De-synchronizer for Managing Video Traffic Peaks in Packet Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In packet networks, especially during video conferencing over IP networks, simultaneous I-frames from multiple video sources cause bandwidth congestion, leading to packet loss due to internal network controls, resulting in undesirable latency and video quality degradation, as existing stream buffers indiscriminately delay packets or require users to accept lower video quality.
Innovation Solution
A method to manage data streams by determining the Round Trip Delay (RTD) for each connection, delaying data peaks in streams with lower RTD to minimize the coincidence of traffic peaks without increasing the maximum round trip delay, using a de-synchronizer that communicates with transmitters and receivers to issue signals for delayed transmission, ensuring no party experiences excessive latency in multiparty conferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stream buffers indiscriminately delay arbitrary packets to smooth traffic peaks, then traffic distribution is improved, but latency increases undesirably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different delay treatments to different packets based on their type and timing characteristics. Instead of uniform buffering, I-frames and P-frames are handled differently, and packets are selectively delayed only when they would create coincident peaks, preserving real-time performance for non-peak packets while smoothing traffic distribution for peak packets.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of packet timing characteristics and RTD values before transmission decisions are made. By pre-calculating which packets are likely to create coincident peaks and proactively delaying only those specific packets, the system avoids the need for indiscriminate buffering while still achieving traffic smoothing.
2Ease of operation
If multiple video sources transmit simultaneously without coordination, then video conferencing functionality is maintained, but bandwidth congestion and packet loss occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where each endpoint monitors the RTD values of incoming packets from other participants. Based on this feedback information, endpoints dynamically adjust their transmission timing to avoid sending I-frames that would coincide with peaks from other sources, thereby preventing network congestion and packet loss while maintaining full video conferencing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts transmission timing based on real-time network conditions and RTD measurements. Rather than using fixed scheduling, the patent continuously adjusts when I-frames are transmitted based on current traffic patterns and measured round-trip delays, allowing the system to maintain reliable packet delivery under varying network conditions.
3Manufacturing precision
If I-frames are transmitted periodically to correct video degradation, then video quality is improved, but traffic peaks and network congestion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric timing offsets for I-frame transmissions from different video sources. Instead of all sources transmitting I-frames at the same periodic intervals, each source is assigned different offset values based on its RTD characteristics, which asymmetrically distributes the I-frame traffic peaks across different time slots, preventing network congestion while maintaining video quality correction.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for managing multiple data streams transported over a common communications resource in a packet network, wherein data flowing through the resource travels in both directions, and wherein each stream is subject to data peaks. The round trip delay is determined for each data stream, and the transmission of data peaks in one or more of the data streams is delayed to at least reduce the degree of coincidence in the data peaks of different streams without increasing the maximum round trip delay for the data streams.