A reference picture selection scheme for video transmission over ad-hoc networks using multiple paths

Abstract

Enabling video transmission over ad-hoc networks is more challenging than over conventional mobile networks because a connection path in an ad-hoc network is highly error-prone and the path can go down frequently. On the other hand, it is possible to establish multiple paths between a source and a destination, which provides an extra degree of freedom in coding algorithm design. This paper presents a feedback-based reference picture selection scheme for video transmission over ad-hoc networks. Encoded video streams are transmitted over multiple paths and the reference frames for motion compensated prediction are selected according to the feedback information about the paths’ condition. Simulations under the two paths scenario have shown significant improvement over two standard techniques, layered coding and video redundancy coding, which do not use feedback. A novel statistical model for the ad-hoc multi-path environment is also proposed and used in our simulation of transmission loss.