Multi-Path Low Delay Network Codes

TL;DR

This paper proposes a multi-path streaming code with forward error correction to reduce delay in heterogeneous networks, demonstrating minimal delay penalty and significant throughput gains over multiple paths.

Contribution

It introduces a novel multi-path coding scheme that effectively reduces delay and improves throughput in delay-sensitive, multi-interface network environments.

Findings

Delay penalty is minimal when using multiple paths.

Throughput gains are significant with multi-path fusion.

The analysis accurately approximates in-order delivery delay.

Abstract

The capability of mobile devices to use multiple interfaces to support a single session is becoming more prevalent. Prime examples include the desire to implement WiFi offloading and the introduction of 5G. Furthermore, an increasing fraction of Internet traffic is becoming delay sensitive. These two trends drive the need to investigate methods that enable communication over multiple parallel heterogeneous networks, while also ensuring that delay constraints are met. This paper approaches these challenges using a multi-path streaming code that uses forward error correction to reduce the in-order delivery delay of packets in networks with poor link quality and transient connectivity. A simple analysis is developed that provides a good approximation of the in-order delivery delay. Furthermore, numerical results help show that the delay penalty of communicating over multiple paths is insignificant when considering the potential throughput gains obtained through the fusion of multiple networks.