Distortion-Aware Concurrent Multipath Transfer for Mobile Video Streaming in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

TL;DR

This paper proposes a distortion-aware multipath transfer method for mobile video streaming over heterogeneous wireless networks, optimizing video quality by considering path conditions and QoS requirements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel CMT-DA scheme that incorporates video distortion into multipath data transfer decisions, improving streaming quality in heterogeneous networks.

Findings

CMT-DA achieves higher PSNR and goodput compared to existing schemes.

It effectively reduces end-to-end video distortion, delay, and packet loss.

The approach is validated through extensive semi-physical emulations.

Abstract

The massive proliferation of wireless infrastructures with complementary characteristics prompts the bandwidth aggregation for Concurrent Multipath Transfer (CMT) over heterogeneous access networks. Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is the standard transport-layer solution to enable CMT in multihomed communication environments. However, delivering high-quality streaming video with the existing CMT solutions still remains problematic due to the stringent QoS (Quality of Service) requirements and path asymmetry in heterogeneous wireless networks. In this paper, we advance the state of the art by introducing video distortion into the decision process of multipath data transfer. The proposed Distortion-Aware Concurrent Multipath Transfer (CMT-DA) solution includes three phases: 1) per-path status estimation and congestion control; 2) quality-optimal video flow rate allocation; 3) delay and loss controlled data retransmission. The term `flow rate allocation' indicates dynamically picking appropriate access networks and assigning the transmission rates. We analytically formulate the data distribution over multiple communication paths to minimize the end-to-end video distortion and derive the solution based on the utility maximization theory. The performance of the proposed CMT-DA is evaluated through extensive semi-physical emulations in Exata involving H.264 video streaming. Experimental results show that CMT-DA outperforms the reference schemes in terms of video PSNR (Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio), goodput, and inter-packet delay.