Compressed Video Buffering Rate Control for IP Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
IP video streaming over large-scale video services lacks a guarantee of visual quality comparable to traditional cable and satellite digital video broadcasting, primarily due to inconsistencies in compressed video buffering and timing across IP networks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of techniques that regulate compressed video buffering by determining optimal transmission rates based on decoder buffer size, network transmission rate, delay, and jitter, ensuring a target quality of service for IP video streams, using methods such as determining the combined amount of compressed video data in encoder and intermediary buffers to prevent buffer underflow and overflow, and employing processor circuitry to control the transmission rate and ensure quality of service provisioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If compressed video data is transmitted over IP networks without regulation, then network flexibility and adaptability are improved, but visual quality consistency and service reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting transmission rates based on network conditions and decoder buffer status. The encoder monitors buffer fullness and modifies the transmission rate parameter to maintain visual quality consistency across IP networks, transforming the unregulated variable-rate transmission into a controlled process that adapts to network flexibility while preserving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the encoder receives information about decoder buffer status and uses this feedback to regulate subsequent transmission rates. This closed-loop control system ensures that visual quality consistency is maintained by continuously adjusting transmission parameters based on actual buffer conditions, resolving the contradiction between network adaptability and service reliability.
2Productivity
If transmission rate is increased to improve video delivery speed, then productivity is improved, but buffer overflow risk increases causing quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transmission rate variable rather than fixed. The system continuously adapts the transmission rate based on real-time buffer status, allowing high delivery speed when buffers have capacity and reducing speed when buffers are full. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling high productivity only when it does not cause buffer overflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the encoder proactively regulate transmission rates before buffer overflow occurs. By monitoring buffer fullness and adjusting transmission in advance, the system prevents overflow conditions rather than reacting after they occur, maintaining both high delivery speed and buffer safety.
3Reliability
If transmission rate is decreased to prevent buffer overflow, then buffer reliability is improved, but video delivery speed and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction through dynamic rate adjustment, allowing the transmission rate to be high when buffers have capacity and low when they are full. This eliminates the need for consistently low rates, maintaining productivity while ensuring buffer reliability only when necessary.
4Reliability
If decoder buffer size is increased to handle network jitter, then service reliability is improved, but device complexity and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by regulating transmission rates to compensate for network jitter without requiring large buffer increases. By adjusting the transmission rate parameter dynamically, the system maintains service reliability while avoiding the complexity and memory costs of significantly enlarging decoder buffers.
5Reliability
If encoder regulates transmission rate based on buffer status, then visual quality consistency is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the encoder monitors decoder buffer status and uses this information to regulate transmission rates. This feedback-based approach achieves visual quality consistency through relatively simple monitoring and adjustment logic, avoiding the need for complex buffer management systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system controls a transmission of a sequence of compressed video data from an encoder buffer to a network for delivery to a decoder buffer. Control of the transmission includes to: determine characteristics of a video transmission path between the encoder buffer and the decoder buffer, the characteristics comprising at least one of a buffer size of the decoder buffer, an input rate of the decoder buffer, and a buffer size of an equivalent intermediary buffer of the video transmission path; determine a transmission rate from the characteristics of the video transmission path and from the sequence of compressed video data, the transmission rate being determined such that a target quality of service value can be guaranteed for the entire sequence of compressed video data transmitted at the determined transmission rate to the decoder buffer; and control transmission of the sequence of compressed video data at the determined transmission rate.