Adaptive TCP Window Size for Uniform Video Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video streaming technologies using HTTP result in bursty network traffic due to frequent and regular HTTP request messages, which negatively impact network utilization.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting the TCP receive window size in the display device to a size smaller than the video section file, allowing video sections to be transmitted across multiple TCP segments, thereby reducing network traffic bursts and achieving a more uniform transmission rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HTTP request messages are transmitted frequently and regularly every 2 seconds to maintain constant playback buffer size, then the video streaming can be delivered continuously to the client, but the network traffic becomes bursty which adversely impacts network utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the TCP receive window size adjustable rather than fixed. The window size is dynamically modified based on the video section file size to transform bursty traffic into uniform traffic. Specifically, when a video section file size exceeds the TCP receive window size, the window size is increased to match the file size, allowing the entire video section to be transmitted in a single TCP segment rather than multiple segments, thereby eliminating traffic bursts while maintaining continuous streaming delivery.
2Loss of energy
If video sections are transmitted as complete files in single TCP segments, then network traffic bursts are reduced and utilization improves, but the TCP receive window size must be dynamically adjusted which adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by having the client automatically adjust its TCP receive window size based on the video section file size information obtained from the index file or server response. The client independently determines when to modify the window size without requiring complex server-side coordination or additional protocol overhead. This self-adjusting mechanism reduces network traffic bursts while minimizing the added complexity by using simple conditional logic based on readily available file size information.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for streaming a video stored on a server to a display device over a network are provided. The TCP receive window size is adjusted to achieve a more uniform transmission of video segments of the video over the network to reduce the bustiness of network traffic.