FEC Packet Recovery for Variable-Length Multimedia Packets

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multimedia communication systems, especially with high-capacity content like HD and UHD, data congestion leads to packet loss, causing user inconveniences such as audio and video quality degradation, and existing FEC methods struggle to accurately recover and remove padding data from variable-sized packets.

Innovation Solution

The method involves constructing source symbol blocks of uniform length from variable-sized source packets, generating repair symbols through FEC encoding, and transmitting these with repair FEC payload IDs to enable efficient recovery and removal of padding data, allowing accurate reconstruction of lost packets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If variable packet size is used to accommodate different data types, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates because the receiver cannot accurately determine original packet boundaries after FEC decoding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket size adaptabilityVSAvoidpacket boundary determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a length indicator field as an intermediary element that carries information about the original packet length. This mediator allows the receiver to accurately determine packet boundaries even when packets have variable sizes, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and precision by providing a reference mechanism for boundary detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the original packet length information in the length indicator field before FEC encoding. This allows the receiver to recover not just the data but also the original packet structure, enabling accurate boundary determination after decoding despite variable packet sizes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If padding data is added to create uniform source blocks for FEC encoding, then productivity is improved, but loss of information worsens because padding data must be identified and removed after recovery

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveFEC encoding efficiencyVSAvoidpadding data identification complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the length indicator field as a marker that distinguishes actual data from padding data. By providing explicit length information, the system can clearly identify where real data ends and padding begins, eliminating the complexity of padding identification while maintaining encoding efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Reliability

If FEC repair symbols are added to recover lost packets, then reliability is improved, but device complexity worsens due to the need for accurate packet length tracking and padding removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recovery capabilityVSAvoidpacket recovery processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces complexity by performing preliminary action - storing the original packet length information in the length indicator field before any loss occurs. This pre-stored information guides the recovery process, allowing the receiver to accurately reconstruct packets without complex analysis, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3125455B1Method and apparatus for generating and recovering packet in broadcasting and/or communication system
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3125455B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3125455B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3125455B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for generating, by a transmission device, a packet in a broadcasting and/or communication system, the method comprising the steps of: generating a first source symbol block consisting of one or more source symbols with the same length using a source packet block consisting of one or more source packets; performing a forward error correction (FEC) coding operation on the first source symbol block; generating a second source symbol block containing information about each source packet constituting the source packet block; and generating a second recovery symbol block with one or more recovery symbols by performing an FEC coding operation on the second source symbol block.