Two-level renegotiated constant bit rate algorithm (2RCBR) for scalable MPEG2 video over QoS networks

摘要

MPEG family codecs generate variable-bit-rate (VBR) compressed video with significant multiple-time-scale bit rate variability. Smoothing techniques remove the periodic fluctuations generated by the codification modes. However, global efficiency concerning network resource allocation remains low due to scene-time-scale variability. RCBR techniques provide suitable means to achieving higher efficiency. Among all RCBR techniques described in literature, 2RCBR mechanism seems to be especially suitable for video-on demand. The method takes advantage of the knowledge of the stored video to calculate the renegotiation intervals and of the client buffer memory to perform work-ahead buffering techniques. 2RCBR achieves 100% bandwidth global efficiency with only two renegotiation levels. The algorithm is based on the study of the second derivative of the cumulative video sequence to find out sharp-sloped inflection points that point out changes in the scene complexity. Due to its nature, 2RCBR becomes very adequate to deliver MPEG2 scalable sequences into the network cause it can assure a constant bit rate to the base MPEG2 layer and use the higher rate intervals to deliver the enhanced MPEG2 layer. However, slight changes in the algorithm parameters must be introduced to attain an optimal behavior. This is verified by means of simulations on MPEG2 video patterns.