Open-RAN-based campus network for industrial real-time applications

Virtualized control and assistance functions

PROJECT GOALS

The goal of the project "Open-RAN-based campus network for industrial real-time applications (6G-Terafactory)" is to develop an open network architecture for campus networks in a digitized factory. The campus networks are to be realized from the ground up in a "bottom-up" approach and will initially only have basic functionalities. Building on an Open-RAN approach, forward compatibility with upcoming 6G functions will be implemented in order to adapt campus networks to the needs of end users in the future. Overall, this should reduce the complexity of the networks and thus create a blueprint for campus networks "out-of-the-box". The developed campus network architecture will already be integrated into a factory (the so-called Terafactory) during the project process and will be demonstrated and optimized there in operational real-world scenarios.

INNOVATION & METHODOLOGY

The "out-of-the-box" campus networks to be developed in the project can also be used in companies without specific mobile communication expertise in the future. Thus, the project results also enable small and medium-sized enterprises to take the step towards Industry 4.0 and the connected factory. By focusing on an Open-RAN architecture with open interfaces, independence from large network equipment suppliers is increased instead of a monolithic setup, and the market for network components is opened up for smaller companies. This can directly contribute to increasing product diversity at the site in Germany and strengthen technological sovereignty in Germany and the European economic area.

OUR CONTRIBUTION

Building on the cross-project 6G/Open-RAN approach, Gestalt Robotics researches the concrete virtualization and outsourcing of control and assistance functions for mobile robots and worker assistance, focusing on real-time requirements and low latency, as well as the necessity for bidirectional transmission of high data rates considering real industrial requirements. To this end, a software programming interface for application integration is primarily to be developed, which allows for the definition of service-specific QoS requirements according to modern concepts regarding (micro)service architectures. In implementing the software modules, it is essential to investigate which AI-based added-value services can be implemented that cannot be achieved with conventional networking and control concepts and what specific advantages they hold for industrial users.