Endri Goshi;Ece Nur Şen;Hasanin Harkous;Shohreh Ahvar;Rastin Pries;Fidan Mehmeti;Wolfgang Kellerer
{"title":"Profitable Energy-Efficient UPF and Application Placement and Routing in Dynamic 5G Edge","authors":"Endri Goshi;Ece Nur Şen;Hasanin Harkous;Shohreh Ahvar;Rastin Pries;Fidan Mehmeti;Wolfgang Kellerer","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2025.3650572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2025.3650572","url":null,"abstract":"The development of 5G networks has enabled diverse applications with stringent communication and computation requirements. Ensuring timely operation for these applications requires proximity to compute and network resources, such as edge servers and User Plane Functions. With control over network resources and partial ownership of compute resources, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) can assume a larger role in service orchestration within a multi-owner edge infrastructure. However, the increasing demand for edge applications often exceeds MNO capacity. To address this, some user requests can be offloaded to third-party cloud operators, expanding capacity but incurring costs and reducing profitability. Beyond profit, energy consumption is a key concern, particularly as we transition toward 6G. Addressing high energy consumption adds complexity to resource orchestration, as it directly conflicts with the goal of maximizing profit. Moreover, in dynamic edge environments, frequent service migrations increase orchestration overhead and can negatively impact user experience. Navigating these trade-offs requires an effective optimization approach. To this end, we formulate a multi-objective optimization problem for demand placement and routing, aiming to maximize MNO profit while minimizing energy consumption and migration overhead. Given its NP-hard nature, we propose a ranked greedy heuristic to effectively balance these objectives. Simulation results show that our approach outperforms benchmark algorithms in both static and dynamic scenarios, achieving near-optimal performance and deviating less than 7% from the optimal solution.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"5698-5720"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11328872","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Joint Design of Intelligent Reflecting Surface Partitioning and Scheduling for Multiuser Communications","authors":"Hiroaki Hashida;Taishi Endo;Yishi Zhu;Yuichi Kawamoto;Nei Kato;Takumi Yoneda;Tomoki Murakami","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3680519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3680519","url":null,"abstract":"Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) have emerged as a promising solution to enhance wireless communication, particularly in high-frequency bands where signal attenuation and blockage are commonly encountered. However, owing to the passive and analog nature of IRS, generating beams that support multiple users (UEs) simultaneously is difficult, and conventional methods face limitations in scenarios requiring ultra-massive connectivity, such as 6G networks. To address this, we propose a multiaccess scheme based on IRS partitioning. The IRS is divided into multiple regions, each of which directs a beam to a specific UE. Our method jointly optimizes communication scheduling, partition positions, and phase offsets to improve performance. Numerical evaluations demonstrate that our approach significantly outperforms traditional time-division multiple access (TDMA)-based IRS in terms of transmission. Furthermore, we examined the impact of each control parameter on performance, confirming that our method mitigates destructive signal superposition at partition boundaries and enhances communication efficiency. These findings suggest that the proposed IRS partitioning scheme is a viable approach to achieving ultra-high-speed, high-capacity, and ultra-massive connectivity in next-generation wireless networks.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"8397-8409"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Di Wu;Zhi Zhang;Na Zhang;Yue Meng;Xiaoqi Qin;Yiming Liu;Ping Zhang
{"title":"IoT-Oriented Uplink Multi-User Digital Semantic Communication System Based on Model Division Multiple Access","authors":"Di Wu;Zhi Zhang;Na Zhang;Yue Meng;Xiaoqi Qin;Yiming Liu;Ping Zhang","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3685138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3685138","url":null,"abstract":"To support the transmission of massive data generated by large-scale distributed intelligent devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, in this paper, an uplink multi-user digital semantic communication system based on model division multiple access (MDMA) is established. At first, in order to be compatible with existing digital communication equipment, a bit codec model is designed to map the semantic information into bit sequences, which can solve the problem of information loss caused by traditional quantization and codec methods. Next, to meet the connection requirements of massive IoT devices, as well as reduce interference between devices, a joint deep adversarial semantic decomposition (JDASD) algorithm is proposed to derive multiple mutually exclusive semantic models, forming the model resource pool as a new kind of access resource. Finally, we design an uplink MDMA proof-of-concept prototype system applying the universal software radio peripheral (USRP) and implement the proposed JDASD algorithm combining the bit codec model. Numerous simulations and prototype experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed scheme, which achieves better performance in the MDMA system compared to the latest existing schemes.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"8929-8954"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147828853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Quoc Bao Phan;Abdulrahman Takiddin;Gelli Ravikumar;Olugbenga Moses Anubi;Tuy Tan Nguyen
{"title":"GridFusionX: Network-Aware Probabilistic Forecasting for Multi-Regional Power Systems","authors":"Quoc Bao Phan;Abdulrahman Takiddin;Gelli Ravikumar;Olugbenga Moses Anubi;Tuy Tan Nguyen","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3678493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3678493","url":null,"abstract":"Smart grid networks exhibit complex spatial–temporal dependencies where regional nodes are interconnected through electrical transmission, economic coupling, and shared meteorological patterns. Traditional forecasting methods model regions independently, neglecting network topology and spatial correlations that govern system-level behavior. Graph neural networks capture spatial structure but provide only deterministic forecasts, while probabilistic transformers quantify uncertainty yet ignore network topology, preventing risk-aware coordination across interconnected systems. This paper presents GridFusionX, a multimodal transformer model that resolves this tension through theoretically grounded uncertainty quantification in graph-structured systems. We introduce dual-head transformer encoders with asymptotic calibration guarantees, precision-weighted fusion that adapts to spatially varying data reliability, and tight bounds for uncertainty propagation across networked sequences. Unlike prior approaches that sacrifice either spatial awareness or probabilistic rigor, GridFusionX achieves both through convergence-rate guarantees for network-aware uncertainty estimation, optimal precision weighting under modality independence conditions, and calibrated confidence intervals for operational decision-making. Experiments on ten interconnected European regions demonstrate 4.8–55.9% accuracy improvements and 39.5–66.1% reductions in reserve sizing compared to deterministic graph and topology-agnostic probabilistic baselines, achieving 98.4<inline-formula><tex-math>$pm$</tex-math></inline-formula>0.2% reliability with 90.0<inline-formula><tex-math>$pm$</tex-math></inline-formula>1.6% prediction interval coverage. GridFusionX establishes a theoretically grounded framework for probabilistic forecasting in networked infrastructure.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"8104-8121"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147665311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Muhammad Umar Farooq Qaisar;Weijie Yuan;Onur Günlü;Taneli Riihonen;Yuanhao Cui;Lin Zhang;Nuria Gonzalez-Prelcic;Marco Di Renzo;Zhu Han
{"title":"The Role of ISAC in 6G Networks: Enabling Next-Generation Wireless Systems","authors":"Muhammad Umar Farooq Qaisar;Weijie Yuan;Onur Günlü;Taneli Riihonen;Yuanhao Cui;Lin Zhang;Nuria Gonzalez-Prelcic;Marco Di Renzo;Zhu Han","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3666665","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3666665","url":null,"abstract":"The commencement of the sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks represents a fundamental shift in the integration of communication and sensing technologies to support next-generation applications. Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is a key concept in this evolution, enabling end-to-end support for both communication and sensing within a unified framework. It enhances spectrum efficiency, reduces latency, and supports diverse use cases, including smart cities, autonomous systems, and perceptive environments. This tutorial provides a comprehensive overview of ISAC's role in 6G networks, beginning with its evolution since 5G and the technical drivers behind its adoption. Core principles and system variations of ISAC are introduced, followed by an in-depth discussion of the enabling technologies that facilitate its practical deployment. The paper further analyzes current research directions to highlight key challenges, open issues, and emerging trends. Design insights and recommendations are also presented to support future development and implementation. This work ultimately tries to address three central questions: Why is ISAC essential for 6G? What innovations does it bring? How will it shape the future of wireless communication?","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"7825-7861"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147606157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"RAG-Based LLM in Intellicise Networks: A Comprehensive Review and a Semantic Information Transmission Framework","authors":"Jiarong Lu;Xi Li;Shanghe Shi;Heli Zhang","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3694151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3694151","url":null,"abstract":"Semantic information transmission assisted by large language model (LLM) is regarded as an efficient paradigm in intellicise networks. This paper provides a comprehensive review of semantic communication based on LLM with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) in intellicise networks. On this basis, we propose an innovative semantic information transmission framework that incorporates RAG-based LLM to address vertical domain knowledge and resource allocation. In this framework, RAG is utilized to improve the accuracy of semantic information in vertical domains. Given the dependencies among multiple LLM agents in RAG, it is necessary to design a resource allocation scheme to balance semantic richness and latency. Therefore, regarding heterogeneous computing and transmission resources, a multi-objective problem aimed at maximizing semantic richness and minimizing latency is formulated. Then, the problem of jointly optimizing user-server matching, graphics processing unit allocation, semantic information length, and power allocation is formulated. The problem is nonlinear mixed-integer programming. Gibbs sampling and Lagrangian duality are applied to transform it. Finally, an algorithm for resource allocation is designed. Simulations demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has superiority in improving semantic richness and reducing latency.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"9629-9647"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148236164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of QoS in Networks of Quantum Repeaters","authors":"Jelena Mišić;Vojislav B. Mišić","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3691295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3691295","url":null,"abstract":"In this work we consider a quantum network consisting of multiple interconnected quantum repeaters. In this network, data plane of communication is achieved by photon transmission over fibre cables, while the control plane which transmits results of measurements and control information is implemented over classical Internet. Important part of the control plane is the server which distributes connection requests and entanglement resources to nodes involved in the path. Together, data and control plane establish reliable multi hop links over the network deploying purification and swapping operations. We analyze the performance of such a network using probabilistic model of communication time between repeaters, rather than slotted time. We consider random arrivals of connection requests to each repeater and variable path lengths. We model a single repeater using theory of <inline-formula><tex-math>$M^{[x]}/G/m+r$</tex-math></inline-formula> queues where each batch request encompasses heralding, purification, and swapping times pertaining to a single repeater node. To model the network, we have used the concept of Jackson's network over repeater nodes in the path. This model allows derivation of end-to-end entanglement delivery time as random distribution and calculation of probability of decoherence of qubits stored in quantum memories over the path. We considered different numbers of entanglements per request and different types of quantum memories. Results of this analysis are useful for dimensioning capacities of quantum repeaters, memories and links in order to avoid decoherence of quantum memories.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"9155-9169"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148003385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Efficient Decentralized Federated Generative Adversarial Network Learning Over Multi-Source Heterogeneous Data","authors":"Alia Asheralieva;Xuetao Wei","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2026.3693874","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2026.3693874","url":null,"abstract":"We propose DHetGAN, a decentralized federated generative adversarial network (GAN) learning framework for multi-source heterogeneous data. Unlike standard decentralized federated learning for non-GAN models, DHetGAN requires each node to solve a local minimax GAN game via adversarial training of its discriminator and generator, which are then averaged in a decentralized manner to reach consensus. To address data heterogeneity across nodes, we develop a GAN-intrinsic aggregation strategy that assigns averaging weights using a privacy-preserving divergence proxy quantifying inter-node distributional divergence. The proxy is estimated locally by each node – without revealing sensitive data – from coupled discriminator-generator values calibrated by the neighborhood-level maximal discriminator confidence, specific to the minimax GAN game. To reduce communication overhead, we present a compression method tailored to DHet-GAN. We theoretically analyze convergence guarantees of our framework, demonstrating strong inter-node coupling, contracting gradient magnitudes, and uniformly bounded consensus dynamics for both discriminators and generators. We also establish a sufficient condition for full mode coverage in DHetGAN and identify practical training settings under which this condition holds. Extensive experiments and comparisons with benchmarks show that DHetGAN achieves superior generative performance, strong stability, diversity of mode coverage, and fast convergence, while substantially reducing communication overhead, even under extreme non-i.i.d. data heterogeneity.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"9358-9378"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148504703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yiping Zuo;Weicong Chen;Jiajia Guo;Weibei Fan;Biyun Sheng;Shi Jin
{"title":"Fluid Antenna-Enabled Integrated Sensing, Communication, and Computing Systems With Mobile Blockchain","authors":"Yiping Zuo;Weicong Chen;Jiajia Guo;Weibei Fan;Biyun Sheng;Shi Jin","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2025.3627929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2025.3627929","url":null,"abstract":"The current integrated sensing, communication, and computing (ISCC) systems face significant challenges in both efficiency and security. To address these issues, we propose a novel fluid antenna (FA)-enabled ISCC system enhanced with mobile blockchain technology. The architecture of this FA-enabled ISCC system integrates mobile blockchain, ensuring secure, reliable, and efficient data management. Detailed models for the mobile blockchain, communication, and sensing processes are developed to support this architecture. An integrated latency optimization problem is formulated by jointly optimizing computing resources, receive combining matrices, and positions of FAs. To tackle this complex problem, we decompose it into three sub-problems and analyze each separately. Subsequently, a mixed optimization algorithm is designed to address the overall problem comprehensively. Numerical results demonstrate the rapid convergence of the proposed mixed optimization algorithm and its effectiveness in minimizing system latency. Compared with baseline schemes, the FA-enabled ISCC system significantly improves resource utilization and reduces latency for communication, sensing, and computation. Furthermore, the blockchain-based data management method is more effective than the traditional central server-based method in evaluating and mitigating attacks.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"3720-3738"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148506373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zheyi Chen;Dajun Du;Minrui Fei;Zongping Zhou;Jinhai Deng;Huosheng Hu
{"title":"A Novel HSTF-PN Based Interconnection Model for Integration of 5G and Time-Sensitive Networking","authors":"Zheyi Chen;Dajun Du;Minrui Fei;Zongping Zhou;Jinhai Deng;Huosheng Hu","doi":"10.1109/TNSE.2025.3586349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSE.2025.3586349","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents an integrated solution for 5G and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), incorporating a protocol conversion mechanism, a Hybrid Stochastic Timed Fuzzy Petri Net (HSTF-PN) model, and a customized TSN node time synchronization scheme. First, a reverse protocol mapping-based conversion mechanism is introduced to address interconnection challenges between 5G and TSN protocols. Second, the HSTF-PN model, which integrates stochastic delays and fuzzy logic, is proposed to dynamically optimize network resource allocation. Third, a customized TSN node time synchronization scheme, implemented with FPGA hardware acceleration, enables high-speed data processing for precise clock alignment. Finally, the proposed 5G–TSN integration solution is validated on an FPGA platform, demonstrating its effectiveness in ensuring clock consistency, minimizing delays, and enhancing data flow efficiency.","PeriodicalId":54229,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"668-683"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148507015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}