Video-communication in mobile networks

• US 8,964,575 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Franceschini, Daniele, Calvi, Andrea, Bottiero, Bruno, Porta, Alessandro, Guglielmi, Gianni, Oldrini, Stefano
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US11/658,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,501 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/329, 370/352, 370/395.21, 370/477, 348/14.02, 348/14.12, 455/67.11, 455/452.2, 725/118, 725/148
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

A video-communication service in a mobile communication network using a packet-switched connection, in which a monitoring of a radio channel portion is performed at the mobile stations of the users involved in the communication. Parameters of the video communication (e.g. the coding rate) are adjusted based on a result of the monitoring of the radio channel portion.

Claims

1. A method of performing a communication between a first and a second user in a mobile communication network, the first and the second users being provided with respective first and second mobile stations, comprising:

establishing a packet-switched connection between said first and said second mobile station, the packet switched connection comprising at least one radio channel portion;

transmitting a video component from said first to said second mobile station on said packet-switched connection;

continuously monitoring, during the transmitting, a quality of said at least one radio channel portion; and

adjusting, by the first mobile station or the second mobile station during the transmitting, at least one parameter related to quality of said video component as a function of an available bandwidth on the packet-switched connection, based on a result of said monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the quality of said radio portion comprises determining if the radio channel portion quality is above a first predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a metric for measuring the radio channel portion quality is based on at least one among the following:

signal over interference ratio, block error ratio, overall power in band, radio throughput, received signal strength, bit error rate, power level associated with a pilot channel, energy spectral density associated with a pilot channel, and load of a cell of said mobile communication network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting of said at least one parameter related to said quality of said video component comprises selecting a higher coding rate if said radio channel portion quality is above said first predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of said radio channel portion quality comprises determining if said radio channel portion quality is below a second predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first predetermined threshold is higher than said second predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of said at least one parameter related to said quality of said video component comprises generating a plurality of still images if said radio channel portion quality is below said second predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting of said video component is performed at a coding rate of at least 10 kbit/s.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said coding rate is at least 20 kbit/s.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a circuit-switched connection between said first and said second mobile station.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the establishment of said packet-switched connection is started based on a reception, at the first or second mobile station, of an acknowledgement of the establishment of said circuit-switched connection.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one radio channel portion comprises a first radio channel portion between the first mobile station and an associated first base transmitter station.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the monitoring of the quality of said radio channel portion comprises a monitoring of a quality of said first radio channel portion performed by said first mobile station.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining an available first bandwidth on the first radio channel portion, based on said monitoring of the quality of said first radio channel portion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one radio channel portion further comprises a second radio channel portion between the second mobile station and an associated second base transmitter station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring of the quality of said radio channel portion comprises a monitoring of a quality of said second radio channel portion performed by said second mobile station.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining an available second bandwidth on the second radio channel portion based on said monitoring of the quality of said second radio channel portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting of at least one parameter related to said quality of said video component based on a result of said monitoring of the quality of said radio channel portion comprises adjusting said at least one parameter based on a matching between the first and the second available bandwidth.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishment of said packet-switched connection comprises an exchange of signaling messages between the first and the second mobile stations.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling messages comprise a first signaling message sent from the first mobile station toward the second mobile station.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining of the first available bandwidth is performed after a transmission of said first signaling message from said first mobile station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining of the second available bandwidth is performed after a reception of said first signaling message at said second mobile station.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said signaling messages comprise a second signaling message sent from the second mobile station to the first mobile station, subsequently to a reception of said first signaling message by said second mobile station.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said second signaling message carries information related to said second available bandwidth.

25. A mobile station adapted for performing a communication in a mobile communication network, comprising:

a first unit adapted to code/decode a video component of the communication;

a second unit associated with the first unit, the second unit being adapted to establish at least a packet-switched connection comprising a radio channel portion, and to transmit said video component on said packet-switched connection; and

a third unit adapted to continuously monitor, during the transmitting, a quality of said radio channel portion,

wherein said first unit is associated with said third unit and said first unit is also adapted to adjust, during the transmitting, at least one parameter related to quality of said video component as a function of an available bandwidth on the packet-switched connection, based on an output of said third unit.

26. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said third unit is also adapted to determine if the radio channel portion quality is above a first predetermined threshold.

27. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein a metric for measuring the radio channel portion quality is based on at least one among the following:

signal over interference ratio, block error ratio, overall power in band, with radio throughput, received signal strength, bit error rate, power level associated with a pilot channel, energy spectral density associated with a pilot channel, signal to interference ratio, and load of a cell of said mobile communication network.

28. The mobile station of claim 26, wherein said first unit is adapted to select a higher coding rate of said video component if said radio channel portion quality is above said first predetermined threshold.

29. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said third unit is also adapted to determine if said radio channel portion quality is below a second predetermined threshold.

30. The mobile station of claim 29, wherein said first predetermined threshold is higher than said second predetermined threshold.

31. The mobile station of claim 29, wherein said first unit is adapted to generate a plurality of still images if said radio channel portion quality is below said second predetermined threshold.

32. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said first unit is adapted to code/decode said video component at a coding rate of at least 10 kbit/s.

33. The mobile station of claim 32, wherein said first unit is adapted to code/decode said video component at a coding rate of at least 20 kbit/s.

34. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said second unit is also adapted to establish a circuit-switched connection.

35. The mobile station of claim 34, wherein said first unit is adapted to start the establishment of said packet-switched connection based on a reception of an acknowledgement of an establishment of said circuit-switched connection.

36. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said third unit is also adapted to determine an available bandwidth on the radio channel portion, based on the monitoring of the quality of said radio channel portion.

37. The mobile station of claim 36, wherein said output of said third unit comprises said available bandwidth.

38. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said second unit is also adapted to send or receive signaling messages on said packet-switched connection.

39. The mobile station of claim 38, wherein said signaling messages are exchanged with a further mobile station.

40. The mobile station of claim 39, wherein said signaling messages comprise a first signaling message sent from the mobile station toward said further mobile station.

41. The mobile station of claim 40, wherein said third unit is adapted to determine said available bandwidth after a transmission of said first signaling message from said mobile station.

42. The mobile station of claim 39, wherein said signaling messages comprise a second signaling message received by some mobile station from said further mobile station.

43. The mobile station of claim 42, wherein said third unit is adapted to determine said available bandwidth after a reception of said second signaling message at said second mobile station.

44. The mobile station of claim 43, wherein said second unit is also adapted to send a third signaling message from the mobile station to the further mobile station, subsequently to a reception of said second signaling message by said mobile station.

45. The mobile station of claim 44, wherein said third signaling message carries information related to said available bandwidth.