Wireless Multicast Layered Media Rate Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks fail to optimize radio resources for layered media, resulting in suboptimal user perceived quality and inefficient bandwidth utilization, as they do not adapt data rates based on user receiving capabilities and rely on conservative transmission policies.
Innovation Solution
A method to optimize data rates in wireless networks by obtaining and updating available data rates, computing optimal data rates for each access network cell, and controlling data rates for each packet, using techniques such as VLAN tunnels and IGMP message extensions to report user receiving capabilities and distribute media layers efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the media is transmitted at a fixed lowest data rate (Single Rate approach), then all users can receive the transmission, but the user perceived quality is suboptimal and bandwidth utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The media stream is segmented into multiple layers (base layer and enhancement layers), where each layer can be transmitted at different data rates. This allows the system to send only the necessary portions to each user based on their receiving capability, improving bandwidth utilization while maintaining compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality levels are provided to different users based on their specific receiving capabilities. Users with higher receiving capabilities receive higher quality media (more layers), while users with lower capabilities receive baseline quality, optimizing overall system efficiency.
2Productivity
If different quality versions are transmitted at different data rates (Replicated Rate approach), then user perceived quality is improved, but resource consumption increases and bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple quality versions are merged into a single layered stream structure. Instead of transmitting separate complete versions at different rates, the enhancement layers are combined with the base layer, allowing efficient transmission where lower layers can be received by all users and higher layers only by capable users.
Solution Approach 2:
The media layers are structured in a nested hierarchy where the base layer is contained within the first enhancement layer, which is contained within the second enhancement layer, and so on. This nested structure allows users to receive any subset of layers from the top down, optimizing resource usage.
3Productivity
If receiving capability information is collected and used for optimization, then data rate optimization is achieved, but device complexity and protocol overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
User terminals automatically determine their own receiving capabilities and report this information to the network without requiring complex external probing or measurement systems. This self-service approach minimizes protocol overhead while enabling optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and arrangement in a wireless communication network for optimizing data rates when communicating layered multicast data. In an initial probing phase, the receiving capability of each user equipment (UE) in each cell is collected. The optimal data rate for each layer is then calculated and packets are transmitted to the UEs at the optimal rates. The UEs may periodically send updated receiving capabilities so that the optimal data rates can be updated. Additionally, the network may periodically obtain the updated receiving capabilities through secondary probing at unused data rates.