Method of dynamically transmitting data packets using RTP and RTCP protocols

• US 6,853,625 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Akihiro, Hakenberg, Rolf, Burmeister, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US10/357,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/231, 370/232, 370/233, 370/234, 370/236.1, 370/252, 370/353, 370/354, 370/356, 370/395.52, 370/468, 370/254, 370/229, 370/235, 370/395.41
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A method of transmitting data packets, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over internet protocol (IP) networks using a real-time protocol (RTP) for media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for control data packets. Each protocol is allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth. The method comprises the steps of measuring relevant characteristics of the network link, calculating from this measurement an optimized RTCP bandwidth and transmitting control data packets using the optimized RTCP bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting data packets, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over an internet protocol (IP) network using a real-time protocol (RTP) for transmission of media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for feedback-transmission of control data packets, each protocol being allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth, said method comprising:

(a) determining the type of feedback,

(b) measuring relevant characteristics of the network link by a technique that is in accordance with a result of step (a),

(c) changing an RTCP bandwidth to be used for transmitting control data packets from a transmitting end to a receiving end or from a receiving end to a transmitting end in accordance with a result of step (b), and

(d) transmitting control data packets using the RTCP bandwidth changed in step (c).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises measurement of the number of data packets sent per time interval.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining the number of packets lost during transmission.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining the time it takes a packet to be transmitted from a server to a client and back to the server.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining the congestion state of the IP network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) is effected periodically at regular intervals.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising signaling the RTCP bandwidth changed in step (c) from a client to a server as a feedback.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data packets are one of a regular status report, a positive acknowledgment of a transmission event, and or a negative acknowledgment of a transmission event.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating an optimum feedback interval between two successive transmissions of control data packets.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before step (c), a step of calculating an optimum RTCP bandwidth based on the relevant characteristics of the network link.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of calculating an optimum RTCP bandwidth comprises measuring an average rate of control data packets.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of calculating an optimum RTCP bandwidth comprises measuring the size of control data packets.

13. A server device transmitting or receiving data packet, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over an internet protocol (IP) network using a real-time protocol (RTP) for transmission or reception of media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for feedback-transmission or feedback-reception of control data packets, each protocol being allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth, said device comprising:

a feedback reception section that receives an optimum RTCP bandwidth as a feedback from a client,

a changing section that changes an RTCP bandwidth to be used for transmitting control data packets from a transmitting end to a receiving end or from a receiving end to a transmitting end in accordance with the received feedback, and

a control data packet transmission section that transmits control data packets by using the RTCP bandwidth changed by the changing section.

14. A program of transmitting or receiving data packets, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over an internet protocol (IP) network using a real-time protocol (RTP) for transmission or reception of media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for feedback-transmission or feedback-reception of control data packets, each protocol being allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth, said program comprising (a) receiving an optimum RTCP bandwidth as a feedback from a client (b) changing an RTCP bandwidth to be used for transmitting control data rackets from a transmitting end to a receiving end or from a receiving end to a transmitting end in accordance with the received feedback, and (c) transmitting control data packets using the RTCP bandwidth changed in operation (b).

15. A client device transmitting or receiving data packets, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over an internet protocol (IP) network using a real-time protocol (RTP) for transmission or reception of media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for feedback-transmission or feedback-reception of control data packets, each protocol being allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth, said device comprising:

a determination section that determines the type of feedback,

a measurement section that measures relevant characteristics of the network link by a technique which is in accordance with the type of feedback determined by the determination section,

a calculation section that calculates an RTCP bandwidth to be used for transmitting control data packets from a transmitting end to a receiving end or from a receiving end to a transmitting end, in accordance with the measurement by the measurement section, and

a transmission section that transmits control data packets using the calculated RTCP bandwidth.

16. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the measurement section measures the number of data packets sent per time interval.

17. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the measurement section determines the number of packets lost during transmission.

18. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the measurement section determines the time it takes a packet to be transmitted from a server to the client and back to the server.

19. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the measurement section determines the congestion state of the IP network.

20. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the measurement section measures the relevant network link characteristics periodically at regular intervals.

21. The client device according to claim 15, further comprising a signaling section that signals a changed RTCF bandwidth from the client to a server as a feedback.

22. The client according to claim 15, wherein the control data packets are one of a regular status report, a positive acknowledgment of a transmission event, and a negative acknowledgment of a transmission event.

23. The client device according to claim 15, further comprising a second calculation section that calculates an optimum feedback interval between two successive transmissions of control data packets.

24. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the calculation section comprises means for measuring an average rate of control data packets.

25. The client device according to claim 15, wherein the calculation section comprises means for measuring the size of control data packets.

26. A program of transmitting or receiving data packets, in particular of real-time or near-real-time data over an internet protocol (IP) network using a real-time protocol (RTP) for transmission or reception of media data products and a real-time control protocol (RTCP) for feedback-transmission or feedback-reception of control data packets, each protocol being allocated a fraction of the available transmission bandwidth, said program comprising (a) determining the type of feedback, (b) measuring relevant characteristics of the network link by a technique which is in accordance with the type of feedback determined in operation (a), (c) calculating an RTCP bandwidth to be used for transmitting control data packets from a transmitting end to a receiving end or from a receiving end to a transmitting end, in accordance with a result of operation (b), and (d) transmitting, with a transmission section, control data packets using the calculated RTCP bandwidth.