Method of transmitting layered video-coded information

• US 7,958,532 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cash, Glenn L., Paul, Baldine-Brunel, Civanlar, M. Reha, Howard, Paul G., Haskell, Barin Geoffry, Puri, Atul, Schmidt, Robert Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Son P
• Application Number:
  US09/882,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20040261113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,641 Days
• Field of Search: 725/90, 725/135, 725/32, 348/14.12, 709/231, 709/234, 709/236, 709/247
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Video-coded information is transmitted over a network at a priority level that is determined based on feedback from the network. In an embodiment, the feedback comprises a response to a request for information on whether the network currently has the available capacity to transmit additional high priority traffic. In an embodiment, a candidate base layer frame is transmitted over the network as a base layer frame if permission to send high priority data was granted and is transmitted over the network as an enhancement layer frame if permission to send high priority data was denied. In a further embodiment, the candidate base layer frame is deleted if permission to send high priority data was denied.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting information, the method causing a computing device to perform steps comprising:

encoding a plurality of frames as one of high priority frames and low priority frames;

requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

encoding and buffering a high priority video frame at substantially the same time as requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

transmitting the high priority encoded video frame over the network as high priority data if permission to send high priority data was granted;

deleting the high priority encoded video frame from transmission if permission to send high priority data was not granted;

receiving information about loss of low priority frames by a network; and

if more than a threshold amount of low priority frames are being lost, encoding an additional number of frames as high priority frames than is dictated by a priority algorithm to yield additional high priority frames, the additional high priority frames being encoded at a lower quality than is generally used for high priority frames.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein feedback is received from the network which comprises a response to a request for information on whether the network currently has available capacity to transmit additional high priority traffic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting information further causes the computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving a frame of video data to be encoded;

requesting permission to send high priority data over the network;

receiving a response to the request for permission to send high priority data; and

encoding and transmitting the frame as a high priority video-coded frame if permission was granted to send high priority data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting information further causes the computing device to perform steps comprising encoding and transmitting the frame as a low priority frame if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting information further causes the computing device to delete the video-coded frame from transmission if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network separately than the low priority frames, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network using a guaranteed quality of service trunk, and wherein the low priority frames are transmitted over the network on a best-effort trunk.

7. A method of transmitting video-coded information from an encoder over a network, the method causing a computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving information from the network on how much bandwidth is allocated to the encoder for high priority frames;

encoding a plurality of frames as one of high priority frames and low priority frames according to a priority selection algorithm and based upon the received bandwidth information;

requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

encoding and buffering a high priority video frame at substantially the same time as requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

transmitting the high priority encoded video frame over the network as high priority data if permission to send high priority data was granted;

deleting the high priority encoded video frame from transmission if permission to send high priority data was not granted;

receiving information about loss of low priority frames by the network; and

if more than a threshold amount of low priority frames are being lost, encoding an additional number of frames as high priority frames than is dictated by a priority algorithm to yield additional high priority frames, the additional high priority frames being encoded at a lower quality than is generally used for high priority frames.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein information about loss of low priority frames by the network is received as network feedback.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein information about loss of low priority frames by the network is received using Real Time Control Protocol.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to transmit information, the instructions comprising:

encoding a plurality of frames as one of high priority frames and low priority frames;

requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

encoding and buffering a high priority video frame at substantially the same time as requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

transmitting the high priority encoded video frame over the network as high priority data if permission to send high priority data was granted;

deleting the high priority encoded video frame from transmission if permission to send high priority data was not granted;

receiving information about loss of low priority frames by a network; and

if more than a threshold amount of low priority frames are being lost, encoding an additional number of frames as high priority frames than is dictated by a priority algorithm to yield additional high priority frames, the additional high priority frames being encoded at a lower quality than is generally used for high priority frames.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein feedback is received from the network which comprises a response to a request for information on whether the network currently has available capacity to transmit additional high priority traffic.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein transmitting information further comprises:

receiving a frame of video data to be encoded;

requesting permission to send high priority data over the network;

receiving a response to the request for permission to send high priority data; and

encoding and transmitting the frame as a high priority video-coded frame if permission was granted to send high priority data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein transmitting information further comprises encoding and transmitting the frame as a low priority frame if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein transmitting information further comprises deleting the video-coded frame from transmission if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network separately than the low priority frames, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network using a guaranteed quality of service trunk, and wherein the low priority frames are transmitted over the network on a best-effort trunk.

16. A computing device that transmits information, the computing device comprising:

a first module that encodes a plurality of frames as one of high priority frames and low priority frames;

a second module that requests permission to transmit high priority data;

a third module that encodes and buffers a high priority video frame at substantially the same time as requesting permission to transmit high priority data;

a fourth module that transmits the high priority encoded video frame over the network as high priority data if permission to send high priority data was granted;

a fifth module that deletes the high priority encoded video frame from transmission if permission to send high priority data was not granted;

a sixth module that receives information about loss of low priority frames by a network; and

a seventh module that, if more than a threshold amount of low priority frames are being lost, encodes an additional number of frames as high priority frames than is dictated by a priority algorithm to yield additional high priority frames, the additional high priority frames being encoded at a lower quality than is generally used for high priority frames.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein feedback is received from the network which comprises a response to a request for information on whether the network currently has available capacity to transmit additional high priority traffic.

18. The computing device of claim 16, further comprising a module that:

receives a frame of video data to be encoded;

requests permission to send high priority data over the network;

receives a response to the request for permission to send high priority data; and

encodes and transmits the frame as a high priority video-coded frame if permission was granted to send high priority data.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the computing device further comprises a module that encodes and transmits the frame as a low priority frame if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the computing device further comprises a module that deletes the video-coded frame from transmission if permission was not granted to send high priority data.

21. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network separately than the low priority frames, wherein the high priority frames are transmitted over the network using a guaranteed quality of service trunk, and wherein the low priority frames are transmitted over the network on a best-effort trunk.