Method and apparatus for assessing quality of video stream

A method for assessing the quality of a stream of frames of video data, wherein the video data are transmitted via a packet network and each frame of video data is represented by a variable number of packets, the method comprising:

• receiving a sequence of packets associated with the stream of frames of video data;
• extracting a set of parameters from said sequence of packets, at least one of said set of parameters comprising a parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice;
• and
• generating an estimated mean opinion score based on said set of parameters;
• wherein the video data comprise a slice level and wherein the extracted set of parameters was generated and inserted into said sequence of packets before transmitting the video data via the packet network and comprises at least one parameter that refers individually to the slice level of the video;
• wherein the parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice in the extracted set of parameters comprises, for inter-coded slices, a calculation of a ratio of intra-coded macroblocks and total number of macroblocks in the slice, and wherein for intra-coded slices the parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice is set to zero.

An apparatus for enabling quality assessment of a stream of frames of video data, wherein the video data are transmitted via a packet network and each frame of video data is represented by a variable number of packets, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a sequence of packets associated with the stream of frames of video data;
• computing means for generating, a set of parameters from said sequence of packets, the set of parameters being suitable for generating an estimated mean opinion score for the stream of frames of video data, one parameter of said generated set of parameters comprising a parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice, said generating of said parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level comprises, for inter-coded slices, calculating a ratio of intra-coded macroblocks and total number of macroblocks in the slice, and wherein for intra-coded slices the parameter is set to zero;
• and
• inserting means for inserting said generated set of parameters as side information into said stream of frames;
• wherein the video data comprise a slice level and wherein the generated set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that refers to the slice level of the video.

An apparatus for assessing the quality of a stream of frames of video data, wherein the video data are transmitted via a packet network and each frame of video data is represented by a variable number of packets, the apparatus comprising

• receiving means for receiving a sequence of packets associated with the stream of frames of video data;
• extraction means for extracting a set of parameters from said sequence of packets, at least one of said set of parameters comprising a parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice:
• and
• computing means for generating an estimated mean opinion score based on said set of parameters;
• wherein the video data comprise a slice level and wherein the extracted set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that refers to the slice level of the video;
• wherein the parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice in the extracted set of parameters comprises, for inter-coded slices, a calculation of a ratio of intra-coded macroblocks and total number of macroblocks in the slice, and wherein for intra-coded slices the parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice is set to zero.

An apparatus for enabling quality assessment of a stream of frames of video data, wherein the video data are transmitted via a packet network and each frame of video data is represented by a variable number of packets, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor and an associated memory adapted to:
• receive a sequence of packets associated with the stream of frames of video data;
• generate a set of parameters from said sequence of packets, the set of parameters being suitable for generating an estimated mean opinion score for the stream of frames of video data, one parameter of said generated set of parameters comprising a parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level for a slice, said generating of said parameter indicating an error propagation attenuation level comprises, for inter-coded slices, calculating a ratio of intra-coded macroblocks and total number of macroblocks in the slice, and wherein for intra-coded slices the parameter is set to zero;
• and
• insert said generated set of parameters as side information into said stream of frames;
• wherein the video data comprise a slice level and wherein the generated set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that refers individually to the slice level of the video.