Congestion induced video scaling

摘要

Access nodes and methods adjust a bit rate of a data stream in a communication network. The access nodes and methods have a packet inspection unit configured to inspect one or more of the data packets to determine that the data stream includes video data. A congestion unit is coupled to the packet inspection unit and is configured to determine a level of congestion in the communication network, the level of congestion associated with a capacity of the wireless channel, the level of congestion capable of varying over time, and the capacity of the wireless channel capable of varying with the level of congestion. A video scaling unit is configured to adjust the bit rate of the data stream responsive to the packet inspection unit and the congestion unit.

主权项

1. A method for managing congestion in a communications channel in a communication network, the communication channel carrying a plurality of data streams, each of the data streams including data packets, the method comprising:
determining that one or more of the plurality of data streams includes video data; determining an overall demand associated with the plurality of data streams, the overall demand capable of varying over time; determining a capacity of the communication channel, the capacity capable of varying over time; determining a congestion level of the communication channel, the congestion level based at least in part on the capacity of the communication channel and the overall demand associated with the plurality of data streams, the congestion level varying with the capacity and the overall demand; detecting a change in the determined congestion level; and adjusting, if a change is detected in the congestion level and one or more of the data streams is determined to include video data and the determined congestion level is above a predetermined congestion level, the bit rate of the video data in the one or more of the plurality of data streams so that the data packets of the plurality of data streams can be transferred over the communication channel in accordance with the capacity, wherein the determining the congestion level further includes determining that the overall demand associated with the plurality of data streams exceeds the capacity of the communication channel.