Using RTCP statistics for media system control
View Patent ↗Methods for using communication network statistics in the operation of a real-time communication system are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may provide improved playback of real-time media streams by incorporating into the algorithms used for playback of the media stream network statistics typically calculated by some transport protocols. An additional aspect of the present invention may include machine-readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the foregoing.
1. A method for using communication network statistics in the operation of a real-time communication terminal, the method comprising:
transferring at least one real-time media stream between a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal using a real-time communication protocol;
calculating at the first communication terminal a first estimate of a network statistic, the first estimate of the network statistic being a measure of the operation of the real-time communication protocol; and
adjusting the operation of at least one algorithm used for operating at least one jitter buffer during the playback of the at least one real-time media stream at the first communication terminal or the second communication terminal, when the first estimate of the network statistic diverges, by greater than a certain amount, from a second estimate of the network statistic produced by the at least one algorithm.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises packetized speech.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises packetized video.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of network delay jitter.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network statistic comprises the fraction of packets lost.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for network delay jitter.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to cancel or suppress echo.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the algorithm to cancel or suppress echo is less aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively lower and more aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively higher.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for loss of packet data.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the real-time communication protocol is one of the real time protocols described in the Internet Engineering Task Force Request for Comments 1889.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one jitter buffer comprises at least two jitter buffers.
14. The one or more circuits of claim 13 , wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises a real-time media stream of speech data and a real-time media stream of video.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the algorithm for operating the at least one jitter buffer is adjusted whenever the first estimate of the network statistic rises above the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a first amount, or whenever the first estimate of the network statistic drops below the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a second amount.
16. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for using communication network statistics in the operation of a real-time communication terminal, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:
transferring at least one real-time media stream between a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal using a real-time communication protocol;
calculating at the first communication terminal a first estimate of a network statistic, the first estimate of the network statistic being a measure of the operation of the real-time communication protocol; and
adjusting the operation of at least one algorithm used for operating at least one jitter buffer during the playback of the at least one real-time media stream at the first communication terminal or the second communication terminal, when the first estimate of the network statistic diverges, by greater than a certain amount, from a second estimate of the network statistic produced by the at least one algorithm.
17. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises speech data.
18. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises video.
19. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of network delay jitter.
20. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
21. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the network statistic comprises the fraction of packets lost.
22. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for network delay jitter.
23. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to cancel or suppress echo.
24. The machine-readable storage of claim 23 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
25. The machine-readable storage of claim 24 wherein the algorithm to cancel or suppress echo is less aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively lower and more aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively higher.
26. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for loss of packet data.
27. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the real-time communication protocol is one of the real time protocols described in the Internet Engineering Task Force Request for Comments 1889.
28. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 , wherein the at least one jitter buffer comprises at least two jitter buffers.
29. The machine-readable storage of claim 28 , wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises a real-time media stream of speech data and a real-time media stream of video.
30. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 , wherein the algorithm for operating the at least one jitter buffer is adjusted whenever the first estimate of the network statistic rises above the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a first amount, or whenever the first estimate of the network statistic drops below the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a second amount.
31. One or more circuits for a real-time communication terminal, the one or more circuits comprising:
at least one processor operably coupled to a communication network, the at least one processor operable to, at least:
transfer at least one real-time media stream between a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal using a real-time communication protocol;
calculate at the first communication terminal a first estimate of a network statistic, the first estimate of the network statistic being a measure of the operation of the real-time communication protocol; and
adjust the operation of at least one algorithm used for operating at least one jitter buffer during the playback of the at least one real-time media stream at the first communication terminal or the second communication terminal, when the first estimate of the network statistic diverges, by greater than a certain amount, from a second estimate of the network statistic produced by the at least one algorithm.
32. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises packetized speech.
33. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises packetized video.
34. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of network delay jitter.
35. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
36. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the network statistic comprises the fraction of packets lost.
37. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for network delay jitter.
38. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to cancel or suppress echo.
39. The one or more circuits of claim 38 wherein the network statistic comprises an estimate of round trip delay between the first terminal and the second terminal.
40. The one or more circuits of claim 39 wherein the algorithm to cancel or suppress echo is less aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively lower and more aggressive when the round trip delay is relatively higher.
41. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the at least one algorithm comprises an algorithm to compensate for loss of packet data.
42. The one or more circuits of claim 31 wherein the real-time communication protocol is one of the real time protocols described in the Internet Engineering Task Force Request for Comments 1889.
43. The one or more circuits of claim 31 , wherein the at least one jitter buffer comprises at least two jitter buffers.
44. The one or more circuits of claim 43 , wherein the at least one real-time media stream comprises a real-time media stream of speech data and a real-time media stream of video.
45. The one or more circuits of claim 31 , wherein the algorithm for operating the at least one jitter buffer is adjusted whenever the first estimate of the network statistic rises above the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a first amount, or whenever the first estimate of the network statistic drops below the second estimate of the network statistic, by more than a second amount.