With the advent of 5G and the research into beyond 5G (B5G) networks, a novel and very relevant research issue is how to manage the coexistence of different types of traffic, each with very stringent but completely different requirements. In this paper we propose a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm to slice the available physical layer resources between ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) traffic. Specifically, in our setting the time-frequency resource grid is fully occupied by eMBB traffic and we train the DRL agent to employ proximal policy optimization (PPO), a state-of-the-art DRL algorithm, to dynamically allocate the incoming URLLC traffic by puncturing eMBB codewords. Assuming that each eMBB codeword can tolerate a certain limited amount of puncturing beyond which is in outage, we show that the policy devised by the DRL agent never violates the latency requirement of URLLC traffic and, at the same time, manages to keep the number of eMBB codewords in outage at minimum levels, when compared to other state-of-the-art schemes.
Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) is deemed to be an essential service in 5G systems and beyond to accommodate a wide range of emerging applications with stringent latency and reliability requirements. Coexistence of URLLC alongside other service categories calls for developing spectrally efficient multiplexing techniques. Specifically, coupling URLLC and conventional enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) through superposition/puncturing naturally arises as a promising option due to the tolerance of the latter in terms of latency and reliability. The idea here is to transmit URL…
Network slicing envisions the 5th generation (5G) mobile network resource allocation to be based on different requirements for different services, such as Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) and Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB). Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), proposes an open and disaggregated concept of RAN by modulizing the functionalities into independent components. Network slicing for O-RAN can significantly improve performance. Therefore, an advanced resource allocation solution for network slicing in O-RAN is proposed in this study by applying Reinforcement Learning (RL…
This paper studies the coexistence of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) services in a cellular network that is assisted by a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). The system model consists of one base station (BS) and one RIS that is deployed to enhance the performance of both eMBB and URLLC in terms of the achievable data rate and reliability, respectively. We formulate two optimization problems, a time slot basis eMBB allocation problem and a mini-time slot basis URLLC allocation problem. The eMBB allocation problem aims at maximizi…
In this paper, we consider the problem of admission control in 5G networks where enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) users and ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) users are coexisting. URLLC users require low latency and high reliability while eMBB users require high data rates. Thus, it is essential to control the admission of eMBB users while giving priority to all URLLC users in a network where both types of users are coexisting. Our aim is to maximize the number of admitted eMBB users to the system with a guaranteed data rate while allocating resources to all URLLC users. We form…
In this paper, we propose a null-space-based preemptive scheduling framework for cross-objective optimization to always guarantee robust URLLC performance, while extracting the maximum possible eMBB capacity. The proposed scheduler perpetually grants incoming URLLC traffic a higher priority for instant scheduling. In case that radio resources are not immediately schedulable, proposed scheduler forcibly enforces an artificial spatial user separation, for the URLLC traffic to get instantly scheduled over shared resources with ongoing eMBB transmissions. A pre-defined reference spatial subspace i…
uRLLC and eMBB are two influential services of the emerging 5G cellular network. Latency and reliability are major concerns for uRLLC applications, whereas eMBB services claim for the maximum data rates. Owing to the trade-off among latency, reliability and spectral efficiency, sharing of radio resources between eMBB and uRLLC services, heads to a challenging scheduling dilemma. In this paper, we study the co-scheduling problem of eMBB and uRLLC traffic based upon the puncturing technique. Precisely, we formulate an optimization problem aiming to maximize the MEAR of eMBB UEs while fulfilling …
In this paper, we study the resource slicing problem in a dynamic multiplexing scenario of two distinct 5G services, namely Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB). While eMBB services focus on high data rates, URLLC is very strict in terms of latency and reliability. In view of this, the resource slicing problem is formulated as an optimization problem that aims at maximizing the eMBB data rate subject to a URLLC reliability constraint, while considering the variance of the eMBB data rate to reduce the impact of immediately scheduled URLLC traffi…
Recently, the coexistence of ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services on the same licensed spectrum has gained a lot of attention from both academia and industry. However, the coexistence of these services is not trivial due to the diverse multiple access protocols, contrasting frame distributions in the existing network, and the distinct quality of service requirements posed by these services. Therefore, such coexistence drives towards a challenging resource scheduling problem. To address this problem, in this paper, we first investiga…
The non-orthogonal coexistence between the enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and the ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) in the downlink of a multi-cell massive MIMO system is rigorously analyzed in this work. We provide a unified information-theoretic framework blending an infinite-blocklength analysis of the eMBB spectral efficiency (SE) in the ergodic regime with a finite-blocklength analysis of the URLLC error probability relying on the use of mismatched decoding, and of the so-called saddlepoint approximation. Puncturing (PUNC) and superposition coding (SPC) are considered as …
Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultrareliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) are two major expected services in the fifth-generation mobile communication systems (5G). Specifically, eMBB applications support extremely high data rate communications, while URLLC services aim to provide stringent latency with high reliability communications. Due to their differentiated quality-of-service (QoS) requirements, the spectrum sharing between URLLC and eMBB services becomes a challenging scheduling issue. In this paper, we aim to investigate the URLLC and eMBB coscheduling/coexistence probl…
The 5G systems will feature three generic services: enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC) and Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC). The diverse requirements of these services in terms of data-rates, number of connected devices, latency and reliability can lead to a sub-optimal use of the 5G network, thus network slicing is proposed as a solution that creates customized slices of the network specifically designed to meet the requirements of each service. Under the network slicing, the radio resources can be shared in orthogonal and non-ort…
This paper is concerned with slicing a radio access network (RAN) for simultaneously serving two typical 5G and beyond use cases, i.e., enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). Although many researches have been conducted to tackle this issue, few of them have considered the impact of bursty URLLC. The bursty characteristic of URLLC traffic may significantly increase the difficulty of RAN slicing on the aspect of ensuring a ultra-low packet blocking probability. To reduce the packet blocking probability, we re-visit the structure of physical r…
University of Oulu(奥卢大学);Nokia Bell Labs(诺基亚贝尔实验室)
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is a key for the fifth generation (5G) and beyond wireless communication systems owing to higher spectrum efficiency, spatial gains, and energy efficiency. Reaping the benefits of MIMO transmission can be fully harnessed if the channel state information (CSI) is available at the transmitter side. However, the acquisition of transmitter side CSI entails many challenges. In this paper, we propose a deep learning assisted CSI estimation technique in highly mobile vehicular networks, based on the fact that the propagation environment (scatterers, reflectors) i…
An Explainable AI Framework for Dynamic Resource Management in Vehicular Network Slicing
Institute for Safe Autonomy and School of Physics, Engineering and Technology(安全自主研究所和物理、工程与技术学院);School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering(电气与电子工程学院);University of Leeds(利兹大学);School of Computer Science(计算机科学学院);University College Dublin(都柏林大学学院)
5G new radio is envisioned to support three major service classes: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine type communications. Emerging URLLC services require up to one millisecond of communication latency with 99.999% success probability. Though, there is a fundamental trade-off between system spectral efficiency (SE) and achievable latency. This calls for novel scheduling protocols which cross-optimize system performance on user-centric; instead of network-centric basis. In this paper, we develop a joint multi-user preemptive …
To ensure the high level of automation required in today's industrial applications, next-generation wireless networks must enable real-time control and automation of dynamic processes with the requirements of extreme low-latency and ultra-reliable communications. In this paper, we provide a performance assessment for the co-existence of a macro (eMBB) and a local factory (URLLC) network and evaluate the network conditions under which the latency and reliability requirements of factory automation applications are met. In particular, we evaluate the co-existence of the eMBB and URLLC networks un…
This paper considers the coexistence of Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) services in the uplink of Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architecture based on the relaying of radio signals over analog fronthaul links. While Orthogonal Multiple Access (OMA) to the radio resources enables the isolation and the separate design of different 5G services, Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) can enhance the system performance by sharing wireless and fronthaul resources. This paper provides an information-theoretic perspective in the performance of …
In vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) networks, a cluster of multi-antenna access points (APs) can collaboratively conduct transmitter beamforming to provide data services (e.g., eMBB or URLLC). The collaboration between APs effectively forms a networked linear antenna-array with extra-large aperture (i.e., network-ELAA), where the wireless channel exhibits spatial nonstationarity. Major contribution of this work lies in the analysis of beamforming gain and radio coverage for network-ELAA non-stationary Rician channels considering the AP clustering. Assuming that: 1) the total transmit-power is f…
The development of the 5G new radio specifications has been derived by the the deterministic low latency use cases such as the ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). A URLLC application requires a stringent radio latency and reliability performance, e.g., one-way radio latency of 1 ms with 99.999% success probability. Furthermore, there is a concurrent progressive demand for broadband capacity cellular applications, e.g., enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) use-cases. The coexistence among the URLLC and eMBB service classes over a single radio spectrum is a challenging task since …
This paper investigates the resource allocation algorithm design for wireless systems assisted by large intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) with coexisting enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) users. We consider a two-time scale resource allocation scheme, whereby the base station's precoders are optimized in each mini-slot to adapt to newly arriving URLLC traffic, whereas the IRS phase shifts are reconfigured only in each time slot to avoid excessive base station-IRS signaling. To facilitate efficient resource allocation design for large IRS…
Virtual reality (VR) enables mobile wireless users to experience multimodal perceptions in a virtual space. In this paper we investigate the problem of concurrent support of visual and haptic perceptions over wireless cellular networks, with a focus on the downlink transmission phase. While the visual perception requires moderate reliability and maximized rate, the haptic perception requires fixed rate and high reliability. Hence, the visuo-haptic VR traffic necessitates the use of two different network slices: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) for visual perception and ultra-reliable and low l…
To ensure the high level of automation required in today's industrial applications, next-generation wireless networks must enable real-time control and automation of dynamic processes with the requirements of extreme low-latency and ultra-reliable communications. In this paper, we provide a performance assessment for the co-existence of a public enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and a local non-public factory (URLLC) network and evaluate the network conditions under which the stringent latency and reliability requirements of factory automation applications are met. The evaluations consider both…
Fifth generation (5G) new radio introduced flexible numerology to provide the necessary flexibility for accommodating heterogeneous services. However, optimizing the scheduling of heterogeneous services with differing delay and throughput requirements over 5G new radio is a challenging task. In this paper, we investigate near optimal, low complexity scheduling of radio resources for ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) when coexisting with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services. We demonstrate that maximizing the sum throughput of eMBB services while servicing URLLC users, is, …
Ultra-reliability and low latency communication has long been an important but challenging task in the fifth and sixth generation wireless communication systems. Scheduling as many users as possible to serve on the limited time-frequency resource is one of a crucial topic, subjecting to the maximum allowable transmission power and the minimum rate requirement of each user. We address it by proposing a mixed integer programming model, with the goal of maximizing the set cardinality of users instead of maximizing the system sum rate or energy efficiency. Mathematical transformations and successi…
Technology Innovation Institute(技术创新研究院);Trinity College Dublin(都柏林圣三一学院)
Network slicing is a well assessed approach enabling virtualization of the mobile core and radio access network (RAN) in the emerging 5th Generation New Radio. Slicing is of paramount importance when dealing with the emerging and diverse vertical applications entailing heterogeneous sets of requirements. 5G is also envisioning Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to be a key element in the cellular network standard, aiming at their use as aerial base stations and exploiting their flexible and quick deployment to enhance the wireless network performance. This work presents a UAV-assisted 5G network,…
Next-generation communication networks are expected to integrate newly-used technologies in a smart way to ensure continuous connectivity in rural areas and to alleviate the traffic load in dense regions. The prospective access network in 6G should hinge on satellite systems to take advantage of their wide coverage and high capacity. However, adopting satellites in 6G could be hindered because of the additional latency introduced, which is not tolerable by all traffic types. Therefore, we propose a traffic offloading scheme that integrates both the satellite and terrestrial networks to smartly…
To support Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) is an essential character of the 5th Generation (5G) communication system. Unlike the other two use cases defined in 5G, e.g. enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC), URLLC traffic has strict delay and reliability requirement. In this paper, an analysis model for URLLC traffic is proposed from the generation of a URLLC traffic until its transmission over a wireless channel, where channel quality, coding scheme with finite coding length, modulation scheme and allocated spectrum resource are …
Network slicing is a critical technique for 5G communications that covers radio access network (RAN), edge, transport and core slicing.The evolving network architecture requires the orchestration of multiple network resources such as radio and cache resources. In recent years, machine learning (ML) techniques have been widely applied for network management. However, most existing works do not take advantage of the knowledge transfer capability in ML. In this paper, we propose a deep transfer reinforcement learning (DTRL) scheme for joint radio and cache resource allocation to serve 5G RAN slic…
Recently, open radio access network (O-RAN) has become a promising technology to provide an open environment for network vendors and operators. Coordinating the x-applications (xAPPs) is critical to increase flexibility and guarantee high overall network performance in O-RAN. Meanwhile, federated reinforcement learning has been proposed as a promising technique to enhance the collaboration among distributed reinforcement learning agents and improve learning efficiency. In this paper, we propose a federated deep reinforcement learning algorithm to coordinate multiple independent xAPPs in O-RAN …