US 8,542,609 B2Granted

Multicast rate optimization

AssigneeGoogle Inc.

InventorErmin Kozica

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Abstract

This invention relates to multicast rate optimization, particularly a method for controlling an encoder (1) in a communications system (3) including a plurality of receivers (2). The method includes partitioning the receivers (2) into at least one cell, and associating each cell with a specific rate that may be used to transmit signals to a receiver (2). According to the inventive method, uncertainties in estimates of conditions of the communications system (3) are taken into account by modelling the conditions, such as the average distortion perceived by the receivers (2), as the outcome of a stochastic variable, thereby accounting for uncertainties in the estimates of the conditions of the communications system (3). The invention also relates to an encoder associated with the method.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for controlling an encoder in a communications system including a plurality of receivers, wherein the encoder output consists of a plurality of streams, and wherein a first decodable subset of the plurality of streams is decoded independently of a second decodable subset of the plurality of the streams, the method including the steps of:

(a) partitioning the plurality of receivers into a plurality of cells, wherein each of the cells is associated with a decodable subset of the streams;
(b) assigning an initial transmission rate to each decodable subset of the streams based on an estimate of available bandwidth for communicating with receivers in the cell associated with the decodable subset of the streams;
(c) for a first cell of the plurality of cells, determining an average distortion perceived by the receivers in the first cell and the receivers in cells bordering the first cell given the initial transmission rate assigned to the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell;
(d) determining whether the average distortion exceeds a threshold distortion;
(e) in response to determining that the average distortion exceeds the threshold distortion, assigning a new transmission rate to the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell, wherein the new transmission rate is based on minimizing the average distortion perceived by the receivers in the cells bordering the first cell;
and
(f) controlling the encoder to output the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell in accordance with the new transmission rate assigned to the decodable subset of the streams;
wherein the decodable subsets of the streams have one or more of the following adaptable properties:
the signal representation length per time unit;
the error resilience;
and
the erasure resilience.

9 more elements

An encoder for use in a communications system including a plurality of receivers, wherein the encoder output consists of a plurality of streams, and wherein a first decodable subset of the plurality of streams is decoded independently of a second decodable subset of the plurality of the streams, the encoder including:

a control unit configured to:
(a) partition the plurality of receivers into a plurality of cells, wherein each of the cells is associated with a decodable subset of the streams,
(b) assign an initial transmission rate to each decodable subset of the streams based on an estimate of available bandwidth for communicating with receivers in the cell associated with the decodable subset of the streams;
(c) for a first cell of the plurality of cells, determine an average distortion perceived by the receivers in the first cell and the receivers in cells bordering the first cell given the initial transmission rate assigned to the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell;
(d) determine whether the average distortion exceeds a threshold distortion;
(e) in response to determining that the average distortion exceeds the threshold distortion, assign a new transmission rate to the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell, wherein the new transmission rate is based on minimizing the average distortion perceived by the receivers in the cells bordering the first cell;
and
(f) control the encoder by outputting the decodable subset of the streams associated with the first cell in accordance with the new transmission rate assigned to the decodable subset of the streams;
and
wherein the decodable subsets of the streams have one or more of the following adaptable properties:
the signal representation length per time unit;
the error resilience;
and
the erasure resilience.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/059,825Filed 20 Aug 2009 · us provisional application
Priority: EP 0816270220 Aug 2008
Published: US 2011/0149833 A123 Jun 2011
Granted: 24 Sep 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H04L 12/1877
Comprising mechanisms for improved reliability, e.g. status reports: measures taken prior to transmission
H04L 65/611
For supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio: for multicast or broadcast
H04L 65/70
Network streaming of media packets: media network packetisation
H04N 21/44209
Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times…

Family

Application61/090,811Us provisional application · filed 21 Aug 2008
US 2011/0149833 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Jun 2011
US 8,542,609 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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