EP1943601A1 - Procede et appareil de commande d'ecoulement du trafic d'une sequence video - Google Patents

Procede et appareil de commande d'ecoulement du trafic d'une sequence video

Info

Publication number
EP1943601A1
EP1943601A1 EP06831865A EP06831865A EP1943601A1 EP 1943601 A1 EP1943601 A1 EP 1943601A1 EP 06831865 A EP06831865 A EP 06831865A EP 06831865 A EP06831865 A EP 06831865A EP 1943601 A1 EP1943601 A1 EP 1943601A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
video
transmission rate
recited
streaming video
transmitting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06831865A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Neal Goldberg
Daniel Simms
Robert Leichner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Publication of EP1943601A1 publication Critical patent/EP1943601A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
    • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
    • G16H80/00—ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Definitions

  • Video communications are ubiquitous in present society.
  • devices such as computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cellular telephones are adapted to receive video information for display.
  • PDAs personal digital assistants
  • cellular telephones are adapted to receive video information for display.
  • Video is often delivered over a network via an internet protocol (IP) .
  • IP internet protocol
  • One type of video that is often provided over an IP is streaming video.
  • Streaming video is often transmitted over a network.
  • the streaming video may be transmitted over a broadband network.
  • streaming media is transferred in packets over the network.
  • a short amount of the video, perhaps one second, is buffered locally in a streaming video player to average out fluctuations in the channel.
  • the streaming video player plays the video from the buffer which is often a block of local memory (RAM) .
  • RAM local memory
  • Streaming video can require relatively large bandwidth capabilities for efficient transmission. If the medium between the transmitter and the receiver of the streaming video cannot provide the requisite bandwidth, degradation of the quality of the images may result. This degradation can be manifest as artifacts and macroblocking, for example. As the disparity between the bandwidth requirements and the bandwidth availability increases, the severity of the video degradation increases. Illustratively, the duration and severity of artifacts can increase.
  • One approach to ensuring a particular quality of service (QoS) of streaming video is to provide a dedicated endpoint- to-endpoint link for the streaming video. Such a link will ensure a specified bandwidth is maintained. While a dedicated link is useful in providing a guaranteed QoS of streaming video, the use of such a link is reserved for one, or at most a few users. Because each link must be established and equipment is required for each link, the cost and efficiency of such an undertaking is impractical. There is a need for a method and apparatus for providing streaming video that overcomes at least the shortcomings noted above .
  • a method of video communication includes transmitting streaming video over a non-dedicated communication link.
  • the method further includes receiving the streaming video and determining a bandwidth change in the link.
  • the method includes altering the rate of the transmitting based on the change .
  • an apparatus for video transmission and reception includes a media server adapted to transmit streaming video and a video player adapted to receive the streaming video. Based on a bandwidth change in a link between the video player and the media server, the video player is adapted to alter a transmission rate of the streaming video.
  • a method of video communication includes: transmitting streaming video in packets from a media server to a video player at a first transmission rate; determining a number of packets lost in the transmitting; comparing the number of packets lost to a threshold value; and based on the comparing, continuing the transmitting at the first transmission rate or switching the transmitting to a second transmission rate.
  • a method of video communication in a communication system, includes estimating a bandwidth capacity for one or more paths of the video communication. The method also includes based on the estimating, selecting a transmission rate for each of the paths; and transmitting streaming video from a media server to a video player along each path at the selected transmission rate.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a patient information system in accordance with an example embodiment.
  • Fig. 2 is a flow-diagram of a method in accordance with an example embodiment.
  • Fig. 3 is a flow-diagram of a method in accordance with an example embodiment.
  • Fig. 4 is a flow-diagram of a method in accordance with an example embodiment.
  • example embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present teachings.
  • descriptions of well-known devices, hardware, software, methods, systems and protocols may be omitted so as to not obscure the description of the example embodiments. Nonetheless, such hardware, software, devices, methods, systems and protocols that are within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art may be used in accordance with the example embodiments.
  • like reference numerals refer to like features.
  • the example embodiments described relate to a patient information system in which streaming video may be provided to a patient.
  • the patient information system may be as described in the above-referenced application.
  • the present teachings are not limited to patient information system applications.
  • other applications of the present teachings are contemplated and such applications may be effected in embodiments unrelated to patient information systems.
  • the methods and apparati of the present teachings may be implemented in entertainment applications, non-medical educational video services, and video gaming.
  • the methods and apparati of the present teachings result in the communication of streaming video that at most minimally interferes with the QoS of other users of a network.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a patient information system 100 in accordance with an example embodiment.
  • the system 100 includes a patient system 101, a server 102 and a clinician terminal 103.
  • the server 102 and the patient system 101 are in communication via a network 104.
  • the link between the network and the patient terminal is illustratively in accordance with a known internet protocol (IP) .
  • IP internet protocol
  • the network 104 may be a broadband network over coaxial cable or over a fiber-optic link.
  • known components and software may be implemented to realize the networks. For example, in a fiber-optic network equipment such as transceivers would be provided and in the broadband cable network, equipment such as cable-modems would be provided.
  • the network 104 may be a wireless network or a digital subscriber line (XDSL) network.
  • the wireless network would include the infrastructure specified by the protocol of the system.
  • the wireless network could be in compliance with the IEEE 802.11, or its progeny, or compliance with proposed IEEE 802.22, often referred to as spectrum agile radio systems (SARS) .
  • SARS spectrum agile radio systems
  • the XDSL network would be implemented over plain old telephone service (POTS) lines with the requisite XDSL infrastructure.
  • POTS plain old telephone service
  • the clinician terminal 103 may be a personal computer having the requisite presentation layer software (user interface software) for interfacing with the server 102, the network 104 and the patient system 101.
  • the terminal 103 may be connected to a server 102 through a known intranet connection, such as a wired or wireless connection.
  • the server 102 which may be referred to as a host center, and the intranet connection are well-known to one skilled in the art of information technology and as such are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the embodiments .
  • the patient information system 100 includes a plurality of the patient systems 101, a plurality of servers 102 and a plurality of clinician terminals 103 as needed.
  • the server 102 includes a processor 105.
  • the server 102 also includes a measurement server 106, a device database 112 and a media delivery server 108.
  • the server 102 may be an integrated component of hardware, software and firmware. Communications between the network 104 and the processor 105 and the network 104 and the measurement server 106 are illustratively in accordance with the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) .
  • HTTP hypertext transfer protocol
  • the measurement server 106 receives the measurement data from the patient system 101 via the network. These data are analyzed at the measurement server for appropriate action by the clinician. The data garnered from the measurement server 106 are provided via an SQL link to the database 112. In addition, the measurement server 106 provides the measurement analysis (e.g., reports or digests) to the clinician terminal 103 via the intranet.
  • the media delivery server 108 provides the streaming video as well as information in other formats to the patient information system 101.
  • the streaming video may be in accordance with the real time streaming protocol (RTSP) , or the real time protocol (RTP) or the real time control protocol (RTCP) .
  • RTSP real time streaming protocol
  • RTP real time protocol
  • RTCP real time control protocol
  • the processor 105 includes a configuration server 109, a set-top box (STB) server 110 and a STB loader server 111. The details of these components are found in the incorporated application referenced above.
  • STB set-top box
  • the connections between the terminal 103, the server 102 and the patient system 101 are beneficially secure.
  • the connection includes encryption and other known security measures to provide a virtual private network (VPN) in accordance with the virtual private network consortium (VPNC) .
  • VPN virtual private network
  • VPNC virtual private network consortium
  • the secure link may be provided via public access links, such as telephone and coaxial cable lines.
  • public access links such as telephone and coaxial cable lines.
  • LAN local area network wireless
  • WAN wireless wide are network
  • known encryption and security measures may be implemented to ensure that information transmitted over the link is secure.
  • the patient system 101 includes a control module 113 that may be an STB as described in the above-referenced application.
  • the control module 113 may be referred to as a video player.
  • the control module 113 converts and displays streaming video from the media delivery server 108.
  • the control module also includes firmware 114, an STB loader 115, a TV user-interface (UI) 116 and a measurement gateway 117.
  • the firmware 114 and the STB loader are adapted to decode streaming video from the media delivery server 108.
  • the hardware, software and firmware required for this decoding is specific to the protocol used for transmission of the streaming video.
  • a plurality of measurement devices 118 may be included, but not in all systems.
  • the measurement devices may be coupled to the client module 113 by a wired or wireless link.
  • the control module also is coupled to a video display 119 and may be controlled by a remote control device 120. Details of the components and functions of the patient system 101 are described more fully in the above-referenced application.
  • Fig. 2 is a flow-diagram of a method of streaming video traffic control in accordance with an example embodiment. The method is best understood when reviewed in conjunction with Fig. 1 as well. Common details are generally not repeated so as to avoid obscuring the description of the present example embodiments.
  • the patient system 101 receives streaming video.
  • the streaming video is digitized video packet data transmitted in accordance with the RTSP protocol from the media delivery server 108. The decoding of these data is known to one skilled in the art.
  • the patient system 101 determines that a change in the transmission bandwidth of the streaming video link has occurred. The determination of the change in the transmission bandwidth may be accomplished by a number of methods.
  • the firmware 114 and loader 115 of the STB 113 include a decoder.
  • the decoder is adapted to determine the number and severity of artifacts present in a streaming video signal from the media delivery server 108. If there are artifacts, the media delivery server 108 and the network 104 are presently unable to meet the bandwidth of the decoder. Thus, the media delivery server 108 and the network 104 are unable to provide digitized streaming video at a rate required by the control module 113 (video player) to generate uninterrupted video images, and the decoder detects this failure. Alternatively, the bandwidth capability of the media delivery server 113 and the network 104 may be increased. In this case, the control module 113 detects the under-use of capacity.
  • the media delivery server 108 alters the transmission rate.
  • the altering of the transmission rate of the streaming video may be effected to achieve different goals.
  • the STB 113 provides a message to the media delivery server 108 that the transmission rate of the streaming video is too great for the present capacity of the network. With this error message, the STB 113 may include a command to transmit at a lower data rate .
  • the media delivery server 108 is adapted to provide multiple streams of video simultaneously and substantially synchronized. Each stream is provided at a different transmission rate; but only one of the streams may be transmitted to the STB 113 at a time.
  • the command from the STB 113 will include an instruction to switch to a specified lower transmission rate.
  • the different video streams may include indices or markers identifying particular frames of the streaming video. The command would identify a next marker at which to switch to the streaming video of a lower transmission rate.
  • the media delivery server 108 will transmit the selected streaming video to the network 104 for delivery to the STB 113.
  • the STB 113 is adapted to detect transmission errors.
  • a header is provided in the stream of video packets. The header will include the duration and transmission rate of the streaming video.
  • the STB 113 will algorithmically determine the rate of transmission, or quantify the number of packets lost in a particular period of time, or both. After this determination, the STB 113 algorithmically determines a lower rate of transmission.
  • An error message is then sent to the media delivery server 108 with instructions on an action to be taken.
  • the action may include instructing the server 104 to transmit another of the simultaneous video streams at a defined index point.
  • the action may instruct the server 104 to terminate transmission if the bandwidth capability is insufficient to maintain transmission of the streaming video.
  • step 203 the process may be repeated beginning at step 201.
  • the methods of the example embodiments foster providing a suitable streaming video QoS to the patient.
  • the service is lowered, it is acceptable; and if insufficient bandwidth does not exist presently, the video may be viewed at a later time when the network 103 and server 108 can maintain at least a minimum transmission rate.
  • the termination of service will reduce the loading of the network 104 and server 108. As such other users in the network 104 will have improved service. For example, terminating one video stream for a time may suffice to allow the transmission of other video streams at full or reduced transmission rates.
  • Fig. 3 is a flow-diagram of a method of streaming video traffic control in accordance with an example embodiment. The method is best understood when reviewed in conjunction with Fig. 1 as well. Common details are generally not repeated so as to avoid obscuring the description of the present example embodiments.
  • the media delivery server 108 extracts a measure of the packet loss rate of streaming video packets transmitted from the media delivery server 108 to the patient system 101.
  • the method of determining packet loss may be a known method.
  • known techniques of compiling packet-loss statistics from the receiver e.g., the STB 113 may be implemented via the chosen protocol.
  • RTP or RTSP protocols provide for determining packet loss statistics at the receiver of the packets. According to an example embodiment, these data may be provided to the media delivery server 108.
  • the packet loss data is compared to a threshold value.
  • the media delivery server 108 is adapted to algorithmically compare the packet loss data with the threshold value. Notably, there may be more than one threshold value, with each value corresponding to a particular transmission rate. Based on the comparison, the algorithm would determine if any change in the transmission rate is required to maintain a particular QoS; and if a change is required to select the transmission rate most closely related to one of the threshold values. For purposes of illustration, suppose there are three threshold values of packet loss rate, Tl, T2 and T3, where Tl represents the greatest threshold (lowest transmission rate) and T3 represents the lowest threshold (highest transmission rate) . Suppose that the packet loss data were between Tl and T2.
  • the server would select the transmission rate corresponding to the second threshold T2. In this manner, the QoS would be acceptable. If the server 108 were already transmitting at this ⁇ mid' data rate, no change would be required. If the server 108 were transmitting at a higher data rate, the server 108 would change the transmission rate to the middle transmission rate. Finally, if the server 108 were transmitting at a lower data rate, the server 108 would change its transmission rate to a higher data rate.
  • the determination of packet loss of other error correction technique may be carried out based on a number of criteria. For example, sampled transmissions to determined packet loss may be carried out at predetermined time intervals or at specified times; or may be based on data based, such as at selected data points.
  • the sampling rate may be governed by the most recent error data. To this end, if the packet loss data from a most recent sample is near a threshold, the sampling rate may be increased as the likelihood of reaching the threshold level may also be increased.
  • step 303 if the packets lost value is at or above the threshold, the method continues to step 304.
  • step 304 the server will switch to another transmission rate based on the analysis of step 302. If at step 303, the packets lost value is below the threshold, the method continues to step 305. The server will continue to transmit the streaming video at the same rate. At the end of steps 304, 305 the method repeats beginning at step 301.
  • Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of a method of streaming video communication in accordance with an example embodiment. Unlike the methods described to this point, which were dynamic in nature, the present method is more predictive. The method is best understood when reviewed in conjunction with Fig. 1 as well. Common details are generally not repeated so as to avoid obscuring the description of the present example embodiments. Notably, combined methods and apparati for transmitting streaming video incorporating aspects of both the dynamic and the predictive methods of the example embodiments are contemplated.
  • the bandwidth capacity of one or more of the paths between the media delivery server 108 and the STB 113 are estimated. In one embodiment, a static gross map of potential congestion of data traffic in the paths is determined.
  • the potential congestion may be computed based on expected data traffic loading for each path.
  • the static map or the function are illustratively based on locations of receivers (e.g., STBs 113) and network information such as IP addresses and pathchar function call results.
  • the transmission rate (bitrate) for a video stream or a group of video streams may be determined.
  • the estimate will provide capacity levels for data transmission for each path.
  • the server 108 selects a transmission rate commensurate with the loading capacity of the paths.
  • the streaming video is transmitted at the selected transmission rate.
  • a sequence of streams are transmitted at selected transmission rates based on the predicted traffic loading of the paths between the server 108 and the STB 113 at the time of transmission of each video stream.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Primary Health Care (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé et un appareil pour transmettre une séquence vidéo. Ce procédé et cet appareil impliquent la modification dynamique de la vitesse de transmission sur la base de considérations de bande passante et/ou la prévision d'une disponibilité de bande passante dans un réseau.
EP06831865A 2005-10-25 2006-10-03 Procede et appareil de commande d'ecoulement du trafic d'une sequence video Withdrawn EP1943601A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US73008805P 2005-10-25 2005-10-25
US75016705P 2005-12-14 2005-12-14
PCT/IB2006/053614 WO2007049165A2 (fr) 2005-10-25 2006-10-03 Procede et appareil de commande d'ecoulement du trafic d'une sequence video

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1943601A1 true EP1943601A1 (fr) 2008-07-16

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ID=37968201

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06831865A Withdrawn EP1943601A1 (fr) 2005-10-25 2006-10-03 Procede et appareil de commande d'ecoulement du trafic d'une sequence video

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1943601A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2009514303A (fr)
WO (1) WO2007049165A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11095583B2 (en) 2007-06-28 2021-08-17 Voxer Ip Llc Real-time messaging method and apparatus
US8180029B2 (en) * 2007-06-28 2012-05-15 Voxer Ip Llc Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus
KR101877535B1 (ko) * 2018-02-12 2018-07-11 한화에어로스페이스 주식회사 스트리밍 영상 암호화 방법과 컴퓨터 프로그램 및 스트리밍 영상 복호화 방법과 컴퓨터 프로그램
US20240098031A1 (en) * 2022-09-14 2024-03-21 Help/Systems, Llc Data communication with transmission rate adjustment

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2007049165A2 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2009514303A (ja) 2009-04-02
WO2007049165A8 (fr) 2007-11-01
WO2007049165A2 (fr) 2007-05-03

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