SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR JITTER BUFFER REDUCTION IN SCALABLE CODING
Jitter buffer arrangements for video and audio communications networks include a plurality of jitter buffers each of which is designated to buffer a particular layer scalably coded data streams, and coupled decoder to decode the received scalably coded data stream layer-by-layer.
1 . A jitter buffer arrangement for a receiving endpoint in an electronic communications network, the arrangement comprising:
a plurality of jitter buffers wherein each jitter buffer is designated to buffer a particular layer of a received scalably coded data stream, and
a decoder coupled to the plurality of jitter buffers, wherein the decoder is configured to decode the received scalably coded data stream layer-by-layer.
2 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein the scalably coded data stream comprises at least one of a video data stream, an audio data stream or a combination thereof.
3 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers precedes the decoder.
4 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers succeeds the decoder and buffers the decoder output layer-by-layer.
5 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers each has a design length, and wherein at least two jitter buffers have different design lengths.
6 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers each has a length, which is adjusted dynamically in response to network conditions.
7 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 1 wherein a first and second jitter buffers are designated to buffer a base layer and an enhancement layer, respectively.
8 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 7 wherein the design lengths of the first and second jitter buffers are based on a statistical estimate of jitter in video streams received over the network.
9 . The jitter buffer arrangement of claim 7 wherein the design length of the first buffer is a fraction of the design length of the second jitter buffer.
10 . A method for managing jitter buffer delay at a receiving endpoint in an electronic communications network, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of jitter buffers, wherein each jitter buffer is designated to buffer a particular layer of a received scalably coded data stream, and
coupling a decoder to the plurality of jitter buffers, wherein the decoder is configured to decode the received scalably coded data stream layer-by-layer.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the scalably coded data stream comprises at least one of a video data stream, an audio data stream and a combination thereof.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers precedes the coupled decoder.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of jitter buffers succeeds the coupled decoder, the method further comprising buffering the decoder output layer-by-layer.
14 . The method of claim 10 wherein providing a plurality of jitter buffers comprises providing a plurality of jitter buffers each having a design length, and wherein at least two jitter buffers have different design lengths.
15 . The method of claim 10 wherein providing a plurality of jitter buffers comprises providing a plurality of jitter buffers each having a design length, and further comprises adjusting the design lengths dynamically in response to network conditions.
16 . The method of claim 10 wherein providing a plurality of jitter buffers comprises providing a first and a second jitter buffer designated to buffer a base layer and an enhancement layer, respectively.
17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising assigning the design lengths for the jitter buffers based on a statistical estimate of jitter in transmitted video streams on the network.
18 . The method of claim 16 further comprising assigning a design length to the first buffer, which is a fraction of the design length assigned to the second jitter buffer.
19 . Computer readable media comprising a set of instructions to perform the steps recited in at least one of claims 10 - 18 .