Content for  TR 22.837  Word version:  19.4.0

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR)s and automated guided vehicle (AGV) are enabling solutions for a smart factory environment, in which a diversity of logistic tasks are done with an autonomous and efficient implementation, with minimal direct human engagement. In order to achieve a safe and efficient operation to serve a desired goal (e.g., transfer of construction materials with minimal risk, delay and energy consumption), a command center may take over the task of collecting the information of the involved facilities and performing a coordinated planning of the device operations. Nevertheless, a safe and efficient operation of the mobile devices may be only achieved on the condition of an accurate awareness of the environment (e.g., obstacles, humans) and the device positioning/tracking information (e.g., AGV/AMR position and velocity). In view of the above, the 5G system shall serve the implementation of a smart factory by means of a reliable data connectivity (e.g., the low-latency and reliable AGV/AMR to command center connection) and positioning of the involved AGV/AMR UE devices. Furthermore, the 5G system sensing services can be utilized to augment the environment awareness by means of detecting and locating the non-connected objects (e.g., obstacles such as trash box, or safety-sensitive objects such as human, etc.). In addition to the detection of the non-connected objects, the 5G system sensing enables a higher positioning and tracking accuracy of a target UE at the 5G system, by means of augmenting the positioning and sensing capabilities [27]. In case of an AMR/AGV, the positioning measurement of a device can be augmented at the 5G system with the 3GPP sensing data obtained from the reflections of the sensing signal from the AMR/AGV physical body, in the interest of a higher environment awareness and positioning accuracy, as well as the additional information obtained via sensing of the AMR/AGVs (e.g., orientation of an AMR). In particular, when both 5G system sensing and positioning services are activated, the same 5G system nodes (e.g., sensing Tx nodes) and 5G system signals (e.g., positioning or sensing signals) can be reused to efficiently generate and process the desired sensing and positioning measurements, see Figure 5.32.1-1 as an example of a joint sensing and positioning of a UE.

The obtained higher positioning accuracy of an AGV/AMR is particularly valuable for coordination of multiple AGVs and AMR with indeterministic movement paths, wherein the situations involving sudden break and/or velocity change may lead to a high delay, damage risk, and interruption energy loss.

Multiple AMR/AGVs are deployed in a factory hall belonging to the company X. The AMR/AGVs are coordinated by a command center to perform a collaborative construction task. The command center coordinates the AMR/AGVs' movements to improve safety and to avoid energy loss (due to an AMR/AGV break) and delay as much as possible. To facilitate this, the factory hall is equipped with the 5G system sensing services provided by the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) A. Moreover, the AMR/AGVs are equipped with the 5G system communication and positioning modules. The company X has provided the MNO with the physical type/characteristics of the deployed AMR/AGVs, as well as the installed camera data of the factory hall to assist detection and positioning of the AMR/AGVs via sensing.

Step 1: [AMR/AGV is deployed to deliver goods] Step 2: [AMR position is obtained via 5G system positioning] Step 3: [AMR/AGV position is obtained via a joint 5G system sensing and positioning] Step 4: [AMR reaches the construction site]

Thanks to the 5G system based sensing service enabling an enhanced AMR/AGV positioning and sensing of the environment, the involved AMR/AGVs are coordinated to arrive at their destination with minimal risk and interruption loss.

A UE equipped with 5G positioning module may obtain positioning information of the UE based on the 5G positioning services. Moreover, the 5G system sensing services shall support detection and positioning of an object. Nevertheless, interpretation of an object's position as a UE's position (e.g., among multiple detected objects), as well as a joint positioning and sensing of a UE device as a physical object by the 5G system (when both 5G system services are available to the UE) has not been enabled by the current requirements.

[PR 5.32.6-1] [PR 5.32.6-2]