Extracting and Exploiting Inherent Sparsity for Efficient IoT Support in 5G: Challenges and Potential Solutions

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges of supporting massive IoT connectivity in 5G networks, emphasizing how exploiting inherent sparsity can improve spectrum efficiency and connectivity management.

Contribution

It highlights how leveraging sparsity in physical layer design can address spectrum and connectivity challenges in 5G IoT support, proposing potential solutions.

Findings

Sparsity can be exploited for spectrum management.

Device-to-device communication enhances connectivity.

Edge-cloud integration aids in handling massive IoT connectivity.

Abstract

Besides enabling an enhanced mobile broadband, next generation of mobile networks (5G) are envisioned for the support of massive connectivity of heterogeneous Internet of Things (IoT)s. These IoTs are envisioned for a large number of use-cases including smart cities, environment monitoring, smart vehicles, etc. Unfortunately, most IoTs have very limited computing and storage capabilities and need cloud services. Hence, connecting these devices through 5G systems requires huge spectrum resources in addition to handling the massive connectivity and improved security. This article discusses the challenges facing the support of IoTs through 5G systems. The focus is devoted to discussing physical layer limitations in terms of spectrum resources and radio access channel connectivity. We show how sparsity can be exploited for addressing these challenges especially in terms of enabling wideband spectrum management and handling the connectivity by exploiting device-to-device communications and edge-cloud. Moreover, we identify major open problems and research directions that need to be explored towards enabling the support of massive heterogeneous IoTs through 5G systems.