Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution

Digital twins (DTs) will revolutionize network autonomy. Recent studies have promoted the idea of a DT-native 6G network, deeply integrating DTs into mobile network architectures to improve the timeliness of physical–digital synchronization and network optimizations. However, DTs have mainly acted j...

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Main Authors: Yuhong Huang, Mancong Kang, Yanhong Zhu, Na Li, Guangyi Liu, Qixing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3543
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author Yuhong Huang
Mancong Kang
Yanhong Zhu
Na Li
Guangyi Liu
Qixing Wang
author_facet Yuhong Huang
Mancong Kang
Yanhong Zhu
Na Li
Guangyi Liu
Qixing Wang
author_sort Yuhong Huang
collection DOAJ
description Digital twins (DTs) will revolutionize network autonomy. Recent studies have promoted the idea of a DT-native 6G network, deeply integrating DTs into mobile network architectures to improve the timeliness of physical–digital synchronization and network optimizations. However, DTs have mainly acted just as a tool for network autonomy, leading to a gap regarding the ultimate goal of network self-evolution. This paper analyzes future directions concerning DT-native networks. Specifically, the proposed architecture introduces a key concept called “future shots” that gives accurate network predictions under different time scales of self-evolution strategies for various network elements. To realize the future shots, we propose a long-term hierarchical convolutional graph attention model for cost-effective network predictions, a conditional hierarchical graph neural network for strategy generation, and methods for efficient small-to-large-scale interactions. The architecture is expected to facilitate high-level network autonomy for 6G networks.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-70ec4ae4ded145c09a0f5823a25342d12025-08-20T02:22:59ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-06-012511354310.3390/s25113543Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-EvolutionYuhong Huang0Mancong Kang1Yanhong Zhu2Na Li3Guangyi Liu4Qixing Wang5China Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaChina Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaChina Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaChina Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaChina Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaChina Mobile Research Institute, Beijing 100053, ChinaDigital twins (DTs) will revolutionize network autonomy. Recent studies have promoted the idea of a DT-native 6G network, deeply integrating DTs into mobile network architectures to improve the timeliness of physical–digital synchronization and network optimizations. However, DTs have mainly acted just as a tool for network autonomy, leading to a gap regarding the ultimate goal of network self-evolution. This paper analyzes future directions concerning DT-native networks. Specifically, the proposed architecture introduces a key concept called “future shots” that gives accurate network predictions under different time scales of self-evolution strategies for various network elements. To realize the future shots, we propose a long-term hierarchical convolutional graph attention model for cost-effective network predictions, a conditional hierarchical graph neural network for strategy generation, and methods for efficient small-to-large-scale interactions. The architecture is expected to facilitate high-level network autonomy for 6G networks.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/35436Gdigital twin networkpre-validation environmentgraph neural network
spellingShingle Yuhong Huang
Mancong Kang
Yanhong Zhu
Na Li
Guangyi Liu
Qixing Wang
Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
Sensors
6G
digital twin network
pre-validation environment
graph neural network
title Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
title_full Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
title_fullStr Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
title_full_unstemmed Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
title_short Digital Twin Network-Based 6G Self-Evolution
title_sort digital twin network based 6g self evolution
topic 6G
digital twin network
pre-validation environment
graph neural network
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3543
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AT mancongkang digitaltwinnetworkbased6gselfevolution
AT yanhongzhu digitaltwinnetworkbased6gselfevolution
AT nali digitaltwinnetworkbased6gselfevolution
AT guangyiliu digitaltwinnetworkbased6gselfevolution
AT qixingwang digitaltwinnetworkbased6gselfevolution