Joint Source Coding and Packet Marking for Video Transmission over DiffServ Networks

We consider transmission of video for real-time display over a network offering differentiated services. In such a network, the probability of loss for each video packet is determined by the service class assigned to it. Using information about the error concealment strategy at the decoder and the QoS status of the network, we jointly consider the selection of source coding parameters and packet classification. A minimum cost approach is presented in which the goal is to minimize the cost to transmit a video sequence, while achieving a desired level of video quality, as measured by the expected distortion of the received video sequence. An approach for minimizing the distortion subject to a cost constraint is also discussed. A solution approach based on Lagrangian relaxation and deterministic dynamic programming is presented. Experimental results demonstrate the advantage of simultaneously adapting the source coding and priority assignment.