Qualcomm & Bosch partner on 5G NR research for IIoT

With support for private 5G NR networks available in the first 5G NR standard release – 3GPP release 15 – and with the 3GPP roadmap including new functionality like enhanced Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (eURLLC) in the upcoming release 16, Qualcomm Technologies and Bosch believe that the wide range of connectivity services 5G NR provides will be an essential element in the smart, connected factories of Industry 4.0. The two companies have already completed a joint study of radio channels for industrial environments to characterise the unique radio characteristics of industrial locations, with Qualcomm Technologies contributing its expertise in 5G NR and Bosch providing its decades of experience in industrial automation & technology. The industrial radio channel characterisation is the first step in this collaboration and the companies also plan to conduct an over-the-air trial with 5G NR industrial IoT applications in one of Bosch’s manufacturing plants. The trial will focus on the applicability of Release 15 5G-NR to existing industrial use cases and the evaluation of the new class of URLLC services, an addition to 5G NR’s wide range of services to control mission critical machinery over a wireless industrial Ethernet. The trial will also explore the tight integration of 5G NR with industrial networks and machines. Qualcomm Technologies and Bosch are also collaborating as members of the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) to foster developing 5G technologies that address industrial requirements. “We are just at the very beginning of realizing what is possible with 5G in industrial applications, with 3GPP release 15 commercializing this year,” says Dr. Yongbin Wei, senior director of engineering, Qualcomm Technologies, in a press release “The next release— 3GPP release 16— will offer new classes of services with ultra-reliable low latency control and optimization of 5G NR for industrial IoT, and we are delighted to work with Bosch in this area.” “We are excited to bridge the world of industrial manufacturing and the wireless industry with this collaboration,” adds Dr. Andreas Mueller, head of communication and network technology, Bosch Corporate Research, “Industry 4.0 and 5G are a perfect combination to drive the OT/IT convergence for Industrial IoT and will essentially act as the central nervous system to the factory of the future.”