CN117459674A - Network bandwidth optimization method for video conference - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a video conference system and a network bandwidth optimization method, wherein the video conference system comprises the following components: the system comprises an encoding server, a streaming media server, a layout server, a host end and a participant end; the streaming media server is used for providing push streaming and pull streaming services of streaming media; the layout server is used for providing conference layout management for the host end, interacting with the coding server and the participant end and providing service of appointed layout flow; the encoding server is used for encoding the audio and video streams of each participant into a layout stream according to the conference layout set by the host, the video in each layout stream is encoded according to the conference layout setting, and the audio in each layout stream contains the audio of all the participants. The invention provides a video conference system and a network bandwidth optimization method, which ensure that the network bandwidth consumed by each conference participant of a video conference is fixed, and the network bandwidth cannot be linearly increased along with the increase of conference participants.

Description

Network bandwidth optimization method for video conference

Technical Field

The invention relates to a network bandwidth optimization method for a video conference.

Background

At present, in a multiparty video conference, each party needs to push its own audio and video stream to a streaming media server, and at the same time, needs to pull all other audio and video streams of participating parties from the streaming media server, which faces a technical problem, and as the number of participating parties increases or the requirement for video quality of each participating party increases, the multiple level of network bandwidth will increase.

The prior art mainly aims at the optimization scheme of the audio and video bandwidth:

1. the compression rate of video coding is improved, and compared with an H.264 coding algorithm, the compression rate is obviously improved, and the coded video with the same quality can save 40 to 50 percent of code streams. The AV1 coding algorithm has a compression rate improved by about 27% as compared with the h.265 coding algorithm, and thus has been the highest compression rate in the world. The scheme can reduce the network bandwidth occupation of the audio and video to a certain extent, but can not solve the problem that the network bandwidth is linearly increased along with the continuous increase of the meeting parties under the video conference scene.

2. The video quality of the meeting participants is reduced, currently, the mainstream video conference factories in the industry all solve the problem of network bandwidth by the method, and a host in the video conference needs to share a screen and needs high-quality video streams, so that the host end keeps high resolution (such as 1080 p), and other meeting participants only push low-resolution video streams (or close the video streams by default). The scheme can really solve the problem of high occupation of network bandwidth in a simple video conference scene. A simple video conference is that the focus of the conference is on a certain "presenter" screen and does not need to pay special attention to other participants. Therefore, in this scenario, other participants push low-resolution video streams, and even close video streams, will not affect the normal development of the video conference. However, if a video conference requires simulcasting, multiple "moderator" pictures are required, and even high definition pictures for each participant, this approach as well can result in an increase in the multiple level of network bandwidth.

In summary, the optimization scheme of high bandwidth occupation in the video conference scene is not perfect in the current industry, and the network bandwidth is linearly increased along with the increase of the number of participants.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to solve the technical problem of overcoming the defects of the prior art and provides a video conference system and a network bandwidth optimization method, which ensure that the network bandwidth consumed by each participant of a video conference is fixed, and the network bandwidth cannot be linearly increased along with the increase of conference participants.

In order to solve the technical problems, the technical scheme of the invention is as follows:

in one aspect, the present invention provides a video conferencing system comprising: the system comprises an encoding server, a streaming media server, a layout server, a host end and a participant end;

the streaming media server is used for providing push streaming and pull streaming services of streaming media;

the layout server is used for providing conference layout management for the host end, interacting with the coding server and the participant end and providing service of appointed layout flow;

the encoding server is used for encoding the audio and video streams of each participant into a layout stream according to the conference layout set by the host, the video in each layout stream is encoded according to the conference layout setting, and the audio in each layout stream contains the audio of all the participants.

Further, the moderator side includes a moderator.

Further, the attendee terminal comprises at least one attendee.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a network bandwidth optimization method for a video conference system, including:

step S1, a host initiates layout setting, and a layout server carries out layout management;

s2, the encoding server acquires all conference layouts, encodes the conference layouts and finally pushes the conference layouts to the streaming media server;

step S3, the host side and the participant side respectively push streams to the streaming media server;

and S4, respectively acquiring conference layout information by the presenter and the conferee, and respectively pulling streams from the streaming media server by the presenter and the conferee.

Further, the step S1 specifically includes the following steps:

step S11, initiating by a host end, and creating one or more conference layouts for the current video conference;

step S12, the layout server manages all conference layouts of the current video conference, and provides a layout query function for the encoding server and each participant terminal.

Further, the step S2 specifically includes the following steps:

s21, the encoding server inquires the current conference layout information from the layout server;

step S22, the encoding server encodes according to the acquired conference layout information and outputs an encoded audio/video stream for each conference layout;

step S23, the encoding server pushes all the encoded audio and video streams to the streaming media server.

Further, the step S3 specifically includes the following steps:

step S31, the host pushes the own audio and video stream to a streaming media server;

step S32, the participant side pushes the audio and video stream of the participant side to the streaming media server.

Further, the step S4 specifically includes the following steps:

step S41, the host acquires all conference layout information from a layout server;

step S42, the host pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information;

step S43, the participant terminal acquires all conference layout information from the layout server;

and S44, the participant terminal pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information.

By adopting the technical scheme, the video conference system introduces the layout server and the coding server, manages the layout of the video conference, codes the audio and video stream of each participant, confirms the layout through the layout server before the participant pulls, and pulls the corresponding audio and video stream. By adopting a mode that each participant in the video conference only pulls one mixed stream, each participant occupies a fixed network bandwidth, and the network bandwidth cannot be linearly increased along with the increase of the participants. Meanwhile, the invention can also be compatible with the optimization scheme for improving the compression rate of video coding in the prior art, namely, the latest AV1 coding algorithm is adopted for coding, so that the occupation of network bandwidth is reduced to the greatest extent.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a videoconferencing system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the network bandwidth optimization method of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a four-grid layout of the conference layout of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings.

Example 1

As shown in fig. 1, the present embodiment provides a videoconferencing system, which includes: the system comprises a coding server, a streaming media server, a layout server, a host end and a participant end, wherein the host end comprises a host, and the participant end comprises at least one participant.

The corresponding functions of the roles involved in the videoconferencing system are described as follows:

1. host person

Pushing flow: the host pushes the high-definition pictures of the host to the streaming media server;

setting a meeting layout: the presenter needs to lay out the picture for the current video conference, namely: a video conference presentation mode and presentation content are specified. In the same video conference, a plurality of layouts can be arranged, so that not only can the switching of different conference layouts in different scenes be solved, but also the problem that a plurality of participants cannot be displayed in one layout can be solved; the meeting layout is specifically as follows: the high-definition pictures of the host and each participant are simultaneously displayed in one picture, and the picture can be in a four-grid, six-grid, nine-grid and other layout modes, and the four-grid layout mode is shown in fig. 3;

then, the encoding server encodes according to the layout set by the host;

and (3) drawing: the host pulls a path of high-definition pictures from the streaming media server, wherein the pictures are video conference pictures coded by the coding server. If there are multiple layouts, then the layout needs to be specified for pull.

2. Conference participant

Pushing flow: the participant terminal pushes the high-definition picture of the current participant to the streaming media server;

and (3) drawing: the participant side pulls a path of high-definition picture from the streaming media server, and the picture is the video conference picture coded by the coding server. If there are multiple layouts, then the layout needs to be specified for pull.

3. Streaming media server

The streaming media server is used for providing push streaming and pull streaming services of streaming media.

4. Layout server

The layout server is used for providing layout management for the host side, interacting with the coding server and the participant side and providing service of appointed layout flow.

5. Encoding server

The encoding server is used for encoding the audio and video streams of each participant into a layout stream according to the layout set by the host, the video in each layout stream is encoded according to the layout set, and the audio in each layout stream contains the audio of all the participants.

Example two

As shown in fig. 2, the present embodiment provides a network bandwidth optimization method of a video conference system as in embodiment one, which includes:

step S1, a host initiates layout setting, and a layout server carries out layout management, and the method specifically comprises the following steps:

step S11, initiating by a host end, and creating one or more conference layouts for the current video conference;

step S12, the layout server manages all conference layouts of the current video conference, and provides a layout query function for the encoding server and each participant terminal.

Step S2, the encoding server acquires all conference layouts, then encodes, and finally pushes streams to the streaming media server, and the method specifically comprises the following steps:

s21, the encoding server inquires the current conference layout information from the layout server;

step S22, the encoding server encodes according to the acquired conference layout information and outputs an encoded audio/video stream for each conference layout;

step S23, the encoding server pushes all the encoded audio and video streams to the streaming media server.

Step S3, the host side and the participant side push streams to the streaming media server respectively, and the method specifically comprises the following steps:

step S31, the host pushes the own audio and video stream to a streaming media server;

step S32, the participant side pushes the audio and video stream of the participant side to the streaming media server.

Step S4, the host side and the participant side respectively acquire conference layout information, and then the host side and the participant side respectively draw streams from the streaming media server, and the method specifically comprises the following steps:

step S41, the host acquires all conference layout information from a layout server;

step S42, the host pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information;

step S43, the participant terminal acquires all conference layout information from the layout server;

and S44, the participant terminal pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information.

The working principle of the network bandwidth optimization method of this embodiment is as follows:

assuming that 10 persons are in a meeting together, each person needs to push his own audio and video stream to the streaming media server (uplink), and pull the audio and video streams of the other 9 persons from the streaming media server (downlink), if the bandwidth of the audio and video stream of each person is 500KB, the bandwidth consumption of each person is: uplink 500KB, downlink 9×500=4.5 MB; by analogy, if there are 20 people in a meeting, then each person's bandwidth consumption is: uplink 500KB, downlink 19×500=9.5 MB.

After the network bandwidth optimization method of the embodiment is applied, after each person pushes the audio and video stream to the streaming media server, the encoding server encodes the audio and video stream of all the person, the actual detected result of the bandwidth consumption after the mixed stream is slightly more than 500KB, and if the calculation is performed according to 1MB, each person only needs to pull one mixed stream of 1MB, the bandwidth consumption of each user is that: 500KB upstream and 1MB downstream. The bandwidth consumption per user is fixed 500KB upstream and 1MB downstream and does not increase with the number of participants.

The technical problems, technical solutions and advantageous effects solved by the present invention have been further described in detail in the above-described embodiments, and it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims (8)

1. A video conferencing system, comprising: the system comprises an encoding server, a streaming media server, a layout server, a host end and a participant end;

the streaming media server is used for providing push streaming and pull streaming services of streaming media;

the layout server is used for providing conference layout management for the host end, interacting with the coding server and the participant end and providing service of appointed layout flow;

the encoding server is used for encoding the audio and video streams of each participant into a layout stream according to the conference layout set by the host, the video in each layout stream is encoded according to the conference layout setting, and the audio in each layout stream contains the audio of all the participants.

2. The video conferencing system of claim 1, wherein: the moderator side includes a moderator.

3. The video conferencing system of claim 2, wherein: the conferee terminal comprises at least one conferee.

4. A method of optimizing network bandwidth of a videoconference system, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising:

step S1, a host initiates layout setting, and a layout server carries out layout management;

s2, the encoding server acquires all conference layouts, encodes the conference layouts and finally pushes the conference layouts to the streaming media server;

step S3, the host side and the participant side respectively push streams to the streaming media server;

and S4, respectively acquiring conference layout information by the presenter and the conferee, and respectively pulling streams from the streaming media server by the presenter and the conferee.

5. The network bandwidth optimization method according to claim 4, wherein the step S1 specifically includes the steps of:

step S11, initiating by a host end, and creating one or more conference layouts for the current video conference;

step S12, the layout server manages all conference layouts of the current video conference, and provides a layout query function for the encoding server and each participant terminal.

6. The network bandwidth optimization method according to claim 4, wherein the step S2 specifically includes the steps of:

s21, the encoding server inquires the current conference layout information from the layout server;

step S22, the encoding server encodes according to the acquired conference layout information and outputs an encoded audio/video stream for each conference layout;

step S23, the encoding server pushes all the encoded audio and video streams to the streaming media server.

7. The network bandwidth optimization method according to claim 4, wherein the step S3 specifically includes the steps of:

step S31, the host pushes the own audio and video stream to a streaming media server;

step S32, the participant side pushes the audio and video stream of the participant side to the streaming media server.

8. The network bandwidth optimization method according to claim 4, wherein the step S4 specifically includes the steps of:

step S41, the host acquires all conference layout information from a layout server;

step S42, the host pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information;

step S43, the participant terminal acquires all conference layout information from the layout server;

and S44, the participant terminal pulls the audio and video stream of the appointed conference layout from the streaming media server according to the conference layout information.