Adaptive unequal error Protection for scalable video streaming

Abstract

To accommodate the growing demand for video streaming, the concept of Scalable Video Coding (SVC), also referred to as layered video coding, became the center of research efforts, which generates multiple inter-dependent video layers, including a Based Layer (BL) and multiple Enhancement Layers (ELs). Due to the fact that the ELs are encoded and decoded with reference to the BL, the decodability of the ELs is directly conditioned on that of the BL. This requirement benefits from Unequal Error Protection (UEP) techniques in terms of improving the attainable video quality by offering the strongest protection for the most important video bits. In this treatise, we mainly focus our attention on the physical layer based UEP techniques, including physical layer Forward Error Correction (FEC) and modulation techniques. Specifically, we consider a pair of FEC techniques, namely Inter-Layer FEC (IL-FEC) and variable-rate FEC schemes. Additionally, physical layer based UEP can also be achieved with the aid of modulation techniques. For example, the Hierarchical Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (HQAM) scheme is capable of providing simple UEP by mapping the more important bits to the specific constellation points having a larger Euclidean distance. Similarly, typical UEP relying on Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) schemes feeds the more important bits to the specific MIMO subchannel experiencing better channel quality. Against the aforementioned background, in this thesis, we design physical layer based adaptive UEP for layered video streaming. Firstly, we exploit modulation based UEP by invoking optimal power-sharing assisted Superposition Coding (SC) schemes for video broadcasting services, where the bits of the various video layers are conveyed by different modulation modes relying on optimized power in order to maximize the overall video performance. Additionally, the UEP potential of the Index Modulation (IM) is investigated relying on a sophisticated Multi-Set Space-Time Shift Keying (MS-STSK), which provides a bit mapping assisted UEP scheme by feeding the source bits into the MS-STSK subchannels according to their importance. Moreover, the family of channel FEC based UEP techniques is also discussed. Specifically, we modify the conventional IL-FEC technique to provide UEP for the ELs, where an adaptive IL-FEC scheme is proposed for providing a gracefully decaying video performance erosion in the face of channel quality degradation. Finally, a variable FEC code-rate scheme is conceived for scalable panoramic video streaming.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Yanqing Zhang: orcid.org/0000-0003-2349-1925

ORCID for Lajos Hanzo: orcid.org/0000-0002-2636-5214

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