QoE-Driven Data Communication Framework for Consumer Electronics in Tele-Healthcare System

The COVID-19 pandemic has elicited interest in the development of novel, low-cost solutions for tele-healthcare that patients can use to consult with doctors using consumer electronics (CEs). Android CEs typically have multiple network interfaces. Simultaneous access to multiple interfaces can greatly enhance users’ quality of experience (QoE). To enhance data transmission throughput and robustness in tele-healthcare systems, we propose a QoE-driven data communication framework which can cater to all types of healthcare apps. The framework includes a QoE-driven congestion controller (QCC) and a QoE-driven MPTCP (multipath transmission control protocol) scheduler (QMS). Different app types correspond to specific QoE parameters that influence the QCC and QMS for meeting diverse healthcare app requirements. No server-side modifications are needed for this framework; only changes on the Android client side are necessary. We implement and experiment with the framework on an Android 13 smartphone in a real environment. Experimental results confirm the framework’s effectiveness and availability, and show that the QCC and QMS reduce completion time for transferring small files by at least 4.71% and for transferring big file by at least 13.94% compared with existing solutions.