System and Method for Utilizing Forward Error Correction with Video Compression

A system comprising a memory for storing program code and a processor for processing the program code to perform the operations of:

• encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format;
• transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device;
• receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has not been successfully received and/or decoded;
• in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded, then either encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format or encoding the new video frame to be dependent on the last video frame or portion thereof known to have been successfully received and/or decoded, and:
• (1) if no forward error correction (FEC) coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using FEC coding;
• or
• (2) if a first FEC coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using a second FEC coding, the second FEC coding being a relatively stronger FEC coding than the first FEC coding;
• and
• transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device.

A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

• encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format;
• transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device;
• receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has not been successfully received and/or decoded;
• in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded, then either encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format or encoding the new video frame to be dependent on the last video frame or portion thereof known to have been successfully received and/or decoded, and:
• (1) if no forward error correction (FEC) coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using FEC coding;
• or
• (2) if a first FEC coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using a second FEC coding, the second FEC coding being a relatively stronger FEC coding than the first FEC coding;
• and
• transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device.