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US 5,541,919 AGranted
Multimedia multiplexing device and method using dynamic packet segmentation
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsMei Yong, Jian Yang, Dennis Ng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method (900) and device (100) in multimedia communication systems for efficiently segmenting information bitstreams from multiple media sources into variable length packets, and multiplexing and sending the packets to a shared communication link with low delay and low overhead. The packet segmentation and multiplexing are performed dynamically based on fullness of a set of information buffers that contain the information bitstreams to be transmitted, and delay-sensitivity of each information bitstreams. The multi-discipline queuing scheme has been developed in this invention to control the dynamic packet segmenting and multiplexing process.
Claims37
A multimedia multiplexing device in a multimedia communication system for segmenting and multiplexing bitstreams from different media sources into variable length packets, said device comprising:
- A) a plurality of information buffers for receiving bitstreams from different media sources and temporarily buffering these bitstreams:
- B) a dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit having a multi-discipline queuing scheme. operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers and to an output channel, for selecting and segmenting information bitstreams into variable length packets, wherein a packet size is dynamically adjusted based at least on a fullness of each of the information buffers and a bit-rate of the output channel, and transmitting the packets to the output channel,
- wherein the dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit having a multi-discipline queuing scheme comprises:
- C) a buffer monitor, operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers, for monitoring the fullness of each information buffer and sending a packet-transmission request to a queuing and segmentation controller when an information buffer has one packet's worth of information bits ready to be sent;
- D) the queuing and segmentation controller, operably coupled to the buffer monitor, to the output channel, and to a packet generator, for receiving packet-transmission request/requests from the buffer monitor, for receiving channel bit-rate information from the output channel, for receiving an end of packet indication from a packet generator, and for modifying a service buffer of a server in accordance with a selected queuing discipline;
- E) the server, operably coupled to the queuing and segmentation controller and to the plurality of information buffers, for receiving a command from the queuing and segmentation controller and for receiving a bitstream from a selected information buffer and passing the selected bitstream to a packet generator;
- and
- F) the packet generator, operably coupled to receive a bitstream from the server, for forming packets and sending packets to the output channel and informing the queuing and segmentation controller each time a packet is sent.
5 more elements
A multimedia multiplexing device in a multimedia communication system for segmenting and multiplexing bitstreams from different media sources into variable length packets, said device comprising:
- A) a plurality of information buffers for receiving bitstreams from the different media sources and temporarily buffering the bitstreams:
- B) a dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit having a multi-discipline queuing scheme, operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers and to an output channel, for:
- B1) dynamically adjusting sizes of packets for the bitstreams based on a fullness of each of the plurality of information buffers and an available bit-rate of the output channel:
- and
- B2) multiplexing the packets in an order based on the multi-discipline gueuing scheme that assigns a higher priority to delay-sensitive source/sources than to delay-insensitive source/sources and provides an effective bandwidth sharing among a plurality of sources,
- wherein the dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit comprises:
- C) a buffer monitor, operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers, for monitoring the fullness of each information buffer and sending a packet-transmission request to a queuing and segmentation controller when an information buffer has one packet worth of information bits ready to be sent;
- D) the queuing and segmentation controller, operably coupled to the buffer monitor, to the output channel, and to a packet generator, for receiving packet-transmission request/requests from the buffer monitor, for receiving channel bit-rate information from the output channel, for receiving an end of packet indication from a packet generator, and for modifying a service buffer of a server in accordance with a selected queuing discipline;
- E) the server, operably coupled to the queuing and segmentation controller and to the plurality of information buffers, for receiving a command from the queuing and segmentation controller and for receiving a bitstream from a selected information buffer and passing the selected bitstream to a packet generator;
- and
- F) the packet generator, operably coupled to receive a bitstream from the server, for forming packets and sending packets to the output channel and informing the queuing and segmentation controller each time a packet is sent.
8 more elements
A multimedia multiplexing method for a multimedia communication system for segmenting and multiplexing bitstreams from different media sources into variable length packets, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) receiving bitstreams from different media sources and temporarily buffering the bitstreams in a plurality of information buffers;
- B) dynamically adjusting, utilizing a dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit, sizes of packets for the information bitstreams based on a fullness of each of the plurality of information buffers and an available bit-rate of the output channel and
- C) multiplexing, utilizing the dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit, the packets in an order based on the multi-discipline gueuing scheme that assigns a higher priority to delay-sensitive source/sources than to delay-insensitive source/sources and provides an effective bandwidth sharing among a plurality of sources,
- wherein the dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit having a multi-discipline queuing scheme utilizes the steps of:
- D) monitoring, by a buffer monitor, the fullness of each information buffer and sending a packet-transmission request to a queuing and segmentation controller when an information buffer has one packet worth of information bits ready to be sent;
- E) utilizing a queuing and segmentation controller for receiving packet transmission request/requests from the buffer monitor, for receiving channel bit-rate information from an output channel, for receiving an end of packet indication from a packet generator, and for modifying a service buffer of a server in accordance with a selected queuing discipline;
- F) utilizing a server for receiving a command from the queuing and segmentation controller and for receiving a bitstream from a selected information buffer and passing the selected bitstream to a packet generator;
- and
- G) utilizing a packet generator for forming packets and sending the packets to the output channel and informing the queuing and segmentation controller each time a packet is sent.
6 more elements
Data Communications Equipment/Data Terminal Equipment having a multimedia multiplexing device in a multimedia communication system for segmenting and multiplexing bitstreams from different media sources into variable length packets, said multimedia multiplexing device comprising:
- A) a plurality of information buffers for receiving bitstreams from the different media sources and temporarily buffering the bitstreams:
- B) a dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit having a multi-discipline queuing scheme, operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers and to an output channel, for:
- B1) dynamically adjusting sizes of packets for the bitstreams based on a fullness of each of the plurality of information buffers and an available bit-rate of the output channel:
- and
- B2) multiplexing the packets in an order based on the multi-discipline queuing scheme that assigns a higher priority to delay-sensitive source/sources than to delay-insensitive source/sources and provides an effective bandwidth sharing among a plurality of sources,
- wherein the dynamic priority-based packet segmentation and multiplexing unit comprises:
- A) a buffer monitor, operably coupled to the plurality of information buffers, for monitoring the fullness of each information buffer and sending a packet-transmission request to a queuing and segmentation controller when an information buffer has one packet worth of information bits ready to be sent;
- B) the queuing and segmentation controller, operably coupled to the buffer monitor, to the output channel, and to a packet generator, for receiving packet-transmission request/requests from the buffer monitor, for receiving channel bit-rate information from the output channel, for receiving an end of packet indication from a packet generator, and for modifying a service buffer of a server in accordance with a selected queuing discipline;
- C) the server, operably coupled to the queuing and segmentation controller and to the plurality of information buffers, for receiving a command from the queuing and segmentation controller and for receiving a bitstream from a selected information buffer and passing the selected bitstream to a packet generator;
- and
- D) the packet generator, operably coupled to receive a bitstream from the server, for forming packets and sending packets to the output channel and informing the queuing and segmentation controller each time a packet is sent.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.