Opportunities and Challenges in the Industrial Internet of Things based on 5G Positioning

Abstract

This paper discusses several features of 5G positioning in the context of applications for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) which demand high accuracy of position information. The main opportunities to come with 5G networks, such as huge available spectrum, small cell networks, Multiple Input Multiple Output antennas and beamforming are summarized, and the challenges in the context of robot 5G positioning are pointed out. A case study for the localization of an indoor robot in a multi-wall multi-floor scenario is presented, based on various carrier frequencies and access node densities. We find out that sub-meter positioning accuracy required for most of the future industrial applications is theoretically achievable via a combination of small cell networks, mm Wave carriers and antenna arrays, but practical issues such as node synchronization, connectivity and ultra dense network deployment costs have to be tackled.