system, we propose an analysis framework that combines traditional reliability models with technology-specific latency probability distributions. Our model is capable to account for failure correlation among interfaces/technologies. By considering different scenarios, we find that optimized strategies can in some cases significantly outperform strategies based on $k$-out-of-$n$ erasure codes, where the latter do not account for the characteristics of the different interfaces. The model has been validated through simulation and is supported by experimental results.Comment: Accepted for IEEE Transactions on Communication

Network slicing via function decomposition and flexible network design

Proceeding of: IEEE 28th Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor, and Mobile Radio Communications (PMRC 2017)We argue for flexible network design as an architecture prototype for next generation networks. Such flexible design is developed by capitalizing on the concept of network function decomposition in conjunction with with its relation to network slicing. A detailed view of the proposed functional architecture is put forward, where the role of network function blocks for forming network slices with given requirements is underlined. We further highlight the impact of common architecture over multiple tenants and elaborate on the emerging multi-tenancy business models along with the resulting implications on security.This work has been performed in the framework of the H2020-ICT-2014-2 project 5G NORMA

Network slicing to enable scalability and flexibility in 5G mobile networks

We argue for network slicing as an efficient solution that addresses the diverse requirements of 5G mobile networks, thus provid-ing the necessary flexibility and scalability associated with future network implementations. We elaborate on the challenges that emerge when we design 5G networks based on network slicing. We focus on the architectural aspects associated with the coexistence of dedicated as well as shared slices in the network. In particular, we analyze the realization options of a flexible radio access network with focus on network slicing and their impact on the design of 5G mobile networks. In addition to the technical study, this paper provides an investigation of the revenue potential of network slicing, where the applications that originate from such concept and the profit capabilities from the network operator's perspective are put forward.This work has been performed in the framework of the H2020-ICT-2014-2 project 5G NORMA

Multi-Connectivity Management and Orchestration Architecture Integrated With 5g Multi Radio Access Technology Network

The significant growth in the number of devices and the tremendous boost in network/user traffic types and volume as well as the efficiency constraints of 4G innovations have encouraged industry efforts and also financial investments towards defining, developing, and releasing systems for the fifth generation. The 5G of mobile broadband wireless networks with multiple Radio Access Technologies (Multi-RATs) have actually been designed to satisfy the system and service requirements of the existing as well as the coming applications. The multi-RAT access network is considered the key enabling technology to satisfy these requirements based on low latency, high throughput. To utilize all available network resources efficiently, research activities have been proposed on multi-connectivity to connect, split, steer, switch, and orchestrate across multiple RATs. Recently, multi-connectivity management and orchestration architecture standardization has just started; therefore, further study and research is needed. This project proposed a multi-connectivity management and orchestration architecture integrated with 5G, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and Wireless LANs (WLAN) technologies. The simulations experiments conducted to measure the Quality of Experience (QoE) by provisioning network resources efficiently, which are: data rate, latency, bit error rate. The results show that the 5G requirements have been achieved with latency and throughput around 1ms and 200 Mbps, respectively

Millimeter-Wave Downlink Positioning with a Single-Antenna Receiver

The paper addresses the problem of determining the unknown position of a mobile station for a mmWave MISO system. This setup is motivated by the fact that massive arrays will be initially implemented only on 5G base stations, likely leaving mobile stations with one antenna. The maximum likelihood solution to this problem is devised based on the time of flight and angle of departure of received downlink signals. While positioning in the uplink would rely on angle of arrival, it presents scalability limitations that are avoided in the downlink. To circumvent the multidimensional optimization of the optimal joint estimator, we propose two novel approaches amenable to practical implementation thanks to their reduced complexity. A thorough analysis, which includes the derivation of relevant Cram\ue9r-Rao lower bounds, shows that it is possible to achieve quasi-optimal performance even in presence of few transmissions, low SNRs, and multipath propagation effects