5G new radio and ultra low latency applications: A PHY implementation perspective

In addition to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and massive machine type communications (mMTC), 5G technology targets the support of novel applications in the field of critical communications. The later will involve operation with drones and robotics, industrial control and mission critical data. In this paper, we discuss a possible implementation concept of a novel frame structure which supports different levels of ultra low delays. We give insights into a real-time implementation of the proposed concept on a software defined radio (SDR) platform, and outline the challenges of such an implementation. Finally, latency measurements show the feasibility of this concept on real hardware, and demonstrate the achieved gains of the suggested 5G low latency concepts and frame structures.