Quality Of Media Traffic Over Lossy Internet Protocol Networks

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an active area of research in the world ofcommunication. The high revenue made by the telecommunication companies is amotivation to develop solutions that transmit voice over other media rather thanthe traditional, circuit switching network. However, while IP networks can carry data traffic very well due to their besteffortnature, they are not designed to carry real-time applications such as voice. As such several degradations can happen to the speech signal before it reaches itsdestination. Therefore, it is important for legal, commercial, and technical reasonsto measure the quality of VoIP applications accurately and non-intrusively. Several methods were proposed to measure the speech quality: some of thesemethods are subjective, others are intrusive-based while others are non-intrusive. One of the non-intrusive methods for measuring the speech quality is the E-modelstandardised by the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication StandardisationSector (ITU-T). Although the E-model is a non-intrusive method for measuring the speech quality, but it depends on the time-consuming, expensive and hard to conduct subjectivetests to calibrate its parameters, consequently it is applicable to a limited numberof conditions and speech coders. Also, it is less accurate than the intrusive methodssuch as Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) because it does not considerthe contents of the received signal. In this thesis an approach to extend the E-model based on PESQ is proposed. Using this method the E-model can be extended to new network conditions andapplied to new speech coders without the need for the subjective tests. The modifiedE-model calibrated using PESQ is compared with the E-model calibrated usingiiisubjective tests to prove its effectiveness. During the above extension the relation between quality estimation using theE-model and PESQ is investigated and a correction formula is proposed to correctthe deviation in speech quality estimation. Another extension to the E-model to improve its accuracy in comparison withthe PESQ looks into the content of the degraded signal and classifies packet lossinto either Voiced or Unvoiced based on the received surrounding packets. The accuracyof the proposed method is evaluated by comparing the estimation of the newmethod that takes packet class into consideration with the measurement providedby PESQ as a more accurate, intrusive method for measuring the speech quality. The above two extensions for quality estimation of the E-model are combinedto offer a method for estimating the quality of VoIP applications accurately, nonintrusivelywithout the need for the time-consuming, expensive, and hard to conductsubjective tests. Finally, the applicability of the E-model or the modified E-model in measuringthe quality of services in Service Oriented Computing (SOC) is illustrated.

We present queueing-based algorithms to calculate the bandwidth required for a video stream so that the three main Quality of Service constraints, i.e., end-to-end delay, jitter and packet loss, are ensured. Conversational and streaming video-based applications are becoming a major part of the everyday Internet usage. The quality of these applications (QoS), as experienced by the user, depends on three main metrics of the underlying network, namely, end-to-end delay, jitter and packet loss. These metrics are, in turn, directly related to the capacity of the links that the video traffic traverses from its source to destination. The main problem that this book addresses is how much bandwidth we should allocate on the path from source to destination of a video traffic flow such that the end-to-end delay, jitter and packet loss of the video packets are within some expected required bounds.

This book provides a collection of 15 excellent studies of Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies. While VoIP is undoubtedly a powerful and innovative communication tool for everyone, voice communication over the Internet is inherently less reliable than the public switched telephone network, because the Internet functions as a best-effort network without Quality of Service guarantee and voice data cannot be retransmitted. This book introduces research strategies that address various issues with the aim of enhancing VoIP quality. We hope that you will enjoy reading these diverse studies, and that the book will provide you with a lot of useful information about current VoIP technology research.

This authoritative guide to deploying, managing, and optimizing QoS with Cisco technologies has been thoroughly revamped to reflect the newest applications, best practices, hardware, software, and tools for modern networks. This new edition focuses on complex traffic mixes with increased usage of mobile devices, wireless network access, advanced communications, and video. It reflects the growing heterogeneity of video traffic, including passive streaming video, interactive video, and immersive videoconferences. It also addresses shifting bandwidth constraints and congestion points; improved hardware, software, and tools; and emerging QoS applications in network security. The authors first introduce QoS technologies in high-to-mid-level technical detail, including protocols, tools, and relevant standards. They examine new QoS demands and requirements, identify reasons to re-evaluate current QoS designs, and present new strategic design recommendations. Next, drawing on extensive experience, they offer deep technical detail on campus wired and wireless QoS design; next-generation wiring closets; QoS design for data centers, Internet edge, WAN edge, and branches; QoS for IPsec VPNs, and more.

"This book highlights and discusses the underlying QoS issues that arise in the delivery of real-time multimedia services over wireless networks"--Provided by publisher.

This thesis focuses on the problem of optimizing the quality of network multimedia services. This problem spans multiple domains, from subjective perception of multimedia quality to computer networks management. The work done in this thesis approaches the problem at different levels, developing methods for modeling the subjective perception of quality based on objectively measurable parameters of the multimedia coding process as well as the transport over computer networks. The modeling of subjective perception is motivated by work done in psychophysics, while using Machine Learning techniques to map network conditions to the human perception of video services. Furthermore, the work develops models for efficient control of multimedia systems operating in dynamic networked environments with the goal of delivering optimized Quality of Experience. Overall this thesis delivers a set of methods for monitoring and optimizing the quality of multimedia services that adapt to the dynamic environment of computer networks in which they operate.

Successful use of information and communication technologies depends on usable designs that do not require expensive training, accommodate the needs of diverse users and are low cost. There is a growing demand and increasing pressure for adopting innovative approaches to the design and delivery of education, hence, the use of online learning (also called E-learning) as a mode of study. This is partly due to the increasing number of learners and the limited resources available to meet a wide range of various needs, backgrounds, expectations, skills, levels, ages, abilities and disabilities. The advances of new technology and communications (WWW, Human Computer Interaction and Multimedia) have made it possible to reach out to a bigger audience around the globe. By focusing on the issues that have impact on the usability of online learning programs and their implementation, Usability Evaluation of Online Learning Programs specifically fills-in a gap in this area, which is particularly invaluable to practitioners.

Reviews the new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard and advancements in adaptive streaming technologies for use in broadband networks and the Internet This book describes next-generation video coding and streaming technologies with a comparative assessment of the strengths and weaknesses. Specific emphasis is placed on the H.265/HEVC video coding standard and adaptive bit rate video streaming. In addition to evaluating the impact of different types of video content and powerful feature sets on HEVC coding efficiency, the text provides an in-depth study on the practical performance of popular adaptive streaming platforms and useful tips for streaming optimization. Readers will learn of new over-the-top (OTT) online TV advancements, the direction of the broadband telecommunications industry, and the latest developments that will help keep implementation costs down and maximize return on infrastructure investment. Reviews the emerging High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard and compares its coding performance with the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) and MPEG-2 standards Provides invaluable insights into the intra and inter coding efficiencies of HEVC, such as the impact of hierarchical block partitioning and new prediction modes Evaluates the performance of the Apple and Microsoft adaptive streaming platforms and presents innovative techniques related to aggregate stream bandwidth prediction, duplicate chunk Includes end-of-chapter homework problems and access to instructor slides Next-Generation Video Coding and Streaming is written for students, researchers, and industry professionals working in the field of video communications. Benny Bing has worked in academia for over 20 years. He has published over 80 research papers and 12 books, and has 6 video patents licensed to industry. He has served as a technical editor for several IEEE journals and an IEEE Communications Society Distinguished lecturer. He also received the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Technology Innovation Award for demonstrations of advanced media technologies.