Flexible Adaptive Multiple Description Coding for Video Transmission

A channel adaptive multiple description video codec is presented with flexible redundancy allocation based on modeling and minimization of the end-to-end distortion. We employ a three-loop multiple description coding scheme for which we develop models that estimate the rate-distortion performance of the side encoders as well as the overall end-to-end distortion given channel statistics. A simple yet effective algorithm is formulated for determining appropriate levels of redundancy given a total bit rate and channel estimates in the form of packet error rates. The experimental results presented validate the proposed models over various channels conditions. The performance and adaptivity of the codec is evaluated through extensive simulations with a 22 wireless multiple input multiple output system. A gain of more than 10 dB can be achieved compared to a non-adaptive system and even larger gains can be had relative to typical single description transmissions.