FR2 5G Networks for Industrial Scenarios: Experimental Characterization and Beam Management Procedures in Operational Conditions

TL;DR

This paper experimentally evaluates a 5G FR2 network at 26 GHz in an industrial setting, analyzing physical layer performance, beam management procedures, and comparing network configurations to ensure reliable communication for mobile agents.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed experimental characterization of 5G FR2 networks in operational industrial environments, focusing on beam management and physical layer analysis.

Findings

Beam recovery procedures achieve less than 1.6 dB power loss.

Line-of-Sight conditions favor direct signal components despite scattering.

Two network configurations show different power reception profiles.

Abstract

Industrial environments constitute a challenge in terms of radio propagation due to the presence of machinery and the mobility of the different agents, especially at mmWave bands. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of a FR2 5G network deployed in an operational factory scenario at 26 GHz. The experimental characterization, performed with autonomous mobile robots that self-navigate the industrial lab, leads to the analysis of the received power along the factory and the evaluation of reference path gain models. The proposed assessment deeply analyzes the physical layer of the communication network under operational conditions. Thus, two different network configurations are assessed by measuring the power received in the entire factory, providing a comparison between deployments. Additionally, beam management procedures, such as beam recovery, beam sweeping or beam switching, are analyzed since they are crucial in environments where mobile agents are involved. They aim for a zero interruption approach based on reliable communications. The results analysis shows that beam recovery procedures can perform a beam switching to an alternative serving beam with power losses of less than 1.6 dB on average. Beam sweeping analysis demonstrates the prevalence of the direct component in Line-of-Sight conditions despite the strong scattering component and large-scale fading in the environment.