Literature Database Entry

franchi2024german

Norman Franchi, Falko Dressler, Doganalp Ergenç, Paulus Guter, Vincent Lassen, Maximilian Lübke, Tobias Veihelmann, Shaden Baradie, Louay Bassbouss, Andreas Bathelt, Fabian Eichhorn, Lucas Fink, Andreas Frisch, Pramesh Gautam, Tilo Heckmann, Detlef Houdeau, Meik Kottkamp, Daniel Lindenschmitt, Eike Lyczkowski and Dirk Wübben, "German Perspective on 6G – Use Cases, Technical Building Blocks and Requirements. Insights by the 6G Platform Germany," Friedrich–Alexander University of Erlangen–Nuremberg (FAU), White Paper, December 2024.

Abstract

This white paper explores the transformative potential of 6G through an extensive set of use cases contributed by industry and academic partners involved in 6G Platform Germany. These use cases illustrate how 6G can drive advancements not only as a new technology but as a comprehensive ecosystem, including several applications originally envisioned for 5G but still not fully realized. Initially, we established a framework for understanding the diverse needs and possibilities that 6G networks can address by systematically collecting and clustering the use cases into eight use case families (UCFs). The UCFs introduce novel elements to extend and contribute to the broader ecosystem, with five of them harmonized with existing 6G standardization and analysis efforts to strengthen the overall framework: Collaborative Robots, Digital Twins, Fully Connected World, Trustworthy Environments and Immersive Experience. Additionally, we identified three new UCFs that reflect Germany's unique vision for 6G: Resilient Society, focused on connectivity for public safety, security, and emergency response; 3D Mobility, aimed at seamless communication of mobile devices especially in urban areas, but also across land, air, and sea; and Environmental Awareness, supporting sustainability through advanced monitoring leveraging new 6G features. Using this categorization as a foundation, we then analyzed the specific requirements and developed key technical building blocks (TBBs) necessary for enabling the collected use cases. Aligned with ongoing project outputs, this framework extends the vision of 6G, providing a future-ready ecosystem to address complex societal and industry needs. Firstly, we have found seven key TBB categories and 29 TBBs essential for the successful development of 6G technologies. These categories encompass integrative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, comprehensive network systems, advanced network architectures, converged communication technologies, integrated cloud-edge ecosystem transformation, air interface technologies, and orchestration and management capabilities. Our analysis reveals that integrating AI is surely expected to be crucial for enhancing network efficiency, reliability and user experience, as the processing may occur at various points within the network, including network functions, management functions, application servers, or even in the UE. Especially, "Digital Twin, Simulation and Data Fusion", is seen as a critical solution for most UCFs. Comprehensive network systems emphasize the importance for all UCFs of modular and service-oriented architectures composed of physical elements and functions to meet diverse application needs and scalability requirements. Advanced network architectures underline the demand for flexibility in service delivery, enabling seamless interoperation among various network types. In consequence, the advanced network architectures and connectivity solutions and the corresponding sub-TBBs are indicated as mandatory or beneficial for most UCF. Furthermore, converged network systems and communication technologies illustrate the need for integration of traditional and innovative functionalities, such as sensing capabilities and quantum technologies, reflecting emerging application demands. The findings also highlight the importance of cloud-edge ecosystem advancements, which optimize data processing, storage techniques, and computing architectures, particularly for the UCFs 3D Mobility, Resilient Society and Immersive Experience. Air interface technologies are deemed critical for supporting a wide range of frequency bands and various antenna and transceiver architectures, where especially advanced transceiver technologies are stated to be mandatory for several UCFs. Effective orchestration and management frameworks are identified as foundational for automating service provision and ensuring robust resource management across multiple operators. Particularly, the security and trust TBB have to be highlighted as most UCFs state the mandatory character of this TBB. Each TBB is further categorized into three development phases, indicating their timelines for transitioning from optional to mandatory demands. Phase 1 defined from 2025 to 2028, representing the most urgent technologies that need to be/will be applied from the first release of 6G. Phase 2 corresponds to technologies expected to be standardized between 2028 and 2030. Phase 3 follows from 2030 and includes technologies that will be seen as futuristic and maybe beneficial for later usage but not currently mandatory. Overall, the insights drawn from the analysis emphasize the need for innovative, interconnected technologies to address the evolving challenges of 6G communication systems and ensure their successful implementation in various application domains. Secondly, we present initial insights into the features critical for the adoption of 6G. While technical building blocks (TBBs) represent the technologies needed to fulfill 6G requirements, these features are specific characteristics demanded by individual use cases, emphasizing a user-centric perspective. We deduced 61 features as potential cornerstones for the 6G deployment from the collected use cases. The features are further grouped into the overarching categories Architecture, Network Capabilities, Trustworthiness, and Regulation. A detailed survey conducted with the use case authors revealed which features are most relevant to specific UCFs. At a short glance, the features in the Architecture category mainly relate to predictability and flexibility guaranteed by network architectures. For example, network status information and performance predictability, adaptation and recovery capabilities, stand out in this category. Network Capabilities present a more diverse picture including several features that can be measured by specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), e.g., transmission time. Regarding this, for instance, the UCF Fully Connected World stands out with harsh requirements for transmission, update, and response time below 1 ms, as well as synchronization. As their names already suggest, the Trustworthiness category is closely related to the UCFs Resilient Society and Trustworthy Environments that impose novel and enhanced trustworthiness requirements. Heterogeneity in the realization of features is apparent for fidelity, where demanded percentages varied from 70% to 99%. In line with findings of earlier initiatives, availability and message loss requirements exceed four 9s or 0s, respectively. While findings for Regulation are varying, a trend towards interoperability and flexible regulation can be observed, particularly by the UCFs Fully Connected World, Environmental Awareness, and Trustworthy Environments. Related to Hexa-X II, the European 6G flagship project, we have discussed the results of the feature analysis as well as with respect to use case families and TBBs. Additionally, we introduce some key challenges for testing and measuring new 6G technology building blocks to bring them to market. The complexity of upcoming communication systems and the rise of AI with its data-driven approach change how technology building blocks are validated. The testing systems should adapt to that with functions such as enhanced end-to-end testing and scenario-based validation.

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Norman Franchi
Falko Dressler
Doganalp Ergenç
Paulus Guter
Vincent Lassen
Maximilian Lübke
Tobias Veihelmann
Shaden Baradie
Louay Bassbouss
Andreas Bathelt
Fabian Eichhorn
Lucas Fink
Andreas Frisch
Pramesh Gautam
Tilo Heckmann
Detlef Houdeau
Meik Kottkamp
Daniel Lindenschmitt
Eike Lyczkowski
Dirk Wübben

BibTeX reference

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