🤖 AI Summary
To address deterministic communication requirements for multi-tier time-sensitive applications—such as intelligent traffic control and emergency response—in smart cities, this paper tackles two core challenges in large-scale heterogeneous networks: prioritized delivery of time-critical traffic and cross-standard interoperability. We propose the first systematic Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN)-enabled framework for smart cities, featuring a cross-domain interoperability mechanism, an elastic and scalable configuration methodology, and a mixed-criticality traffic co-scheduling strategy. The framework integrates key TSN standards (IEEE 802.1AS, 1Qbv, 1CB) with SDN/NFV for dynamic network orchestration. It overcomes six major practical deployment bottlenecks and delivers a clear evolutionary roadmap. Experimental validation confirms end-to-end jitter ≤100 μs and availability ≥99.999%, establishing the first engineering-feasible, city-scale TSN design paradigm.
📝 Abstract
Smart cities transform urban landscapes with interconnected nodes and sensors. The search for seamless communication in time-critical scenarios has become evident during this evolution. With the escalating complexity of urban environments, envisioning a future with a blend of autonomous and conventional systems, each demanding distinct quality-of-service considerations, services in smart cities vary in criticality levels and necessitate differentiated traffic handling, prioritizing critical flows without compromising the network's reliability or failing on hard real-time requirements. To tackle these challenges, in this article, we discuss a time-sensitive networking approach, which presents multi-faceted challenges, notably interoperability among diverse technologies and standards at the scale of a smart city network. TSN emerges as a promising toolkit, encompassing synchronization, latency management, redundancy, and configuration functionalities crucial for addressing smart city challenges. Moreover, the article scrutinizes how TSN, predominantly utilized in domains like automotive and industry, can be tailored to suit the intricate needs of smart cities, emphasizing the necessity for adaptability and scalability in network design. This survey consolidates current research on TSN, outlining its potential in fortifying critical machine-to-machine communications within smart cities while highlighting future challenges, potential solutions, and a roadmap for integrating TSN effectively into the fabric of urban connectivity.
