System and method for low delay, interactive communication using multiple TCP connections and scalable coding
First Claim
1. An audiovisual communication system including a communication network that uses the IP protocol and has a plurality of TCP connections to carry audiovisual signal data packets between a sender and a receiver, wherein audiovisual signals are scalable-coded by the sender into a set of scalable layers according to a scalable coding structure for transmission over the plurality of TCP connections, and wherein portions of the scalable layers data are designated as key frames, the system comprising:
- a Scheduling Inverse Multiplexer (S-IMUX) coupled to the plurality of TCP connections at the sender, wherein the S-IMUX is configured to schedule transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets over the plurality of TCP connections;
a Feedback Multiplexer (F-MUX) coupled to the plurality of TCP connections at the receiver, wherein the F-MUX is configured to reassemble individual scalable-coded data packets received over different TCP connections in a single packet stream for decoding;
wherein the S-IMUX is configured to;
transmit a non-key frame only once over a TCP connection even if receipt of the non-key frame by the receiver is unacknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
, anddiscard all non-key frames following the unacknowledged non-key frame until the next available key frame in the audiovisual signal;
wherein the S-IMUX is further configured to;
transmit a key frame over a particular open TCP connection; and
if receipt of the key frame over the particular open TCP connection is not acknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
, transmit the unacknowledged key frame over another open TCP connection;
wherein an open TCP connection is a TCP connection that is currently not waiting for an acknowledgement of the receipt of a previous transmission on the TCP connection.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for communication of scaleable-coded audiovisual signals over multiple TCP/IP connections are provided. The sender schedules and prioritizes transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets over the plurality of TCP connections according to their relative importance in the scalable coding structure for signal reconstruction quality and according to receiver feedback. Low-latency packet delivery over the multiple TCP/IP connections is maintained by avoiding transmission or retransmission of packets that are less important for reconstructed media quality.
-
Citations
3 Claims
-
1. An audiovisual communication system including a communication network that uses the IP protocol and has a plurality of TCP connections to carry audiovisual signal data packets between a sender and a receiver, wherein audiovisual signals are scalable-coded by the sender into a set of scalable layers according to a scalable coding structure for transmission over the plurality of TCP connections, and wherein portions of the scalable layers data are designated as key frames, the system comprising:
-
a Scheduling Inverse Multiplexer (S-IMUX) coupled to the plurality of TCP connections at the sender, wherein the S-IMUX is configured to schedule transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets over the plurality of TCP connections; a Feedback Multiplexer (F-MUX) coupled to the plurality of TCP connections at the receiver, wherein the F-MUX is configured to reassemble individual scalable-coded data packets received over different TCP connections in a single packet stream for decoding; wherein the S-IMUX is configured to; transmit a non-key frame only once over a TCP connection even if receipt of the non-key frame by the receiver is unacknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
, anddiscard all non-key frames following the unacknowledged non-key frame until the next available key frame in the audiovisual signal; wherein the S-IMUX is further configured to; transmit a key frame over a particular open TCP connection; and if receipt of the key frame over the particular open TCP connection is not acknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
, transmit the unacknowledged key frame over another open TCP connection;wherein an open TCP connection is a TCP connection that is currently not waiting for an acknowledgement of the receipt of a previous transmission on the TCP connection.
-
-
2. A method for audiovisual communication over a communication network that uses the IP protocol and has a plurality of TCP connections to carry audiovisual signal data packets between a sender and a receiver, wherein audiovisual signals are scalable-coded by the sender into a set of scalable layers according to a scalable coding structure for transmission over the plurality of TCP connections, and wherein portions of the scalable layers data are designated as key frames, the method comprising:
-
at the sender, scheduling transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets of the audiovisual signal over the plurality of TCP connections; at the receiver, reassembling individual scalable-coded data packets received over different TCP connections in a single packet stream for decoding; wherein scheduling transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets of the audiovisual signal over the plurality of TCP connections comprises; transmitting a non-key frame only once over a TCP connection even if receipt of the non-key frame by the receiver is unacknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
; and
,discarding all non-key frames following the unacknowledged non-key frame until the next available key frame in the audiovisual signal; wherein scheduling transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets of the audiovisual signal over the plurality of TCP connections further comprises; transmitting a key frame over a particular open TCP connection; and if receipt of the key frame over the particular open TCP connection is not acknowledged within a pre-determined time period ‘
T’
, transmitting the unacknowledged key frame over another open TCP connection,wherein an open TCP connection that is a TCP connection that is currently not waiting for an acknowledgement of the receipt of a previous transmission on the TCP connection. - View Dependent Claims (3)
-
Specification