Adaptive Bit-Rate Control for UDP Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital packet-switched communications systems face challenges in managing congestion and efficiently utilizing shared resources, particularly for delay-sensitive services like UDP-based real-time traffic, which lacks mechanisms for reliable transmission and flow control, leading to potential service degradation due to packet loss and increased transmission delay.
Innovation Solution
A rate control mechanism that determines a valid bit-rate range for each session, allowing adaptations based on the distance to its limits, enabling larger reductions or increases in bit-rate depending on proximity to the upper or lower limits, thereby distributing rate adaptations fairly among users and maintaining service integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If UDP is used for real-time traffic, then transmission delay is reduced, but packet loss increases due to lack of flow control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the receiver monitors the incoming bit-rate and compares it against a valid range, then sends rate adaptation requests back to the sender to adjust the transmission rate and prevent packet loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adapts the transmission bit-rate based on network conditions and receiver capacity by adjusting the rate in response to feedback, allowing the system to transition between different operating states
2Reliability
If congestion control is implemented, then packet loss is reduced, but transmission delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial congestion control by only adapting the rate when it exceeds the valid range, rather than applying full congestion control mechanisms, thus maintaining low delay while preventing packet loss in critical scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transmission bit-rate parameter dynamically based on feedback from the receiver, adjusting it to stay within the valid range defined by service requirements and network conditions
3Productivity
If bit-rate is increased to improve throughput, then service quality improves, but congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver provides feedback about the valid bit-rate range to the sender, enabling the sender to adjust the transmission rate to maximize throughput while avoiding congestion by staying within the valid range
Solution Approach 2:
The system preliminarily determines the valid bit-rate range based on service requirements and network conditions before transmission begins, allowing the sender to proactively adjust the rate to avoid congestion
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling a bit-rate of a session in a packet-switched communications system where multiple sessions are set-up via a shared resource. A current bit-rate of the session is compared to a bit-rate range valid for the session to determine a distance from the position of the current bit-rate to one of the end-points of the bit-rate range. The current bit-rate is then adapted differently depending on the distance to the selected end-point. By controlling the bit-rate of each session that is set-up via the shared resource for applications that provide delay-sensitive services to users in this way the method and corresponding system and sender-receiver arrangements have the effect that rate adaptations can be distributed among the applications so that users share responsibility for rate adaptations.