Initial Bitrate Selection for Video Delivery Sessions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video streaming technologies face challenges in selecting the initial bitrate, leading to prolonged waiting times and increased energy consumption due to suboptimal initial bitrate selection, which results in frequent bitrate switches and re-transmissions of video content, causing waste of traffic and energy.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for initial bitrate selection in video delivery sessions that perform network measurements by user equipment to predict initial buffer durations based on network metrics, allowing for the selection of an appropriate initial bitrate that adapts to current network conditions, reducing the risk of inappropriate initial bitrate choices and subsequent bitrate switches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a high bitrate is selected for video streaming, then video quality is improved, but initial join time increases and energy consumption increases in poor network conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary network measurements and predictions before video playback starts. It measures network metrics (throughput, delay, loss) during the time window from application initiation to video content selection, predicts initial buffer durations for different bitrates, and selects the optimal initial bitrate in advance. This preliminary action prevents the need for bitrate adjustments during playback, reducing initial join time while maintaining video quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If a high bitrate is selected for video streaming, then video quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary network measurements and predictions before video playback starts. It measures network metrics (throughput, delay, loss) during the time window from application initiation to video content selection, predicts initial buffer durations for different bitrates, and selects the optimal initial bitrate in advance. This preliminary action prevents the need for bitrate adjustments during playback, reducing energy consumption while maintaining video quality.
3Device complexity
If random initial bitrate selection is used, then device complexity is reduced, but network traffic waste increases due to re-transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from network measurements to guide initial bitrate selection. It measures network metrics (throughput, delay, loss) during the time window from application initiation to video content selection, and uses these measurements to predict which bitrate will result in acceptable initial buffer duration. This feedback-based approach selects an appropriate initial bitrate without requiring complex algorithms, reducing both device complexity and network traffic waste from re-transmissions.
4Manufacturing precision
If aggressive high bitrate selection is used when network quality is good, then video quality is improved, but initial buffer duration increases when network cannot handle the bitrate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary network measurements and predictions before video playback starts. It measures network metrics (throughput, delay, loss) during the time window from application initiation to video content selection, predicts initial buffer durations for different bitrates, and selects the optimal initial bitrate in advance. This preliminary action ensures the selected bitrate can be sustained by the network, avoiding excessive initial buffer durations while maintaining video quality.
Data Source
AI summary
An initial bitrate is selected for a video delivery session by a user equipment (5, 200) performing, during a time window from initiation of a video player application in the user equipment (5, 200) up to selection of a video content, network measurements of a current condition of a network used to deliver the video content to the user equipment (5, 200). A respective initial buffer duration is provided for each bitrate available for the video content and where these respective initial buffer durations are predicted based on at least one network metric derived from the network measurements. An initial bitrate for delivering the video content over the network to the user equipment is selected based on the respective initial buffer durations.