6G for Industrial Communication

From Ultra to Hyper

Extremely fast and reliable – “Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication” (URLLC) forms one of the central pillars of the 5G standard. This marks the first time that mobile communications open up for production halls, where the continuous networking and automation of processes and machines demand new, efficient, and wireless solutions. However, these must consistently meet the stringent requirements and conditions of industrial communication. 

Therefore, this central pillar will also remain with 6G, albeit in the further developed variant “Hyper Reliable Low Latency Communication” (HRLLC). The boundaries are pushed even further: With latencies of up to one millisecond and a reliability of 10^-5, 6G enables real-time networking and control of manufacturing processes. Even safety- and mission-critical applications, which cannot afford costly production downtimes, can be controlled through HRLLC reliably and delay-free. 

To ensure that mobile communications can ultimately become a true alternative to wired connections, in the medium term the industry will even require an increase in reliability beyond 6G standardization. We are researching how this demand can be addressed today.

At the right time in the right place with Time-Sensitive Networking

The environment in which mobile communications operate in factories is complex and unpredictable. Numerous coexisting real-time applications face massive metal walls, which lead to signal attenuation and overlapping due to multiple reflections. Additionally, “Automated Mobile Robots” (AMRs) and “Automated Guided Vehicles” (AGVs) increasingly navigate through the production halls, adding extra dynamics to the processes. Under such circumstances, implementing a wireless communication network is not a given. Deterministic communication, which directs all data to the right place at the right time, becomes a challenge.

As a guarantee for determinism, we rely on Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). This is a set of wired standards that eliminate randomness from the production hall through structuring measures. TSN acts like a conductor, orchestrating everything as if by magic: By assigning fixed network routes, the various information packets are synchronized and prioritized so precisely that time-critical data traffic always arrives on time. Additionally, TSN ensures optimal bandwidth utilization and provides end-to-end, vendor-neutral communication from sensor to cloud. This enables the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT). We are convinced: Time-Sensitive Networking and mobile communications form an ideal symbiosis. Therefore, we are researching mechanisms and tools to make TSN usable for wireless applications.