Preferred transmission/streaming order of fine-granular scalability

1. A method for streaming enhancement layer video frame data on a variable bandwidth network, the enhancement layer video frame data having scalable coded residual temporal video frame data and scalable coded residual quality signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) video frame data, the method comprising:

coding original uncoded video data with a non-scalable codec to generate base layer frame data;

generating residual temporal and SNR video frame data from the original uncoded video data and the base layer frame data;

coding the residual temporal and SNR video frame data with a scalable codec to generate the enhancement layer video frame data with the scalable coded residual temporal and SNR video frame data;

allocating a bit-rate R BL for transmitting only the base layer frame data;

allocating a first bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, the first bit-rate range ranging between R BL and R BL +k, wherein k is less than or equal to the bit rate R BL ;

allocating a second bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and the scalable coded SNR frame data, the second bit-rate range ranging between R BL +k and a maximum bit-rate R MAX of the network;

determining an available bit-rate of the variable bandwidth network;

transmitting at least portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, but not the scalable coded SNR frame data, when the available bit-rate is within the first bit-rate range;

transmitting remaining portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and at least portions of the scalable coded SNR frame data when the available bit-rate is within the second bit-rate range.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the base layer frame data includes data for only I and P frames.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the scalable coded residual temporal frame data includes data only for B frames.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the scalable coded SNR video frame data includes only data for I and P frames.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scalable coded residual temporal frame data includes data only for B frames.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scalable coded SNR video frame data includes amity data for I and P frames.

7. A system for streaming enhancement layer video frame data on a variable bandwidth network, the enhancement layer video frame data having scalable coded residual temporal video frame data and scalable coded residual quality signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) video frame data, the system comprising:

means for coding original uncoded video data with a non-scalable codec to generate base layer frame data;

means for generating residual temporal and SNR video frame data from the original uncoded video data and the base layer frame data;

means for coding the residual temporal and SNR video frame data with a scalable codec to generate the enhancement layer video frame data with the scalable coded residual temporal and SNR video frame data;

means for allocating a bit-rate R BL for transmitting only the base layer frame data;

means for allocating a first bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, the first bit-rate range ranging between R BL and R BL +k, wherein k is less than or equal to the bit rate R BL ;

means for allocating a second bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and the scalable code SNR frame data, the second bit-rate range ranging between R BL +k and a maximum bit-rate R MAX of the network;

means for determining an available bit-rate of the variable bandwidth network;

means for transmitting at least portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, but not the scalable coded SNR frame data, when the available bit-rate is within the first bit-rate range;

means for transmitting remaining portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and at least portions of the sealable coded SNR frame data when the available bit-rate is within the second bit-rate range.

8. A video rate controller comprising:

means for allocating a bit-rate R BL for transmitting only the base layer frame date;

means for allocating a first bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, the first bit-rate range ranging between R BL and R BL +k, wherein k is less than or equal to the bit rate R BL ;

means for allocating a second bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and the scalable coded SNR frame data, the second bit-rate range ranging between R BL +k and a maximum bit-rate R MAX of the network;

means for transmitting at least portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, but not the scalable coded SNR tame data, when an available bit-rate of a variable bandwidth network is determined to be within the first bit-rate range;

means for transmitting remaining portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and at least portions of the scalable coded SNR frame data when the available bit-rate is within the second bit-rate range.

9. A computer program for streaming enhancement layer video frame data an a variable bandwidth network, the enhancement layer video frame data having scalable coded residual temporal video frame data and scalable coded residual quality signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) video frame data, computer program stored in a computer readable medium executable by a computer the computer program comprising:

code for coding original uncoded video data with a non-scalable codec to generate base layer frame data;

code for generating residual temporal and SNR video frame data from the original uncoded video data and the base layer frame data;

code for coding the residual temporal and SNR video frame data with a scalable codec to generate the enhancement layer video frame data with the scalable coded residual temporal and SNR video frame data;

code for allocating a bit-rate R BL for transmitting only the base layer frame data;

code for allocating a first bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, the first bit-rate range ranging between R BL and R BL +k, wherein k is less than or equal to the bit rate R BL ;

code for allocating a second bit-rate range for transmitting only the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and the scalable coded SNR frame data, the second bit-rate range ranging between R BL +k and a maximum bit-rate R MAX of the network;

code for determining an available bit-rate of the variable bandwidth network;

code for transmitting at least portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data, but not the scalable coded SNR frame data, when the available bit-rate is within the first bit-rate range;

code for transmitting remaining portions of the scalable coded residual temporal frame data and at least pardons of the scalable coded SNR frame data when the available bit-rate is within the second bit-rate range.