Multimedia client/server system with adjustable packet size and methods for use therewith

1. A multimedia client/server system comprising:

a multimedia server module, coupleable to a plurality of multimedia sources that produce at least one multimedia signal that includes streaming video, the multimedia server module including:

an encoder module that encodes the at least one multimedia signal to produce an encoded signal that includes a sequence of packets having a packet size; and

an RF server transceiver module, coupled to the encoder module, that produces a channel signal that includes the encoded signal, and that wirelessly transmits the channel signal over a wireless communication path, the RF server transceiver module receives streaming video performance signals that are based on remote processing of the streaming video by a video decoder, the streaming video performance signals including a video decoding parameter of the video decoder, wherein the video decoding parameter includes at least one of: a receiving buffer level, a rendering buffer level and a decoding buffer level, and includes a quality of service module that adjusts the packet size based on the streaming video performance signals; and

a client module, coupleable to at least one client device, the client module including:

an RF client transceiver module that receives and demodulates the channel signal to produce a received encoded signal and sends the streaming video performance signals to the multimedia server module; and

a decoder module, coupled to the RF client transceiver module, that decodes the received encoded signal into a decoded output signal, the decoder module including the video decoder.

2. The multimedia client/server system of claim 1 wherein RF client transceiver module further includes a monitor module that generates RF performance signals that are based on the performance of the wireless communication path, and wherein the quality of service module adjusts the packet size, based on the RF performance parameters.

3. The multimedia client/server system of claim 2 wherein the RF performance signals include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and the quality of service module adjusts the range of the link data rate based on the RSSI.

4. The multimedia client/server system of claim 1 wherein the encoder module produces the sequence of packets at a nominal packet size and when the quality of service module adjusts the packet size from the nominal packet size to a reduced packet size, the encoder module fragments packets of the sequence of packets size into packets of the reduced packet size.

5. The multimedia client/server system of claim 1 wherein the encoder module encodes the at least one multimedia signal in accordance with one of a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standard, and a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard.

6. The multimedia client/server system of claim 1 wherein the RF server transceiver module and the RF client transceiver module communicate over a broadband wireless access network that conforms to at least one of the following standards: 802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

7. The multimedia client/server system of claim 1 wherein the encoder module transcodes the at least one multimedia signal.

8. A method for use in a multimedia server module that is coupleable to a plurality of multimedia sources that produce at least one multimedia signal that includes streaming video, the method comprising the steps of:

encoding the at least one multimedia signal via an encoding module to produce an encoded signal that includes a sequence of packets having a packet size;

generating via an RF server transceiver module, a channel signal that includes the encoded signal;

transmitting via the RF server transceiver module, the channel signal at a link data rate over a wireless communication path to at least one client module that receives and demodulates the channel signal via an RF client transceiver module to produce a received encoded signal, that decodes the received encoded signal via a video decoder and that generates streaming video performance signals including a video decoding parameter of the video decoder, wherein the video decoding parameter includes at least one of: a receiving buffer level, a rendering buffer level and a decoding buffer level;

receiving via the RF server transceiver module, the streaming video performance signals from the at least one client module; and

adjusting the packet size via a quality of service module, based on the streaming video performance signals.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving RF performance signals, that are based on the performance of the wireless communication path, from the at least one client module;

wherein the step of adjusting adjusts the packet size, based on the RF performance parameters.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the RF performance signals include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and the step of adjusting adjusts the packet size based on the RSSI.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the RF performance signals include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and the step of adjusting further adjusts the link data rate based on the RSSI.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating RF performance signals, that are based on the performance of the wireless communication path;

wherein the step of adjusting adjusts the packet size, based on the RF performance signals; and wherein the RF performance signals include a re-transmission rate and the step of adjusting adjusts the packet size based on the re-transmission rate.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the RF performance signals include a coding error rate.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the RF performance signals include an air busy rate.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of encoding transcodes the at least one multimedia signal.