Multiple Description Coding for P2P Video Streaming Robustness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Peer-to-peer (P2P) video streaming networks face challenges in providing reliable and high-quality video distribution due to issues like node disconnections, low upstream bandwidth, and security threats, particularly in residential access networks, where traditional infrastructure-based systems are costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of multiple-description coding, where videos are encoded into multiple descriptions and distributed across different peers, allowing clients to combine and decode them, ensuring temporary loss of a single description does not significantly impact video quality, and reducing the required uplink bandwidth while preventing unauthorized access and improving system reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If video is distributed using traditional infrastructure-based systems, then video quality can be maintained, but system cost becomes prohibitively expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements peer-to-peer video distribution where multiple peers store and stream video content to requesting clients. Instead of relying on expensive centralized infrastructure, the system creates copies of video content across distributed peer nodes, enabling cost-effective video delivery while maintaining quality through multiple description coding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides video content into multiple descriptions or segments that are distributed across different peers. Each peer stores and streams specific video segments, allowing the system to break down the distribution task into manageable parts that can be handled by individual peers with limited resources

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If peers stream video with high upstream bandwidth requirements, then video quality can be maintained, but peer network capacity becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidupstream bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments video into multiple descriptions that can be streamed from different peers simultaneously. This segmentation allows the bandwidth requirement to be distributed across multiple peer connections rather than requiring a single high-bandwidth connection, making residential network connections sufficient for high-quality video streaming

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple lower-bandwidth peer connections to achieve the equivalent of a higher-bandwidth connection. By merging streams from multiple peers, the system can deliver high-quality video without requiring any single peer to have high upstream bandwidth capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If peers are allowed to disconnect without warning, then system flexibility is improved, but video streaming reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepeer mobilityVSAvoidvideo streaming continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multiple description coding where video is encoded into multiple redundant descriptions stored at different peers. This beforehand cushioning ensures that if one peer disconnects unexpectedly, the client can continue receiving video from alternative peers, maintaining streaming continuity despite peer mobility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the system parameter from single-source video streaming to multi-source video streaming. By establishing multiple peer connections and receiving multiple video descriptions simultaneously, the system transforms the vulnerability of single-point failure into a robust architecture where peer disconnections do not disrupt service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7633887B2On demand peer-to-peer video streaming with multiple description coding

Publication Date: 2009.12.15 POLYTECHNIC INST OF NEW YORK

AI summary

A peer-to-peer novel video streaming scheme is described in which each peer stores and streams videos to the requesting client peers. Each video is encoded into multiple descriptions and each description is placed on a different node. If a serving peer disconnects in the middle of a streaming session, the system searches for a replacement peer that stores the same video description and has sufficient uplink bandwidth. Employing multiple description coding in a peer-to-peer based network improves the robustness of the distributed streaming content in the event a serving peer is lost. Video quality can be maintained in the presence of server peers being lost. The video codec design and network policies have a significant effect on the streamed video quality. The system performance generally improves as the number of descriptions M for the video increases, which implies that a higher video quality can be obtained with the same network loading.