Peer-to-Peer Video Calling Rate Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing peer-to-peer video calling systems experience choppy or discontinuous video due to the lack of knowledge about the communication network's data transfer rate, leading to data overflow and purging in network elements, resulting in incomplete and delayed video data transmission.

Innovation Solution

Determining a predetermined data communication rate by querying the communication network and transmitting video calling data at that rate, ensuring that the data is sent at a rate the network can handle, with priority routing to maintain continuous video transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If video calling data is transmitted at high speed without knowing network capability, then transmission efficiency is improved, but data overflow occurs in network buffers causing video quality to deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo data transmission rateVSAvoidvideo continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by querying network elements before video transmission to obtain buffer status and available bandwidth information. This advance knowledge allows the transmitting device to adjust its data rate to match network capabilities, preventing buffer overflow and ensuring continuous video delivery without choppy or discontinuous playback

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If network elements store overflow video data in memory buffers, then data loss is reduced, but buffer capacity is limited causing data purging when full

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo data lossVSAvoidbuffer memory capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by having the transmitting device query network elements during the call to obtain real-time buffer status information. Based on this feedback about available buffer capacity and current network conditions, the transmitting device dynamically adjusts its video data transmission rate to prevent buffer overflow, thereby reducing data loss without requiring increased buffer memory capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If video calling data lacks priority routing status, then network routing flexibility is maintained, but video data may reach destination untimely causing choppy video

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork routing flexibilityVSAvoidvideo data delivery time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of data transmission rate to match network capabilities. By adjusting the video data rate based on queried network conditions and buffer status, the system ensures timely delivery of video data without requiring priority routing status, maintaining network routing flexibility while preventing choppy video caused by delayed data arrival

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7450147B2Network-enabled peer-to-peer video calling systems, methods, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2008.11.11 BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION(US)

AI summary

Systems, methods, and a storage medium for peer-to-peer video calling between first and second devices is provided. The method includes determining a predetermined data communication rate by querying a communication network operably associated with the first and second devices. The method further includes transmitting video calling data from the first device through the communication network to the second device at substantially the predetermined data communication rate.