SYSTEMS, METHODS, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING FORWARD ERROR CORRECTION WITH LOW LATENCY

• US 20080098284A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KenCast Inc.
• Original Assignee: KenCast Inc.
• Inventors: Fischer, Michael, Wolfgang, H., Fang, Weimin
• Granted Patent: US 8,707,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/776
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/007 Unequal error protection for format H04L1/0078; for codes per se H03M13/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/522 Dynamic queue service slot or variable bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus and computer program products for providing forward error correction with low latency to live streams in networks are provided, including outputting source data at a rate less than the rate of a source stream, building a buffer, FEC decoding the source data; and outputting the packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

Claims

1. A method for providing forward error correction, comprising:

outputting source data at a rate less than the rate of a source stream;

building a buffer;

FEC decoding the source data; and

outputting the packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

6. A receiver configured to perform the methods of any one of claims 1-2.

2. A method for providing forward error correction, comprising:

outputting source data at a rate less than the rate of the source stream;

building a buffer;

correcting packet losses while the buffer is being built; and

outputting reconstructed source packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

3. A method for providing forward error correction, comprising:

transmitting an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds;

transmitting an unencoded stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream;

receiving the FEC encoded stream and the unencoded stream;

outputting the unencoded stream for the first t seconds;

collecting data from the encoded stream;

after t seconds, FEC decoding the FEC encoded stream; and

outputting the decoded stream.

4. A method for providing forward error correction, comprising:

transmitting an FEC stream using a time window of t seconds;

transmitting a second stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the FEC stream;

receiving the FEC stream and the second stream;

outputting the second stream for the first t seconds;

collecting data from the FEC stream;

after t seconds, FEC decoding the FEC stream; and

outputting the decoded FEC stream.

5. A method for providing forward error correction, comprising:

receiving information about when one or more receivers are operational;

transmitting an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds;

transmitting an unencoded stream of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream, wherein the unencoded stream is transmitted when a receiver is within the first t seconds of receiving it;

receiving the FEC encoded stream and the second stream;

outputting the unencoded stream for the first t seconds;

collecting data from the encoded stream;

after t seconds, FEC decoding the FEC encoded stream; and

outputting the decoded stream.

7. A receiver for providing forward error correction, comprising:

an output unit configured to output source data at a rate less than the rate of a source stream;

a buffer;

an FEC decoder configured to FEC decode the source data; and

said output unit further configured to output the packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

8. A receiver for providing forward error correction, comprising:

an output unit configured to output source data at a rate less than the rate of the source stream;

a buffer;

a correction unit configured to correct packet losses while the buffer is being built; and

said output unit further configured to output reconstructed source packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

9. A system for providing forward error correction, comprising:

at least one transmitter operable to transmit an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds and an unencoded stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream; and

a receiver operable to receive the FEC encoded stream and the unencoded stream, to output the unencoded stream for the first t seconds, collect data from the encoded stream, FEC decode the FEC encoded stream after t seconds, and output the decoded stream.

10. A system for providing forward error correction, comprising:

at least one transmitter operable to transmit an FEC stream using a time window of t seconds and a second stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the FEC stream; and

a receiver operable to receive the FEC stream and the second stream, output the second stream for the first t seconds, collect data from the FEC stream, FEC decoding the FEC stream after t seconds, and output the decoded FEC stream.

11. A system for providing forward error correction, comprising:

at least one transmitter operable to receive information about when one or more receivers are operational, transmit an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds and an unencoded stream of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream, wherein the unencoded stream is transmitted when a receiver is within the first t seconds of receiving it; and

a receiver operable to receive the FEC encoded stream and the second stream, output the unencoded stream for the first t seconds, collect data from the encoded stream, FEC decode the FEC encoded stream after t seconds, and output the decoded stream.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide forward error correction, said control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output source data at a rate less than the rate of a source stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to build a buffer;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to FEC decode the source data; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide forward error correction, said control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output source data at a rate less than the rate of the source stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to build a buffer;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to correct packet losses while the buffer is being built; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output reconstructed source packets at a rate equal to the rate of the source stream.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide forward error correction, said control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an unencoded stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive the FEC encoded stream and the second stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the unencoded stream for the first t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect data from the encoded stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to FEC decode the FEC encoded stream after t seconds; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the decoded stream.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide forward error correction, said control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an FEC stream using a time window of t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit a second stream consisting of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the FEC stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive the FEC stream and the second stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the second stream for the first t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect data from the FEC stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to FEC decode the FEC stream after t seconds; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the decoded FEC stream.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide forward error correction, said control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive information about when one or more receivers are operational;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an FEC encoded stream using a time window of t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an unencoded stream of source packets shifted t seconds with respect to the data in the source stream, wherein the unencoded stream is transmitted when a receiver is within the first t seconds of receiving it;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive the FEC encoded stream and the second stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the unencoded stream for the first t seconds;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect data from the encoded stream;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to FEC decoding the FEC encoded stream after t seconds; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to output the decoded stream.