Method and system for delivering MPEG video over bursty communication channels
View Patent ↗A system for compensating for timing violations of time restricted data being transmitted over a bursty communication channel. The system includes a retriever, coupled to a buffer, for retrieving the time restricted data from the buffer, at a retrieval rate, a buffer level monitor, coupled to the buffer, for monitoring the level of time restricted data in the buffer at a monitoring rate and a controller coupled to the buffer level monitor and to the retriever, for setting the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate.
1. A system for compensating for timing violations of time restricted data being transmitted over a bursty communication channel, the system comprising:
a retriever, coupled to a buffer, for retrieving the time restricted data from the buffer, at a retrieval rate;
a buffer level monitor, coupled to the buffer, for monitoring the level of time restricted data in the buffer at a monitoring rate; and
a controller coupled to the buffer level monitor and to the retriever, for setting the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate; wherein the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate are responsive to low frequency changes in the level of time restricted data in the buffer.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller sets the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate, according to the level of the time restricted data in the buffer.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the retrieval rate is increased when the difference between the level of the time restricted data in the buffer and a predefined threshold level exceeds a predefined difference threshold.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the retrieval rate being responsive to the difference between the level of the time restricted data in the buffer and a predefined threshold level.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change the monitoring rate and the retrieval rate to compensate for jitter included in the time-restricted data.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the removal interval is responsive to a current bit rate of the time restricted data.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller sets the monitoring rate in response to the level of jitter included in the time restricted data.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring rate and the retrieval rate are set in view of a statistical analysis of the level of time restricted data in the buffer.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the monitoring rate in response to changes in the bit rate of arriving time-restricted data.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller modifies the retrieval rate, when said controller detects that the behavior of said current level exceeds a given behavior and adjusts said retrieval rate accordingly.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said buffer is a first in first out buffer.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the time restricted data is in a form of MPEG Transport packet.
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the type of said bursty communication channel is selected from the list consisting of:
Ethernet;
Fast Ethernet;
Gigabit Ethernet;
TCP/IP;
RTP; and
UDP/IP.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the timing violations are selected from the group consisting of:
delay; and
Jitter.
15. A system for transferring time restricted data over a jitter including channel, the system comprising:
a retriever, coupled to a buffer, for retrieving the time restricted data from the buffer, at a retrieval rate;
a buffer level monitor, coupled to the buffer, for monitoring the level of time restricted data in the buffer at a monitoring rate; and
a controller coupled to the buffer level monitor and to the retriever, for setting the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate; wherein the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate are responsive to low frequency changes in the level of time restricted data in the buffer.
16. A Method for controlling a buffer containing time restricted data received over a bursty communication channel, the method comprising the steps of:
setting a time interval between sequential retrievals of time restricted data from a buffer and a monitoring time at which the buffer level of said time restricted data in said buffer is to be monitored; wherein the retrieval rate and the monitoring rate are responsive to low frequency changes in the level of time restricted data in the buffer;
monitoring said buffer level at said monitoring time;
increasing said interval when said buffer level is lower than an upper threshold; and
decreasing said interval when said buffer level is lower than a lower threshold.