Time-Sensitive Networking Over 5G for Industrial Control Systems

Industrial automation, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics, and many other applications need accurate time and data delivery with strict deadlines. The IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) group defines a set of tools for deterministic communication with high reliability. Although TSN has started from wired (Ethernet) networks, the newer generation wireless technologies, especially Wi-Fi 6/6E and 5G, offer capabilities to extend and enhance TSN operation over the wireless medium. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 16 supports Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) and introduces the capabilities for integrating 5G with TSN networks motivated by the requirements of time-critical industrial systems. This paper presents and evaluates an industrial control system enabled by 5G and TSN capabilities. We describe a TSN over 5G testbed developed with 3GPP Release 15 hardware and discuss the measurement methodology along with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) required for meeting timing requirements for an industrial control application. We also explore the configuration of TSN over 5G systems and methodologies needed to characterize the Quality of Experience (QoE) for industrial use cases.