Systems and methods for transmitting data over lossy networks

Abstract

An encoder/decoder system usable to decrease the probability of a failed transmission over a lossy wireless network. In one embodiment, data packets unsuccessfully sent over the wireless network may be retransmitted a particular number of times, depending on how important the data in the lost packet is. In another embodiment, when a number of transmission failures is determined to exceed a predetermined threshold, it may be signaled that multiple reference frames should be used for encoding predictions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 transmitting a plurality of encoded data packets over a wireless network; 
 receiving acknowledgment signals for each of said plurality of encoded data packets when successfully transmitted; and 
 determining if a number of transmission failures exceeds a predetermined threshold, and if so, 
 signaling that multiple reference frames should be used for encoding predictions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of encoded data packets are encoded according to an H.264/AVC coding standard. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said wireless network is a lossy wireless network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of retransmission attempts for a particular encoded data packet if not successfully transmitted, wherein said number of retransmission attempts is based at least in part on a type of data in said encoded data packet. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said number of retransmission attempts increases when said type of data in said particular encoded data packet is Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frame data. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the number of transmission failures exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises detecting a decrease in a number of acknowledgment signals being sent. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more slices of said plurality of encoded data packets which were not successfully transmitted; and 
 ceasing to refer to said one or more slices when encoding subsequent frames of said encoded video data. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 estimating a distortion level caused by the unsuccessful receipt of a plurality of lost data packets transmitted over said network; and 
 encoding additional video data using said distortion level to avoid referencing 
 said plurality of lost data packets. 
 
     
     
       9. A system comprising:
 a wireless network; 
 a client coupled to said wireless network, said client including a decoder and a receiver; 
 a server coupled to said wireless network, said sever including an encoder and a transmitter, wherein said server is to,
 transmit a plurality of encoded data packets over the wireless network to said client; 
 receive acknowledgment signals for each of said plurality of encoded data packets when successfully transmitted to said client; and 
 determine if a number of transmission failures exceeds a predetermined threshold, and if so, 
 signal that multiple reference frames should be used for encoding predictions. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of encoded data packets are encoded according to an H.264/AVC coding standard. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein said wireless network is a lossy wireless network. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said server is to further determine a number of retransmission attempts for a particular encoded data packet if not successfully transmitted, wherein said number of retransmission attempts is based at least in part on a type of data in said encoded data packet. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said number of retransmission attempts increases when said type of data in said particular encoded data packet is Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frame data. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining the number of transmission failures exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises detecting a decrease in a number of acknowledgment signals being sent. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said server is to further,
 identify one or more slices of said plurality of encoded data packets which were not successfully transmitted; and 
 cease to refer to said one or more slices when encoding subsequent frames of said encoded video data. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 9 , wherein said server is to further,
 estimate a distortion level caused by the unsuccessful receipt of a plurality of lost data packets transmitted over said network; and
 encode additional video data using said distortion level to avoid referencing said plurality of lost data packets. 
 
 
     
     
       17. A system comprising:
 a server in communication with a wireless network, the server being configured to:   encode a plurality of data packets including a plurality of frames associated with video content;   transmit the plurality of encoded data packets to a client connected to the wireless network;   decompose each of the frames into a plurality of fields;   segment each of the fields into a plurality of slices;   transmit each of the slices associated with a first of the fields over the wireless network to the client; and   transmit each of the slices associated with a second of the fields over the wireless network to the client after transmission of each of the slices associated with the first of the fields.   
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of encoded video data packets are encoded according to an H.264/AVC coding standard. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless network is a lossy wireless network. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the frames is an Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frame. 
     
     
       21. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the fields comprises a plurality of macroblocks, the macroblocks being spatially separated from one another by p macroblocks. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim 21, wherein all macroblocks of the IDR frame are included in the plurality of fields. 
     
     
       23. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is further configured to identify macroblocks not received by the client from the server and interpolate neighboring pixels to estimate pixels of the macroblocks not received by the client. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is further configured to determine which of the video data packets are not to be transmitted from the server to the client due to congestion of the wireless network. 
     
     
       25. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is further configured to transmit each of the plurality of fields on a separate spatial channel. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 17, wherein the server includes an encoder adapted to encode the plurality of data packets including a plurality of frames associated with video content. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 17, further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit each of the slices associated with the first of the fields over the wireless network to the client; and transmit each of the slices associated with the second of the fields over the wireless network to the client after transmission of each of the slices associated with the first of the fields. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 27, wherein the server includes the transmitter. 
     
     
       29. The system of claim 27, wherein the transmitter is separate from the server.