Adaptive video coding for mobile wireless networks

Abstract

Wireless video transmission over a dynamic network requires adaptation to changes in bandwidth, network traffic, and channel characteristics. New computing hardware and algorithms are needed that enable low-power, flexible, adaptive, and robust video communication in hostile environments with no access to an installed communications infrastructure. The coding algorithms we are developing are based on subband decomposition using integer-coefficient filters, and adaptively deliver video at rates between 60 kbits/sec and 600 kbits/sec in accordance with the available bandwidth. Robustness in the variable length coder is obtained by using low-overhead Reed-Solomon block codes, by performing intra-frame coding only, and by using end-of-frame and end-of-subband symbols to maintain both inter- and intra-frame synchronization.<>