Dynamic Jitter Buffer Depth Management for Adaptive Bitrate

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in managing jitter buffer depth effectively, particularly during adaptive bitrate changes, which can lead to increased jitter and packet loss, degrading the quality of real-time communication services like video telephony over mobile networks with varying bandwidth conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for dynamically managing jitter buffer depth by determining adaptive bitrate states and adjusting the buffer depth in conjunction with bitrate changes, limiting increase and decrease rates, and synchronizing with probing periods to maintain optimal buffer levels, thereby reducing packet loss and improving user experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the jitter buffer depth is increased to handle adaptive bitrate changes, then packet loss is reduced, but communication delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket lossVSAvoidcommunication delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The jitter buffer depth is made dynamic by continuously adjusting it based on the current adaptive bitrate state. When bitrate adaptation is detected, the buffer depth is increased; when stable bitrate is detected, the buffer depth is decreased. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain sufficient packet buffering during transitions while minimizing delay during stable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the jitter buffer depth parameter in response to detected bitrate adaptation states. By monitoring bitrate changes and adjusting the buffer depth parameter accordingly, the system optimizes the trade-off between packet loss prevention and delay minimization without requiring a permanently large buffer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If adaptive bitrate is used to cope with varying network conditions, then service quality is improved, but jitter increases causing buffer insufficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork condition adaptationVSAvoidjitter buffer sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by monitoring the adaptive bitrate state and using this information to adjust the jitter buffer depth. When bitrate adaptation is detected through feedback from network conditions, the system responds by increasing the buffer depth to compensate for the increased jitter, ensuring buffer sufficiency is maintained despite adaptive bitrate changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the jitter buffer depth is kept shallow to minimize delay, then real-time communication quality is improved, but packet loss increases during bitrate adaptation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time communication qualityVSAvoidpacket loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by detecting adaptive bitrate states in advance and proactively increasing the jitter buffer depth before packet loss can occur. This anticipatory adjustment allows the buffer to be sufficiently deep during bitrate transitions to prevent packet loss, while returning to a shallow depth afterward to maintain real-time communication quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3202061B1Managing jitter buffer depth
Publication Date: 2023.06.28 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3202061B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3202061B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3202061B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

It is presented a method for managing a jitter buffer depth for receiving real-time communication. The method is performed in a receiver and comprises the steps of: determining an adaptive bitrate state of the receiver when a current capacity of a communication channel for receiving the real-time communication is below a maximum bitrate for receiving the real-time communication; and increasing a depth of a jitter buffer for receiving the real-time communication when the adaptive bitrate state is determined.