Multimedia server with simple adaptation to dynamic network loss conditions

• US 20050249240A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Girellini, Daniel, Boyce, Jill Macdonald
• Application Number:
  US10/517,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/24 Variable rate codecs, e.g. for generating different qualities using a scalable representation such as hierarchical encoding or layered encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0017 where the mode-switching is based on Quality of Service requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/004 by using forward error control H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/007 Unequal error protection for format H04L1/0078; for codes per se H03M13/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0078 Avoidance of errors by organising the transmitted data in a format specifically designed to deal with errors, e.g. location forward error control, e.g. FEC, CRC H04L1/004; adaptive formatting H04L1/0006; mappings H04L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0086 Unequal error protection H04L27/00 and H04L1/004 take precedence for layer 1/2 aspects, e.g. bit loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1877 Measures taken prior to transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0098 Unequal error protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/159 Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/187 the unit being a scalable video layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/31 in the temporal domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/37 with arrangements for assigning different transmission priorities to video input data or to video coded data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/577 Motion compensation with bidirectional frame interpolation, i.e. using B-pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/67 : involving unequal error protection [UEP], i.e. providing protection according to the importance of the data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/89 : involving methods or arrangements for detection of transmission errors at the decoder

Abstract

A method for transmitting prioritized data encoded by a Forward Error Coding operation wherein a media object is separated into different classes of data forming a base layer and at least one enhancement layer of information, with each layer having associated parity data. Data of the separated media object, formed of classified data, is later encoded and stored, whereby information of the base layer is assigned a higher priority for transmission than enhancement layer data. Such priority classifications are used when a server transmits the classified data over a network fabric as prioritized data. Optionally, the composition of transmitted classified data is adjusted in view of a change in network conditions.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data representing a media object encoded into classified data representing base layer information and enhancement layer information through a network fabric comprising the steps of:

transmitting a composition of the classified data as prioritized data in response to network conditions wherein the classified data comprises at least one of base layer information with associated parity information;

adjusting a composition of prioritized data for transmission in response to a change in network conditions wherein the composition of classified data is modified with enhancement layer information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the classified data is pre-encoded.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step is enabled by a multimedia server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritized data is encoded by an encoding operation selected from at least one of:

temporal scalability and data partitioning.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritized data is transmitted as data packets that are sequentially numbered.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step reduces an amount of the enhancement layer information and increases an amount of the base layer parity data forming the composition of priority data when network conditions degrade rendering the media object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step reduces an amount of the base layer information and associated parity information and increases an amount of the enhancement layer information and associated parity data forming the composition of priority data when network conditions are favorable for rendering the media object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the classified data is pre-encoded by a forward error correction code operation using Reed Solomon codes and the classified data is stored according to data class.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a multimedia server selects the composition of prioritized data to be transmitted based on network conditions by accessing a data store corresponding to data class.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein more than one layer of enhancement information and associated priority data form the classified data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein network conditions considered during the transmission step comprise as least one of:

available bandwidth, expected loss of transmitted data, actual loss of transmitted data based on a user profile, historic network conditions, and a specific request for the composition of classified data transmitted as the prioritized data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein network conditions considered during the adjustment step comprise at least one of:

a change in available bandwidth, a change in the expected loss of transmitted data, a change in the loss of transmitted data, and a request to change the composition of classified data transmitted as the prioritized data.

13. A method for communicating data representing a media object comprising the steps of:

determining network conditions;

transmitting prioritized data in accordance with network conditions, wherein

the prioritized data is generated as a composition of classified data representing at least one base layer of information and at least one enhancement layer of information with parity data being associated with each layer of information; and

the composition of transmitted base layer information with associated parity data and the enhancement layer information with associated parity data is determined in response to network conditions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein more base layer parity data is transmitted in the composition of classified data when network conditions result in a loss of data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein more enhancement layer information is transmitted in the composition of classified data when network conditions result in more data being successfully received.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein prioritized data is sent in the form of data packets.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein data packets are packed with more enhancement layer information with associated parity data when space is available.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the composition of classified data transmitted as the prioritized data is changed in response to a request from a decoder.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein network conditions considered during the determination step comprise as least one of:

available bandwidth, expected loss of transmitted data, actual loss of transmitted data based on a user profile, historic network conditions, and a specific request for the composition of classified data transmitted as the prioritized data.

20. A method for decoding communicated data representing a media object comprising the steps of:

processing prioritized data, wherein the prioritized data represents a composition of classified data that is pre-encoded into at least one base layer of information and at least one enhancement layer of information with parity data being associated with each layer of information; and

requesting that the composition of classified data transmitted as prioritized data change to reflect different network conditions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing step uses Forward Erasure Correction (FXC) for generating missing layer information from the parity data associated with the layer missing such information.