Multipath Communication With Deep Q-Network for Industry 4.0 Automation and Orchestration

In this article, we design a novel multipath communication framework for Industry 4.0 using deep Q-network [1] to achieve human-level intelligence in networking automation and orchestration. To elaborate, we first investigate the challenges and approaches in exploiting heterogeneous networks and multipath communication [e.g., using multipath transmission control protocol (MPTCP)] for the information technology cum operation technology (IT/OT) convergence in Industry 4.0. Based on the novel idea of intelligent and flexible manufacturing, we analyze the technical challenges of IT/OT convergence and then model network data traffics using MPTCP over the converged frameworks. It quantifies the adverse impact of network convergence on the performance for flexible manufacturing. We provide a few proof-of-concepts solutions; however, after a clear understanding of the tradeoffs, we discover the need for experience-driven MPTCP. The simulation result demonstrates that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms the baseline schemes.