UAV Video Latency Control for Packet Loss and Playback Quality
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for transmitting video from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to ground control stations face challenges in achieving low latency and reliability, particularly when approaching the edge of wireless communication ranges, leading to packet loss and suboptimal video quality.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows the ground control station to select and adjust video latency, rendering either a real-time (possibly lossy) or reconstructed (substantially lossless) video stream based on packet availability, with the ability to request and retransmit missing packets within or outside a user-defined latency period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ground control station waits for missing packets to arrive before rendering video, then video quality improves (lossless reconstruction), but video latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the latency threshold based on network conditions and user preferences. The ground control station monitors packet arrival patterns and adapts the waiting period for retransmitted packets, allowing the system to optimize between real-time performance and video quality on a per-situation basis rather than using a fixed approach
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the latency parameter to resolve the contradiction. By allowing users to select different latency thresholds and automatically adjusting this parameter based on network reliability, the system can shift between prioritizing low latency (when network is good) and prioritizing video quality (when network is poor or user prefers higher quality)
2Reliability
If the ground control station requests and waits for missing packets, then video completeness improves, but real-time performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively requesting only the missing packets rather than waiting for all packets or retransmitting the entire stream. The ground control station identifies specific missing packets and requests only those, balancing completeness with speed by avoiding excessive waiting or retransmission overhead
3Loss of time
If the system prioritizes low latency video rendering, then real-time viewing is enabled, but packet loss becomes unacceptable at communication fringes
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the network condition monitoring to adjust its packet handling strategy. The ground control station detects packet loss patterns and network reliability, then adjusts whether to wait for retransmitted packets or proceed with available data, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to changing communication conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described where a ground control station in communication with a UAV can render a low latency (but possibly lossy), essentially real-time video captured by the UAV, or render a substantially lossless, reconstructed version of the video stream, depending upon a video latency period selected by a user. The user is able to select the desired video latency period, for example via the ground control station, and can change the video latency period as desired including in real-time as the UAV is in flight and capturing video.