Method and Apparatus for Assessing the Quality of a Video Signal During Encoding and Transmission of the Video Signal

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention provides a method and apparatus to assess the quality of transmitted video signals at the receiver's end, particularly when packet loss occurs during transmission. By analyzing packet headers before decoding, it extracts key features and calculates a single parameter that represents the spatial extent and duration of video degradation caused by packet loss. This parameter is then used to estimate how much the perceived video quality has been affected, without needing access to the original video or fully decoding the stream. The approach is lightweight and suitable for real-time service monitoring, even for encrypted video streams.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Monitoring video quality in IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), streaming, or Video on Demand services.
• Ensuring Quality of Experience (QoE) for end-users in large video distribution networks, such as telecom or cable TV operators.
• Real-time quality assessment and troubleshooting in set-top boxes or home gateways.
• Monitoring encrypted video streams where payload access is unavailable or restricted.
• Network and service planning to optimize video delivery methods and infrastructure.
• Automated post-deployment network quality monitoring and alerting for service providers.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides an accurate, perceptually-relevant quality measure for video impacted by packet loss, correlating closely with user experience.
• Requires only packet header analysis, so works with encrypted streams and avoids computational overhead of full decoding.
• Enables lightweight, real-time quality monitoring—suitable for deployment on end-user devices with limited processing power.
• Reduces complexity compared to previous models by using a single, comprehensive parameter to estimate degradation, making integration and maintenance easier.
• Facilitates proactive identification of transmission issues, allowing service providers to quickly react to quality degradations and improve customer satisfaction.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

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Patent Abstract

Method and apparatus for assessing the quality of a transmitted video signal sequence at the receiver side, the method comprising the steps of: a) capturing the received input video bit stream prior to decoding and supplying it to a video bit stream analyzer; b) extracting, during a measurement time window, one or more features from the packet headers of the captured input video bit stream by the bit stream analyzer; c) determining from the one or more features, and optionally from meta-information known about the media stream such as the slicing configuration, a single parameter, xwpSEQ, representing the magnitude of signal degradation due to packet-loss; d) supplying the determined parameter to a quality estimation module; and e) calculating, by the quality estimation module, a quality measure due to packet loss, Qtrans, based on the single parameter representing the magnitude of signal degradation, xwpSEQ, due to packet-loss and based on video resolution information and employed video codec.