Enhancing Vertical Application and Network Co-Design: A Solution for Multipath Channel Switching in ROS2 With 3GPP Integration

In this paper, we address the challenging issue of co-designing the Vertical Application Layer (VAL) with Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and non-3GPP networks. This complex problem involves the cooperation of at least the above three distinct domains. To illustrate the problem, we present a design for multipath channel switching in Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2), a feature not natively supported. We propose a solution within ROS 2 and then extend this solution to enable 3GPP cooperation via Common API Framework (CAPIF), finally integrating with Vertical Application Enablers (VAEs). These steps significantly enhance the co-design process, as demonstrated by our novel quantitative evaluation method. We also evaluate the contribution of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from the VAL layer, analyzing how network performance impacts safety zones in robotics.