Error resilient scalability for video bit-stream over heterogeneous packet loss networks

Robust transmission of compressed video bit-streams over heterogeneous packet loss network is one of the key challenges in the contemporary video communication system. Recent researches have focused on enhancing error resilience of bit-stream through the deployment of transcoder between wired and wireless networks. However, the conventional error resilient algorithms (e.g., Intra refresh) through cascading decoding and encoding processes usually have high degree of complexity. We introduce in this paper a completely new concept of error resilient scalability. We develop an extremely low complexity scheme based on redundant pictures information. In this scheme, redundant picture information is generated at the encoder and can be applied at media gateway to determine the redundant quantity of bit-stream according to the packet loss rate of access network. By transmitting compressed bit-stream together with redundant picture information, we are able to achieve the desired error resilient scalability of video bit-stream at the media gateway for heterogeneous networks. Joint rate source-channel-distortion model is adopted to optimize the generation of redundant picture information under various packet loss rates. Experimental results demonstrate expected effectiveness of the proposed scheme in error resilience scalability.