Selective Packet Discard for MPEG Transport Stream Bandwidth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reducing bandwidth in streaming media over packet-switched networks often compromise video quality due to inadequate packet prioritization and dropping strategies, particularly for IP packets carrying Transport Stream payloads like MPEG video.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that identify characteristics of media fragments in packets, aggregate them into summary values, and mark packets with priority weightings to enable selective dropping by network elements, reducing bandwidth while minimizing impact on video quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional packet dropping methods are used to reduce bandwidth during network congestion, then bandwidth is reduced, but video quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating packet priorities based on their specific content characteristics. Instead of uniform packet dropping, the system identifies and marks packets containing critical video data (such as I-frames, P-frames, audio synchronization data, and video synchronization data) with higher priority weights, while leaving other packets with lower priority. This allows network elements to selectively drop only low-priority packets during congestion, thereby reducing bandwidth consumption while preserving video quality by protecting critical packets from being dropped.
2Quantity of substance
If packets are selectively dropped to reduce bandwidth, then bandwidth is reduced, but packet loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-marking packets with priority weightings before they enter the network transmission path. The marking process identifies critical packets (containing video/audio synchronization data, I-frames, P-frames) and assigns them higher priority weights in advance. When network congestion occurs, network elements can immediately use these pre-assigned priorities to make dropping decisions without real-time analysis, thereby reducing bandwidth while minimizing information loss by protecting critical marked packets from being dropped.
3Manufacturing precision
If priority marking is implemented for all packets, then video quality is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the packet header to include a priority weighting parameter. This parameter is set based on the packet's content characteristics (video frame type, audio synchronization, video synchronization). The network elements use this parameter to make simple priority-based dropping decisions during congestion. This approach maintains video quality through intelligent prioritization while keeping the system relatively simple by using a single priority parameter rather than complex multi-dimensional analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided for reducing the bandwidth of MPEG transport streams during transmission over a packet-switched network. The system and method identifies characteristics of a plurality of media fragments disposed within each of a plurality of packets of a transport stream, and aggregates the characteristics into a summary value for each of the packets. The summary value is correlated to a priority weighting identifiable by a network element. Each of the packets is marked with the priority weighting, so that the packets may be selectively dropped by a network element in accordance with their priority weightings to reduce the bandwidth of the transport stream.