An O-RAN Framework for AI/ML-Based Localization with OpenAirInterface and FlexRIC

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Bouknana, Nada, Ahadi, Mohsen, Kaltenberger, Florian, Schmidt, Robert
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866911398708117504
author Bouknana, Nada
Ahadi, Mohsen
Kaltenberger, Florian
Schmidt, Robert
author_facet Bouknana, Nada
Ahadi, Mohsen
Kaltenberger, Florian
Schmidt, Robert
contents Localization is increasingly becoming an integral component of wireless cellular networks. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) based localization algorithms presents potential for enhancing localization accuracy. Nevertheless, current standardization efforts in the third generation partnership project (3GPP) and the O-RAN Alliance do not support AI/ML-based localization. In order to close this standardization gap, this paper describes an O-RAN framework that enables the integration of AI/ML-based localization algorithms for real-time deployments and testing. Specifically, our framework includes an O-RAN E2 Service Model (E2SM) and the corresponding radio access network (RAN) function, which exposes the Uplink Sounding Reference Signal (UL-SRS) channel estimates from the E2 agent to the Near real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC). Moreover, our framework includes, as an example, a real-time localization external application (xApp), which leverages the custom E2SM-SRS in order to execute continuous inference on a trained Channel Charting (CC) model, which is an emerging self-supervised method for radio-based localization. Our framework is implemented with OpenAirInterface (OAI) and FlexRIC, democratizing access to AI-driven positioning research and fostering collaboration. Furthermore, we validate our approach with the CC xApp in real-world conditions using an O-RAN based localization testbed at EURECOM. The results demonstrate the feasibility of our framework in enabling real-time AI/ML localization and show the potential of O-RAN in empowering positioning use cases for next-generation AI-native networks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_19233
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle An O-RAN Framework for AI/ML-Based Localization with OpenAirInterface and FlexRIC
Bouknana, Nada
Ahadi, Mohsen
Kaltenberger, Florian
Schmidt, Robert
Networking and Internet Architecture
Localization is increasingly becoming an integral component of wireless cellular networks. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) based localization algorithms presents potential for enhancing localization accuracy. Nevertheless, current standardization efforts in the third generation partnership project (3GPP) and the O-RAN Alliance do not support AI/ML-based localization. In order to close this standardization gap, this paper describes an O-RAN framework that enables the integration of AI/ML-based localization algorithms for real-time deployments and testing. Specifically, our framework includes an O-RAN E2 Service Model (E2SM) and the corresponding radio access network (RAN) function, which exposes the Uplink Sounding Reference Signal (UL-SRS) channel estimates from the E2 agent to the Near real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC). Moreover, our framework includes, as an example, a real-time localization external application (xApp), which leverages the custom E2SM-SRS in order to execute continuous inference on a trained Channel Charting (CC) model, which is an emerging self-supervised method for radio-based localization. Our framework is implemented with OpenAirInterface (OAI) and FlexRIC, democratizing access to AI-driven positioning research and fostering collaboration. Furthermore, we validate our approach with the CC xApp in real-world conditions using an O-RAN based localization testbed at EURECOM. The results demonstrate the feasibility of our framework in enabling real-time AI/ML localization and show the potential of O-RAN in empowering positioning use cases for next-generation AI-native networks.
title An O-RAN Framework for AI/ML-Based Localization with OpenAirInterface and FlexRIC
topic Networking and Internet Architecture
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19233