Characteristics Aware Video Packet Dropping and Packet Wash
Lijun Dong, Richard Z. Li · 2024
In the current implementation, the network layer lacks awareness of the specific characteristics of data within packet payloads. This limitation prevents the network from recognizing the importance of individual packets during their transmission through the network. However, with the increasing prevalence of video streaming as the primary form of Internet traffic, there is a need to address this issue. To tackle this problem, the paper presents an example using MPEG video and proposes mechanisms that allow the network to identify video packets of higher significance. By doing so, these critical packets can be prioritized and prevented from being discarded during instances of network congestion. Furthermore, the proposed mechanisms can be expanded to encompass packets containing multiple video frames with varying priorities. This approach leverages the concept of Qualitative Communication and a corresponding packet wash operation. As a result, video frames that are more important to the decoder can better withstand the risk of being dropped during transmission, especially when facing network congestion. Ultimately, these improvements in packet prioritization and transmission contribute to enhancing the Quality of Experience (QoE) for video receivers.