It creates the ability to allocate slices of a network for specific applications with specific network requirements
Anritsu Corporation in collaboration with InterDigital, Inc. showcases a smart factory use case for 5G New Radio (NR) using network slicing and multi-access edge computing (MEC) capabilities.
Utilising InterDigital’s Intelligent Edge solution for smart factories alongside the Anritsu Rapid Test Designer (RTD) and MT8000A Radio Communication Test Station, which simulates a Standalone (SA) mode 5G NR network, the demonstration proves the benefit of network slicing and MEC for new business models and industry innovations.
Network slicing is a feature of 5G that creates the ability to allocate slices of a network for specific applications with specific network requirements. Each slice is built to deliver unique network performance required by each application while using the same physical infrastructure. Network slicing provides greater flexibility to create and manage numerous virtual networks tailored to different scenarios with unique requirements. MEC shifts services otherwise hosted in a centralised cloud to the network edge, which enables the network to analyse, process and store data with reduced latency and improved performance for high-bandwidth applications.
“We are pleased to work alongside Anritsu to reveal new use cases and industry opportunities for 5G network slicing and MEC,” said Henry Tirri, CTO, InterDigital. “This demonstration helps outline the readiness of 5G and Edge to support Industry 4.0 use cases and the potential for further advancements.”
“Our collaboration with InterDigital enables the industry to visualise the true potential of emerging technologies like 5G NR Network slicing for real-world applications,” said Mr Jonathan Borrill, Anritsu’s Head of Global Market Technology.
Demonstration Outline
InterDigital’s solution demonstrates the feasibility and readiness of 5G and Edge to support Industry 4.0 use cases and establishes a benchmark of high performance to pave the way for further advancements. The solution addresses the challenge of enabling near-real-time remote control of factory-side devices based upon instantaneous analytics and decision-making in the digital world at the edge. To support the multiple high bandwidth and low latency data flows streaming from the physical factory to the digital edge, InterDigital’s solution uses multiple slices simultaneously provided by the 5G network and leverages an edge platform integrated within the 5G network to enable ultra-fast computing and reduce transport latency between the network and applications.
The Anritsu Rapid Test Designer (RTD) is an integrated test environment for the company’s range of signalling testers for 5G NR, LTE, WCDMA, and GSM radio technologies. It enables mobile device engineers to rapidly create tests and troubleshoot device and modem issues early in the development cycle to save costs and reduce time to market.
