ATIS’ NGA Highlights 6G Radio Technologies in Whitepapers

Earlier this year ATIS’ Next G Alliance (NGA) announced publication of a report presenting the future of 6G basic radio technologies. "6G Radio Technology Part I: Basic Radio Technologies" covered the fundamentals of 6G designs at the air interface level, surveying new developments in the fundamental building blocks of radio technology, and discussing the potential impact of prospective new 6G designs on spectrum and energy efficiency over previous cellular generations. New 6G spectrum and spectrum-sharing mechanisms were also covered as well as various advanced MIMO designs (for different frequency bands) — among many other topics.

The whitepaper can be downloaded here.

Part 2 of the 6G Radio Technology whitepaper (available here) was published not too long ago. It delivers insight into concepts such as AI-Native Air Interface, device power-saving techniques, integration of radio technologies with distributed cloud and AI, green networks emphasizing sustainability, near-zero energy communication for IoT, non-terrestrial networks like satellite systems, and a lot more. 

Quoting from the paper Introduction:

Each section delves into specific challenges, strategic methodologies, and research directions essential for realizing the transformative potential of these technologies. The narrative underscores the interdisciplinary nature of future wireless systems, intertwining technological innovation with environmental sustainability and user-centric design principles to shape the future landscape of connectivity. Table 1 shows where each technology is mapped to the six audacious goals. Additionally, one additional row, new revenue, is included and items that can generate new revenue streams are indicated.

Section 2, AI-Native Air Interface, delves into the concept of AI-Native Air Interface, representing a key leap in wireless communication by integrating AI as a fundamental and central element of the air interface rather than an afterthought. It begins by introducing and defining the driving forces behind this concept. Then it outlines strategic methodologies and key use cases for incorporating the AI-native air interface. The exploration continues by examining the transformative impact and potential of generative AI and mapping out the path toward semantic communication. Additionally, it discusses measures to ensure the continuity of the AI-native air interface, including lifecycle management and testing for interoperability. The section concludes by addressing key challenges and research priorities, such as enhancing the generalizability and specialization of AI models, synergizing domain expertise with data-driven strategies, and fostering environmentally sustainable and ethically responsible AI frameworks.

Section 3, Device Power Saving, addresses the importance of power-saving techniques in wireless devices and highlights industry standards and techniques for efficient power consumption. It covers both idle and active mode procedures, focusing on optimizing connection parameters for different traffic types. It addresses challenges like adopting dual radio architectures and integrating low-power wake-up signals to optimize for power in 6G. Access and mobility optimizations aim to reduce power consumption across various Radio Resource Control (RRC) states, while techniques across time, frequency, and spatial domains offer significant energy savings. Furthermore, network architecture enhancements, like SL communication and mesh network, help decrease power consumption, and user-centric feature reporting and agile UE capabilities ensure enhanced power efficiency in upcoming standards.

Section 4, Radio Technologies for/by AI and Distributed Cloud, examines the integration of distributed computing into the 6G wireless system, highlighting the critical role of air interface design. It highlights how mobile and network resources merge to form a wide-area distributed cloud, supporting applications like immersive XR and AI/Machine Learning (ML). Various deployment scenarios illustrate the offloading of computing workloads between devices and networks, addressing challenges like energy efficiency and scalability. Privacy, security, and sustainability are discussed, along with research directions for optimizing the air interface and resource control mechanisms. It emphasizes the potential of distributed computing to enhance user experience and support compute-intensive tasks in 6G.

Section 5, Green Networks, outlines the sustainability goals for 6G systems, emphasizing objectives like water and material reuse, sustainable network planning, and decarbonization. It delves into the environmental impact of Radio Access Technologies (RATs) across their lifecycle, focusing on sustainable operations and decarbonization efforts. Key challenges and research directions for 6G systems are discussed, including advancements in component technologies to reduce energy consumption and innovations in various domains to enhance Network Energy Savings (NES). The narrative underscores the integration of environmental sustainability into the design and operation of 6G systems, highlighting the role of emerging technologies and the shifting approach to achieve environmentally friendly networks.

Section 6, Radio Technologies for/by Mesh Network and Sidelink (SL), focuses on the rapid proliferation of mobile and IoT devices, driving the need for efficient wireless connectivity across various domains such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and public safety. To address these demands, SL and mesh technologies have emerged as promising solutions, facilitating direct or multi-hop connections and reducing reliance on distant Base Stations (BSs) while minimizing energy consumption. However, current technologies encounter limitations in meeting the evolving demands of 6G, underscoring the need for substantial advancements in SL and mesh networking. Key challenges include enhancing power efficiency, improving discovery mechanisms, developing efficient mobility support and routing protocols, and ensuring robust security measures. Overcoming these challenges is essential for shaping the future landscape of wireless communication, enabling more efficient and adaptable connectivity solutions.

Section 7, Near Zero Energy (NZE) Communication, highlights NZE communications, which power IoT devices using ambient energy sources, with the goal of eliminating the need for manual battery replacement. NZE devices offer versatility and scalability, which are crucial for applications like warehouse management and asset tracking. Challenges include energy harvesting efficiency and protocol adaptation. Overcoming these is vital for realizing the potential of NZE in reshaping IoT. It promises to revolutionize industries and contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing energy consumption.

Section 8, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), explores the various satellite systems encompassing NTN, including GEO, MEO, LEO, HAPS, and LAPS. It discusses the benefits of NTN, such as global connectivity, resilience, and support for IoT applications, along with 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) efforts to standardize NTN services. Despite challenges such as synchronization and interference, initiatives like 3GPP’s work on satellite-enabled 5G New Radio (NR) and IoT services represent notable progress. As players like SpaceX and Amazon invest in vast satellite constellations, NTN’s integration with terrestrial networks heralds a transformative era in cellular communication, shaping the future of connectivity beyond 6G.

Section 9, Radio for Extreme Networking, introduces the concept of extreme networking, focusing on URLLC and scenarios demanding stringent service requirements. It explores applications in industrial, in-vehicle, in-body, and on-body networks, emphasizing trade-offs and benefits for different use cases. In factories, wireless communication replaces wired systems to enable mobility and reconfigurability and support applications such as motion control and cooperative robots. In-vehicle networks, driven by Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), demand high throughput and reliability. In-body communication networks, utilizing implanted or ingestible sensors, face challenges like signal propagation within human tissue and power consumption constraints. As 6G evolves, novel radio architectures will emerge to address these diverse needs, requiring advancements in Physical Layer/Media Access Control (PHY/MAC) aspects and interference management. Research directions include seamless technology integration and efficient interference management for better connectivity.

Section 10, Seamless Mobility, addresses challenges in maintaining reliable connections during device mobility scenarios and discusses mobility procedures in 5G NR. It highlights the importance of optimized interworking between cellular networks and other technologies and outlines current challenges in mobility scenarios. 6G aims to enhance mobility through advanced procedures like Conditional Handover (CHO) and dual active protocol stack (DAPS), minimizing Handover (HO) interruptions. Challenges persist, including inefficient carrier control and coverage limitations in higher frequency bands. However, AI/ML techniques offer promising solutions, such as beam prediction and UE relays in Lower-Layer Triggered Mobility (LTM). Future advancements will focus on optimized mobility signals, lightweight signaling, increased robustness, and control plane sharing among devices. By addressing these challenges, 6G networks can achieve seamless connectivity and consistent user experiences.

Section 11, UE Cooperative Communications, discusses the potential benefits of UE cooperative communications among nearby devices, leveraging and sharing hardware and software resources for link robustness and energy efficient communications. UE cooperative communications redefine mobile networks by leveraging nearby device resources to enhance performance through virtual UEs. This paradigm shift challenges the traditional isolated communication between gNode B (gNB) and UE, offering potential improvements in power efficiency, data sharing, coverage, capacity, and distributed computing. However, challenges such as spectrum management, energy consumption, synchronization, and security require thorough investigations. Despite the hurdles, UE cooperative communications promise enhancing user experience and network performance, urging further research to unlock their full potential.

This paper can be downloaded from here.

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