A Layered Hybrid-ARQ Scheme for Scalable Video Multicast Over Wireless Networks

In this paper, the problem of video multicast over a wireless network is studied. A layered hybrid-ARQ scheme is first proposed. It combines hybrid-ARQ with scalable video coding, and provides improved quality of service for video applications with bandwidth or delay constraints. In a wireless multicast group, users often have different channel conditions, whiles the server in the network has to multicast the same bit stream that contains user data and redundancy data for error protection to all the users. This can often create certain "unfairness" among users. In the second half of the paper, we address the problem by formulating it into a Nash bargaining game within the context of the proposed scalable video multicasting. By solving an optimization problem under Game Theory framework, we are able to provide the server with a strategy that is fair and reasonable for all the users.