Next-Generation Video Streaming Networks

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Department of Computer Science and Engineering


PhD Thesis Defence


Title: "Next-Generation Video Streaming Networks"

By

Mr. Dongni REN


Abstract

The explosion of video traffic in the Internet is mainly fueled by two 
types of applications: video broadcasting (live streaming) and 
video-on-demand (VOD). Furthermore, high-resolution, free-viewpoint and 
multiview videos have brought new market opportunities. Distributing these 
videos to large number ofdistributed users presents new challenges and 
calls for novel design in both network and streaming algorithms. In this 
thesis, we study the optimization of overlay network so as to 
cost-effectively support such next-generation video services. This 
includes overlay algorithm design and cost optimization for live 
broadcasting, and optimal replication for VOD.

First, we study delay optimization for high bitrate overlay video 
broadcasting. We propose an efficient push-based multi-tree algorithm to 
achieve a low-delay high-bandwidth overlay backbone. The algorithm, termed 
FastMesh, constructs the overlay accommodating asymmetric and diverse 
uplink bandwidth. FastMesh continuously improves delay based on existing 
nodes. We further examine the feasibility of multi-Mbps streaming through 
a global measurement study using global experiments.

Second, westudy large-scale multiview and free-viewpoint video 
broadcasting, where videos from different viewpoints of the same 3D scene 
are captured by multiple cameras. Users may select at will different 
camera angles, which are synthesized using texture and depth videos of the 
sandwiched camera views or the so-called anchor views. We design a 
collaborative broadcasting network of free viewpoint videos, where users 
may interactively pull and cooperatively share streams of different anchor 
views. We optimize the anchor views allocated to users so as to minimize 
the overall streaming cost.

Third, we study optimal replication for interactive multiview video on 
demand (VOD). We propose a redundant coding structure that facilitates 
interactive view switching, trading off storage with transmission rate. 
Using the coding structure, we next propose a content replication strategy 
that takes advantage of indirect hit to lower view-switching cost: in the 
event that the exact requested view is not available locally, the local 
server can fetch a different but correlated view from the other servers, 
so that the remote repository only needs to supply the pre-encoded view 
differential.


Date:			Thursday, 10 July 2014

Time:			10:00pm - 12:00noon

Venue:			Room 3501
 			Lifts 25/26

Chairman:		Prof. Kevin Chen (ECE)

Committee Members:	Prof. Gary Chan (Supervisor)
 			Prof. Pan Hui
 			Prof. Qian Zhang
 			Prof. Daniel Palomar (ECE)
                        Prof. Jack Yiu Bun Lee (Info. Engg., CUHK)


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