Adjustment of transmission data rate based on data errors and/or latency

• US 20070009015A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kunii, Atsushi, Shirahama, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0014 by adapting the source coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0018 based on latency requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/203 Details of error rate determination, e.g. BER, FER or WER
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing flexible and efficient communication by dynamically adjusting a transmit data rate in response to data status feedback. Such feedback may include information regarding data errors and/or latency. A first communication node communicates with a second communication node and sends data at an initial data rate. The transmit data rate is then selectively adjusted based on data status feedback received from the second communication node or other destination.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting data over a network at an adjustable data rate comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit first data over the network at a transmit data rate;

a receiver configured to receive second data over the network indicating a status of the first data; and

a processor configured to choose, based on the status of the first data, one from among increasing, decreasing, and maintaining the transmit data rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status comprises latency information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the status comprises data error information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises video data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the status comprises information about missing frames, data errors, and latency.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a video quality of the video data based on at least one of the status and the transmit data rate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the transmit data rate to decrease responsive to determining, based on the status of the first data, that there is at least one of a data error or high latency during a predetermined period.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to control the transmit data rate to increase responsive to determining, based on the status of the first data, that there are no data errors and no high latency during a predetermined period.

9. An apparatus for transmitting data comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit data at a transmit data rate to a destination;

a receiver configured to receive a signal indicating a latency of the data as received by the destination; and

a processor configured to adjust the transmit data rate based on the latency.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data comprises video data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the signal further indicates whether a missing frame or a data error has occurred at the destination.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to decrease the transmit data rate responsive to the signal indicating high latency.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to increase the transmit data rate responsive to the signal indicating no high latency.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to either maintain or increase the transmit data rate responsive to the signal indicating no high latency and based on the current transmit data rate.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to decrease the transmit data rate to an immediately previous transmit data rate.

16. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

sending data at a data rate;

monitoring a status of the data as received by a destination; and

choosing one from among increasing, decreasing, and maintaining the data rate based on the status of the data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the data comprises video data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further for adjusting a video quality of the video data based on the current data rate.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the status of the data comprises latency information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the step of choosing includes choosing to decrease the data rate responsive to the latency information indicating a latency that exceeds a threshold amount of latency.