WebRTC Simulcast Bit-Rate Selection Under QoE Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Simulcast schemes in WebRTC-based web meetings face the risk of selecting excessively high bit rates, leading to increased operation costs for service providers without significant quality improvement, as quality levels are set based on operator knowledge or network conditions.
Innovation Solution
A bit rate selection device and method that minimizes the sum of bit rates across multiple terminals while ensuring a quality of experience (QoE) threshold is met, using a control server to calculate and instruct optimal encoding bit rates for each terminal based on collected client logs and network bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If quality levels are set based on operator knowledge or network conditions, then the quality of experience is maintained, but the bit rate may be excessively high leading to increased operation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter selection approach from static operator-defined values to dynamic optimization based on actual network conditions and QoE requirements. The system automatically adjusts bit rate parameters by solving an optimization problem that considers multiple factors including network bandwidth, participant count, and QoE thresholds, thereby selecting the minimum necessary bit rate to maintain acceptable quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining optimal bit rates without requiring operator intervention or manual configuration. The bit rate selection apparatus autonomously collects network information, evaluates QoE requirements, solves the optimization problem, and configures encoding parameters, replacing manual operator knowledge-based settings with automated intelligent decision-making.
2Reliability
If a high bit rate is selected to ensure quality, then the quality of experience is improved, but the operation cost for network and server facilities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the bit rate parameter dynamically by solving an optimization problem that balances QoE requirements with resource consumption. Instead of using fixed high bit rates, the system calculates the minimum necessary bit rate based on actual network conditions and QoE thresholds, thereby reducing unnecessary data transmission and associated operational costs while maintaining acceptable quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring network conditions, participant characteristics, and QoE metrics to adjust bit rate selections. The optimization process uses collected information about network bandwidth, participant display capabilities, and historical QoE data to make informed decisions that prevent excessive bit rate selection and reduce operational costs.
3Ease of operation
If manual quality level setting is used in Simulcast, then the implementation is simple, but the bit rate may be excessive leading to increased data transmission amount
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual quality level setting with automated self-service bit rate selection. The bit rate selection apparatus automatically collects network information, evaluates QoE requirements, solves the optimization problem, and configures encoding parameters without operator intervention, thereby eliminating the need for manual configuration while preventing excessive bit rate selection and reducing data transmission amounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transforms the static manual parameter setting approach into dynamic automated optimization. Instead of operators manually selecting quality levels, the system automatically adjusts bit rate parameters based on real-time network conditions, participant characteristics, and QoE thresholds, thereby maintaining implementation feasibility while significantly reducing unnecessary data transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A bit rate selection device includes a memory, and a processor that: selects bit rates of videos for each of combinations of a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals from a plurality of levels of values such that a sum of the bit rates of the videos for each of the combinations is minimized under a constraint that each of the second terminals receives the videos transmitted from each of the first terminals via a distribution device in online real-time communication and a quality of experience of each of the videos for a user of each of the second terminals is equal to or higher than a threshold value; and transmits, to each of the first terminals, an instruction for instructing each of the first terminals to perform encoding at one or more bit rates selected for each of the combinations related to the first terminals.