Method for improving communication quality and reducing cost of intercom device

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a method for improving the communication quality and reducing the cost of an intercom device. The method comprises the following steps: S1: classifying a video bitrate to be set into three levels, i.e., a high level, a middle level and a low level, and setting appropriate video bitrates on the basis of different requirements for actual communication scenarios; and calling a peer end to establish a call, involving: an intercom device initiating a call request to a peer end device by means of an SIP, wherein there are one or more peer end devices, and a plurality of peer end devices are called simultaneously in a one-to-many call scenario. In the present invention, by means of classifying a video bitrate into three levels, i.e., a high level, a middle level and a low level, and performing dynamic bitrate adjustment on the basis of an application scenario, a video bitrate can be dynamically adjusted on the basis of specific requirements. Compared with a general bitrate adjustment method, the present invention is more flexible. Better picture quality can be provided for an intranet device; in addition, video fluency can be improved for a public network application, and data communication costs can be reduced, thereby maintaining a balance between quality and costs.

Description

A method to improve communication quality and cost of intercom equipment Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication quality improvement technology for intercom devices, and in particular to a method for improving the communication quality and cost of intercom devices. Background Technology

[0002] In VoIP-based video call scenarios, intercom devices come in various forms. The door station, as the caller, supports calls with both the local area network (LAN) indoor unit (the called party) and public network mobile apps. When the called party is a LAN (internal network) indoor unit, the network is relatively stable, and the requirements for picture quality are high. However, when the other party is a public network (external network) mobile app, the network instability imposes significant bandwidth limitations. In scenarios involving multiple calls, it is necessary to balance picture quality and bandwidth costs.

[0003] The current common solution is to control data bandwidth and picture quality by adjusting the video bitrate. The mainstream video bitrate adjustment modes include constant bitrate (CBR), variable bitrate (VBR), and average bitrate (ABR). In CBR mode, the video bitrate remains constant throughout the playback process. VBR can dynamically adjust the bitrate according to the complexity of the video content. ABR is similar to VBR, but it will try to keep the overall average bitrate close to the set value. However, because these bitrate adjustment methods are too general, they cannot be flexibly adjusted according to specific actual scenarios.

[0004] In multi-user scenarios, while using low-bitrate CBR communication can solve the problems of screen stuttering and high cost on the mobile app due to bandwidth limitations, it leads to a decrease in video quality on the indoor unit. Similarly, while using high-bitrate VBR can meet the quality requirements of the indoor unit, it is prone to stuttering on the mobile app. These problems have a significant impact on the user experience. In view of this, this application proposes a method to improve the communication quality and cost of intercom equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the technical problems existing in the background technology, the present invention proposes a method to improve the communication quality and cost of intercom equipment.

[0006] This invention proposes a method for improving the communication quality and cost of intercom equipment, comprising the following steps:

[0007] S1: Divide the video bitrate to be set into three levels: high, medium, and low. Set the appropriate video bitrate according to different needs in the actual communication scenario; Call the other end to establish a call: The intercom device initiates a call request to the other end device through the SIP protocol. There are one or more other end devices. In the scenario of one call to multiple other end devices, multiple other end devices will be called at the same time; that is, there are three situations: single internal network device, single external network device, and mixed internal and external network.

[0008] S2: Check if the other end device is a single external network device: Obtain the network type of the called intercom device. According to the design logic, the calling device has already saved the other end device type. If the other end is an external network device, the bit rate is set to a low level and will not be changed after the call is established. Otherwise, proceed to S3.

[0009] S3: Check if the peer device is a single intranet device: If it is determined that the peer device is an intranet device, set the bitrate to a high level and do not change it after the call is established; otherwise, proceed to S4.

[0010] S4: The peer device is a mixed internal and external network device: If the peer device contains both internal and external network devices, the bitrate of the video encoder needs to be set to the medium level and maintained until the other party connects.

[0011] S5: Entering the early media phase before the other end answers: When the other end has not yet answered, the call enters the early media phase. Just maintain the current bitrate and wait for the other end to answer.

[0012] S6: Check if the receiving device is an external network device: After the connection is established, there is only one device on the other end. According to the design logic, the receiving device is matched in the call device list to obtain the device type.

[0013] S7: Switch to low bitrate when the recipient is an external network device: When the recipient is an external network device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to low bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established.

[0014] S8: Switch to high bitrate when the receiving device is an intranet device: When the receiving device is an intranet device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to high bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established.

[0015] S9: After the other end connects, the call is officially established: If the receiving end is an internal network device, the bit rate is kept at a low level for the call until the call ends; if the receiving end is an external network device, the bit rate is kept at a high level for the call until the call ends.

[0016] Preferably, in S1, the three levels of high, medium, and low bitrate are high bitrate, medium bitrate, and low bitrate, respectively.

[0017] High bitrate: High picture quality, but high data traffic and increased costs;

[0018] Medium bitrate: Data traffic and cost are moderate, and image quality is average;

[0019] Low bitrate: Lower data traffic reduces costs, but results in poor image quality.

[0020] Preferably, the switching method for the three bitrate levels (high, medium, and low) is as follows: During the encoding process, in order to balance quality and bitrate, some image details will be sacrificed to maintain a fixed bitrate in complex scenes; During the encoding of a single video stream, the current video bitrate is obtained through the video encoder query interface. If it is inconsistent with the target bitrate, the bitrate configuration interface of the video encoder is called to actively change the video bitrate. After the call is successful, the device will immediately use the new bitrate for subsequent encoding to achieve the switching of different bitrates.

[0021] Preferably, in step S1, the actual communication scenario can be divided into the following four cases:

[0022] A: For scenarios where only indoor units on a local area network communicate, since there is no data traffic cost, we can maximize video quality and use a high bitrate to establish a call.

[0023] B: For public network mobile APP scenarios, which are sensitive to bandwidth and traffic costs, the bit rate should be reduced as much as possible while ensuring the minimum quality to reduce data traffic and control costs. This means that a low bit rate can be used to establish a call.

[0024] C: For scenarios where both local area network indoor units and public network mobile apps exist, a trade-off needs to be made between quality and cost, i.e., using medium bitrate to establish calls;

[0025] D: For scenarios where a single device can access both a local area network (LAN) and a public network simultaneously, choose the LAN, which has no data traffic cost, and try to improve video quality, i.e., establish a call using a high bitrate through the LAN.

[0026] Preferably, the dynamic bitrate adjustment for high, medium, and low bitrate rates in the actual communication scenario follows these specific steps according to each stage of the call process:

[0027] A: Before the call is established: Before the video call is established, the type of the called intercom device can be obtained in advance through interface design; if the call is only with an intranet device, the bitrate is set to a high level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process; if the call is only with a public network mobile APP, the bitrate is set to a low level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process; if the call recipient includes both an intranet intercom device and a public network mobile APP, the bitrate is set to a medium level to establish an early media call; if a single call recipient is connected to both the intranet and the public network, the intranet path is selected, the bitrate is set to a high level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process.

[0028] b: Early Media Stage (Ringtone): If only a call is established with an intranet intercom device, a high bitrate call is used in the early media stage; if only a call is established with a public network mobile app, a low bitrate call is used in the early media stage; if the call recipient includes both intranet and public intercom devices and a public network mobile app, the encoded data needs to be sent to both devices simultaneously in the early media stage, and a medium bitrate is used to establish the call; if a single call recipient is connected to both the intranet and the public network, the intranet path is selected, and a high bitrate call is used in the early media stage.

[0029] c: After the call is connected: For calls only with intranet intercom devices, maintain a high bitrate during the call phase; for calls only with public network mobile apps, maintain a low bitrate during the call phase; for calls involving both intranet and public network intercom devices and public network mobile apps, the bitrate adjustment strategy needs to be determined based on the type of connecting device. When the call is initiated by an intranet intercom device, the bitrate should be switched to a high bitrate mode to provide better picture quality; when the call is initiated by a public network mobile app, the bitrate should be switched to a low bitrate mode to reduce costs while ensuring smooth picture; for a single caller accessing both the intranet and public networks, select the intranet path and maintain a high bitrate during the call phase.

[0030] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0031] This invention divides the video bitrate into three levels—high, medium, and low—and dynamically adjusts the bitrate according to the application scenario. This allows for more flexible adjustment of the video bitrate based on specific needs compared to general bitrate adjustment methods. On the one hand, it can provide better picture quality for intranet devices; on the other hand, it can improve video smoothness for public network apps while reducing data communication costs. This method can simultaneously meet the picture quality requirements of intranet indoor units and the network bandwidth requirements of public network mobile apps, maintaining a balance between quality and cost. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a method for improving the communication quality and cost of intercom devices proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to specific embodiments. Example

[0034] Referring to Figure 1, this embodiment proposes a method for improving the communication quality and cost of intercom equipment, including the following steps:

[0035] S1: Divide the video bitrate to be set into three levels: high, medium, and low. Set the appropriate video bitrate according to different needs in the actual communication scenario; Call the other end to establish a call: The intercom device initiates a call request to the other end device through the SIP protocol. There are one or more other end devices. In the scenario of one call to multiple other end devices, multiple other end devices will be called at the same time; that is, there are three situations: single internal network device, single external network device, and mixed internal and external network.

[0036] S2: Check if the other end device is a single external network device: Obtain the network type of the called intercom device. According to the design logic, the calling device has already saved the other end device type. If the other end is an external network device, the bit rate is set to a low level and will not be changed after the call is established. Otherwise, proceed to S3.

[0037] S3: Check if the peer device is a single intranet device: If it is determined that the peer device is an intranet device, set the bitrate to a high level and do not change it after the call is established; otherwise, proceed to S4.

[0038] S4: The peer device is a mixed internal and external network device: If the peer device contains both internal and external network devices, the bitrate of the video encoder needs to be set to the medium level and maintained until the other party connects.

[0039] S5: Entering the early media phase before the other end answers: When the other end has not yet answered, the call enters the early media phase. Just maintain the current bitrate and wait for the other end to answer.

[0040] S6: Check if the receiving device is an external network device: After the connection is established, there is only one device on the other end. According to the design logic, the receiving device is matched in the call device list to obtain the device type.

[0041] S7: Switch to low bitrate when the recipient is an external network device: When the recipient is an external network device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to low bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established.

[0042] S8: Switch to high bitrate when the receiving device is an intranet device: When the receiving device is an intranet device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to high bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established.

[0043] S9: After the other end connects, the call is officially established: If the receiving end is an internal network device, the bit rate is kept at a low level for the call until the call ends; if the receiving end is an external network device, the bit rate is kept at a high level for the call until the call ends.

[0044] Specifically, in S1, the three levels are high bitrate, medium bitrate, and low bitrate, respectively; high bitrate: high picture quality, but large data traffic and increased cost; medium bitrate: moderate data traffic and cost, medium picture quality; low bitrate: small data traffic and reduced cost, but poor picture quality.

[0045] Furthermore, the switching method for the three bitrate levels (high, medium, and low) is as follows: During the encoding process, in order to balance quality and bitrate, some image details will be sacrificed to maintain a fixed bitrate in complex scenes; during the encoding of a single video stream, the current video bitrate is obtained through the video encoder query interface. If it is inconsistent with the target bitrate, the bitrate configuration interface of the video encoder is called to actively change the video bitrate. After the call is successful, the device will immediately use the new bitrate for subsequent encoding to achieve the switching of different bitrates.

[0046] Furthermore, actual communication scenarios can be divided into the following four situations:

[0047] A: For scenarios with only LAN indoor unit communication, since there are no data traffic costs, video quality can be maximized, i.e., a high bitrate can be used to establish the call; B: For public network mobile APP scenarios, which are sensitive to bandwidth and data traffic costs, the bitrate should be reduced as much as possible while ensuring minimum quality to reduce data traffic and control costs, i.e., a low bitrate can be used to establish the call; C: For scenarios with both LAN indoor units and public network mobile APPs, a trade-off between quality and cost is needed, i.e., a medium bitrate should be used to establish the call; D: For scenarios where a single device is connected to both the LAN and the public network, the LAN with no data traffic costs should be selected, and video quality should be maximized, i.e., a high bitrate should be used to establish the call through the LAN.

[0048] Furthermore, the specific steps for dynamic bitrate adjustment at high, medium, and low bitrate rates in actual communication scenarios, according to each stage of the call process, are as follows:

[0049] A: Before the call is established: Before the video call is established, the type of the called intercom device can be obtained in advance through interface design; if the call is only with an intranet device, the bitrate is set to a high level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process; if the call is only with a public network mobile APP, the bitrate is set to a low level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process; if the call recipient includes both an intranet intercom device and a public network mobile APP, the bitrate is set to a medium level to establish an early media call; if a single call recipient is connected to both the intranet and the public network, the intranet path is selected, the bitrate is set to a high level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process.

[0050] b: Early Media Stage (Ringtone): If only a call is established with an intranet intercom device, a high bitrate call is used in the early media stage; if only a call is established with a public network mobile app, a low bitrate call is used in the early media stage; if the call recipient includes both intranet and public intercom devices and a public network mobile app, the encoded data needs to be sent to both devices simultaneously in the early media stage, and a medium bitrate is used to establish the call; if a single call recipient is connected to both the intranet and the public network, the intranet path is selected, and a high bitrate call is used in the early media stage.

[0051] c: After the call is connected: For calls only with intranet intercom devices, maintain a high bitrate during the call phase; for calls only with public network mobile apps, maintain a low bitrate during the call phase; for calls involving both intranet and public network intercom devices and public network mobile apps, the bitrate adjustment strategy needs to be determined based on the type of connecting device. When the call is initiated by an intranet intercom device, the bitrate should be switched to a high bitrate mode to provide better picture quality; when the call is initiated by a public network mobile app, the bitrate should be switched to a low bitrate mode to reduce costs while ensuring smooth picture; for a single caller accessing both the intranet and public networks, select the intranet path and maintain a high bitrate during the call phase.

[0052] The network type distinction is as follows: public and private networks are identified based on IP addresses. If the IP address is within the private address range, it is considered a private network; otherwise, it is a public network. (In the above description, "public network" and "external network" are equivalent to "local area network" and "internal network").

[0053] Private IP addresses can be divided into three classes according to RFC1918: Class A 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255, Class B 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255, and Class C 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255.

[0054] In this embodiment, the solution can also be applied to the following scenarios:

[0055] 1. Weak Network: This solution can be used in weak network environments similar to those of apps, such as when Wi-Fi signal quality is affected, resulting in low network stability. 2. Load: This solution can be implemented based on device load. When the device load is too high, the bitrate can be reduced to decrease CPU and memory resource consumption. 3. Cost: This solution can also be used to reduce costs when network bandwidth is too expensive. 4. Bandwidth: Based on the specific network bandwidth situation, when the bandwidth is low, switch to a lower bitrate; when the bandwidth is sufficient, switch to a higher bitrate. 5. Preset Strategy: Adjust according to specific scenarios or times, such as switching to an appropriate bitrate based on peak and off-peak network usage periods.

[0056] This embodiment divides the video bitrate into three levels—high, medium, and low—and dynamically adjusts the bitrate according to the application scenario. This allows for more flexible adjustment of the video bitrate based on specific needs compared to general bitrate adjustment methods. On the one hand, it can provide better picture quality for intranet devices, and on the other hand, it can improve video smoothness for public network apps while reducing data communication costs.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the communication quality and cost of intercom equipment, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Divide the video bitrate to be set into three levels: high, medium, and low. Set the appropriate video bitrate according to different needs in the actual communication scenario; Call the other end to establish a call: The intercom device initiates a call request to the other end device through the SIP protocol. There are one or more other end devices. In the scenario of one call to multiple other end devices, multiple other end devices will be called at the same time; that is, there are three situations: single internal network device, single external network device, and mixed internal and external network. S2: Check if the other end device is a single external network device: Obtain the network type of the called intercom device. According to the design logic, the calling device has already saved the other end device type. If the other end is an external network device, the bit rate is set to a low level and will not be changed after the call is established. Otherwise, proceed to S3. S3: Check if the peer device is a single intranet device: If it is determined that the peer device is an intranet device, set the bitrate to a high level and do not change it after the call is established; otherwise, proceed to S4. S4: The peer device is a mixed internal and external network device: If the peer device contains both internal and external network devices, the bitrate of the video encoder needs to be set to the medium level and maintained until the other party connects. S5: Entering the early media phase before the other end answers: When the other end has not yet answered, the call enters the early media phase. Just maintain the current bitrate and wait for the other end to answer. S6: Check if the receiving device is an external network device: After the connection is established, there is only one device on the other end. According to the design logic, the receiving device is matched in the call device list to obtain the device type. S7: Switch to low bitrate when the recipient is an external network device: When the recipient is an external network device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to low bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established. S8: Switch to high bitrate when the receiving device is an intranet device: When the receiving device is an intranet device, it is necessary to switch from medium bitrate in the early media stage to high bitrate and keep it unchanged during the call after the connection is established. S9: After the other end connects, the call is officially established: If the receiving end is an internal network device, the bit rate is kept at a low level for the call until the call ends; if the receiving end is an external network device, the bit rate is kept at a high level for the call until the call ends.

2. The method for improving communication quality and cost of intercom equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S1, the three levels of high, medium and low bitrate are high bitrate, medium bitrate and low bitrate, respectively. High bitrate: High picture quality, but high data traffic and increased costs; Medium bitrate: Data traffic and cost are moderate, and image quality is average; Low bitrate: Lower data traffic reduces costs, but results in poor image quality.

3. The method for improving communication quality and cost of intercom equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The switching method for the three bitrate levels (high, medium, and low) is as follows: During the encoding process, in order to balance quality and bitrate, some image details will be sacrificed to maintain a fixed bitrate in complex scenes; during the encoding of a single video stream, the current video bitrate is obtained through the video encoder query interface. If it is inconsistent with the target bitrate, the bitrate configuration interface of the video encoder is called to actively change the video bitrate. After the call is successful, the device will immediately use the new bitrate for subsequent encoding to achieve the switching of different bitrates.

4. The method for improving communication quality and cost of intercom equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, In S1, the actual communication scenarios can be divided into the following four cases: A: For scenarios where only indoor units on a local area network communicate, since there is no data traffic cost, we can maximize video quality and use a high bitrate to establish a call. B: For public network mobile APP scenarios, which are sensitive to bandwidth and traffic costs, the bit rate should be reduced as much as possible while ensuring the minimum quality to reduce data traffic and control costs. This means that a low bit rate can be used to establish a call. C: For scenarios where both local area network indoor units and public network mobile apps exist, a trade-off needs to be made between quality and cost, i.e., using medium bitrate to establish calls; D: For scenarios where a single device can access both a local area network (LAN) and a public network simultaneously, choose the LAN, which has no data traffic cost, and try to improve video quality, i.e., establish a call using a high bitrate through the LAN.

5. The method for improving communication quality and cost of intercom equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The specific steps for dynamic bitrate adjustment at high, medium, and low bitrate rates in actual communication scenarios, according to each stage of the call process, are as follows: a: Before the call is established: Before the video call is established, the type of the called intercom device can be obtained in advance through interface design; if the call is only with an intranet device, the bitrate is set to a high level to establish the call, and it will not be changed in the subsequent process; If the call is only with a public network mobile app, the bitrate will be set to low to establish the call and will not be changed afterward. If the call recipient includes both an intranet intercom device and a public network mobile app, the bitrate will be set to medium to establish an early media call. If a single call recipient is connected to both the intranet and the public network, the intranet path will be selected, and the bitrate will be set to high to establish the call and will not be changed afterward. b: Early media stage: Only establishes communication with intranet intercom equipment; high bit rate communication is used in the early media stage. When establishing a call only with a public network mobile app, a low bitrate call is used in the early media stage; when the call recipient includes both internal and external intercom devices and a public network mobile app, the encoded data needs to be sent to both devices simultaneously in the early media stage, and a medium bitrate is used to establish the call; when a single call recipient is connected to both the internal network and the public network, the internal network path is selected, and a high bitrate call is used in the early media stage. c: After the call is connected: For calls only with intranet intercom devices, maintain a high bitrate during the call phase; for calls only with public network mobile apps, maintain a low bitrate during the call phase; for calls involving both intranet and public network intercom devices and public network mobile apps, the bitrate adjustment strategy needs to be determined based on the type of device connecting. When the call is initiated by an intranet intercom device, the bitrate should be switched to a high bitrate mode to provide better picture quality; while when the call is initiated by a public network mobile app, the bitrate should be switched to a low bitrate mode to reduce costs while ensuring smooth picture. If a single caller is simultaneously connected to both the intranet and the public network, select the intranet path and maintain a high bitrate call after entering the call phase.

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