Enhancing real-time video streaming over mobile ad hoc networks using multipoint-to-point communication

Abstract

Supporting video applications over mobile ad hoc networks is more challenging than over other best-effort networks due to the lack of a preinstalled infrastructure to provide centralized control for the entire networks. As mobile ad hoc networks emerge as a promising technology for untethered, ubiquitous service in future communication system, a solution to support increasingly popular video applications is essential. A considerable amount of research has been done to provide solution for video streaming over lossy networks, among which are the diversity techniques. Path and server diversities are proven feasible to guarantee reliable video delivery wired networks. Besides, using disjoint multipath to support video streaming over mobile ad hoc networks has also been widely studied. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of implementing server diversity over ad hoc networks. More specifically, we use multipoint-to-point transmission together with Multiple Description Coding to enhance the quality of video streaming. In order to discover maximally disjoint routes for each sender and to distribute the workload evenly within the network, an extension for video applications is added to the dynamic source routing (DSR) protocol. Simulation study is carried out using NS-2 to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed mechanism and it shows that better quality of video streaming is achieved, in terms of fewer and shorter interruptions during the video session. Moreover, we also show that the number of transmission points should be limited because using too many transmission points burdens the network with unnecessary control overhead.