End-to-end QoS Mapping and Traffic Forwarding in Converged TSN-5G Networks

Sammanfattning: The advancement of technology has led to an increase in the demand for ultra-low end-to-end network latency in real-time applications with a target of below 10ms. The IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a set of standards that supports the required low-latency wired communication with ultra-low jitter for real-time applications. TSN is designed for fixed networks thus it misses the flexibility of wireless networks.To overcome this limitation and to increase its applicability in different applications, an integration of TSN with other wireless technologies is needed. The fifth generation of cellular networks (5G) supports real-time applications with its Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) service. 5G URLLC is designed to meet the stringent timing requirements of these applications, such as providing reliable communication with latencies as low as 1ms. Seamless integration of TSN and 5G is needed to fully utilize the potential of these technologies in contemporary and future industrial applications. However, to achieve the end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of a TSN-5G network, a significant effort is required due to the large dissimilarity between these technologies.This thesis presents a comprehensive and well-structured snapshot of the existing research on TSN-5G integration that identifies gaps in the current research and highlights the opportunities for further research in the area of TSN-5G integration. In particular, the thesis identifies that the state of the art lacks an end-to-end mapping of QoS requirements and traffic forwarding mechanisms for a converged TSN-5G network. This lack of knowledge and tool support hampers the utilisation of ground-breaking technologies like TSN and 5G. Hence, the thesis develops novel techniques to support the end-to-end QoS mapping and traffic forwarding of a converged TSN-5G network for predictable communication.Furthermore, the thesis presents a translation technique between TSN and 5G with a proof-of-concept implementation in a well-known TSN network simulator. Moreover, a novel QoS mapping algorithm is proposed to support the systematic mapping of QoS characteristics and integration of traffic flows in a converged TSN-5G network.