Centralized Controller-Based Delay Balancing in 5G-TSN Hybrid Networks

Abstract

The integration of wireless and wired communication technologies has become increasingly important for real-time industrial applications, mainly due to the advantages of wireless communication such as mobility, lower deployment cost, and easier network installation. In this context, hybrid networks are expected to jointly satisfy low latency, bounded delay variation, and high reliability requirements. IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a wired communication technology that provides Ethernet networks with deterministic and real-time communication capabilities. IEEE 802.1CB Frame Replication and Elimination for Reliability (FRER) is an important TSN protocol that enables the same data frame to be transmitted over multiple paths and eliminates duplicate copies at the receiving side. On the other hand, 5G technology has significant potential for wireless industrial communication due to its Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) capabilities. In this study, we investigate the impact of the delay difference between wired and wireless paths on end-to-end delay behavior in traffic flows redundantly transmitted with FRER in a hybrid network consisting of 5G and TSN links. To mitigate this effect, we propose a centralized controller-based balancing approach that relies on per-path delay measurements and applies controlled delay to the lower-delay path. Simulation results show that the proposed approach can reduce sudden delay variations caused by path changes in hybrid networks and provide a more balanced end-to-end delay behavior.