This paper explores the usage of low-voltage Power-Line Communication (PLC) links for Enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI)-based front-hauling in 5G Internet of Things (IoT) indoor mobile coverage environments, using a split Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architecture. This research aims to analyze how parameters such as wireless IoT device count, bandwidth, and transmission technology affect the delay performance of the proposed system. To achieve this goal, we develop detailed mathematical models that draw insights from queuing theory, stochastic geometry, and Markov models. Extensive system-level simulations verify these models’ accuracy, and the analytical results cover radio and access delay performance. We validate the system’s efficiency in supporting IoT indoor cellular applications and assess the feasibility of the proposed PLC-based front-hauling system, considering the strict delay requirements of the eCPRI standard.

Downlink Multi-User MIMO Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) transmission scheme is proposed. It is based on an OFDM system and deployment of a large number of antennas at LTE Evolved NodeB transmitter (eNB). The developed scheme efficiently utilizes the transmitted power distribution by the adaptive elimination of the coverage zones where no users are to be served. Hence, more directed CSI-RS beamforming and higher received Signal To Noise and Interference Ratios (SINRs) are achieved for both uniform and clustered user distributions. In addition, Zero Forcing (ZF) beamforming is employed on top of the developed scheme for MU-MIMO data transmissions. Proposed scheme shows significant performance improvement than the conventional standard LTE-A dual codebook while drastically reducing the needed Downlink feedback overhead regardless of the number of physical antennas at eNB.

In this study, OPNET simulations are run to study the performance of a single Gigabit Ethernet two-wagon train control network. The network carries both control and entertainment loads. Each wagon has two servers; a Controller to carry the control load and an Entertainment Server to carry the entertainment load. A passive supervisor is interconnected to both wagons. A fault tolerance analysis is presented; it is based on a specific reallocation of the control load. It is proven that the network can survive the failure of both Controllers and both Entertainment Servers. OPNET simulations indicated that the maximum real-time sensor-to-actuator packet end-to-end delay met its constraints and that there were zero packets dropped.

Wireless Networked Control Systems is becoming an important topic in the context of factory automation. In this paper, a workcell is studied where the 802.11 standard is used as the communication protocol. The focus is on the effect of different types of motion on the packet end-to-end delay. OPNET simulations indicate that motion does not violate the delay requirements for the proposed model. Since noise in the ISM band can affect wireless communication in the cell, the maximum permissible WiFi noise is found.