Measuring User Perceived Delays in Encrypted Video Conferencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video conferencing systems face challenges in measuring end-to-end user perceived delays due to proprietary protocols and encryption, making it difficult to assess the quality of service and address video conferencing challenges effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves treating video conferencing systems as 'black boxes' to measure delays by generating periodic sounds or stopwatch videos, capturing and transmitting them, and determining user perceived delays through time differences, allowing for emulation of real-user experiences and measurement of one-way and round-trip delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary protocols and encryption are used in video conferencing systems, then security and data protection are improved, but measurement of end-to-end user perceived delays becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces test signals (audio tones or video frames) as intermediaries that pass through the encrypted conferencing system. These test signals are embedded within the normal encrypted data stream, allowing delay measurement without requiring decryption or direct access to proprietary protocols. The test signals act as mediators between the measurement system and the protected conferencing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of test content (audio tones or video frames) that are sent through the conferencing system. By comparing the original test content with the received copy, the system can measure delays introduced by encoding, transmission, and decoding processes without needing to access the actual encrypted conferencing data.
2Reliability
If video conferencing systems process high-quality video and audio in real-time, then user quality of experience is improved, but end-to-end delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by measuring only specific aspects of the conferencing system (delay characteristics) rather than attempting to optimize the entire system. The test signals are processed through the same encoding and decoding paths as actual conferencing data, providing accurate delay measurements without requiring full system optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic test signals (repeated audio tones or video frames) to measure delay characteristics. By sending periodic test content through the conferencing system, the system can capture delay variations under different operating conditions and calculate average or maximum delays that affect user experience.
3Adaptability or versatility
If video conferencing systems cope with device and network heterogeneities, then adaptability is improved, but delay variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures delay characteristics under varying system parameters including different network conditions, device configurations, and quality settings. By changing these parameters during testing, the system can capture how delay variability affects user experience across different operational scenarios and device heterogeneities.
Data Source
AI summary
The determination of user perceived delay in audio and video conferencing systems/services is described. Example embodiments consistent with the present invention measure delays in audio and/or video conferencing systems and services, by treating such systems and services as black boxes, thereby providing end-to-end delays as they would be perceived by users. For example, the user perceived round-trip delay in a video conference system/service may include time delays from each of video capture, video encoding, video transmission, video decoding and video rendering.