Joint Adaptive Rate and Scheduling for Unicasting Video Streams in Cellular Wireless Networks

Abstract

We develop and study adaptive rate scheduling mechanisms over cellular wireless networks, as used for the unicast provision of video streams to client mobiles at variable quality of experience (QoE) levels. Under service type I, mobile users receive video streams at a QoE level that is not lower than a specified value. In addition, mobile users that experience sufficiently high communications channel quality levels may be provided video streams at higher video quality levels. Under service type II, mobile clients receive their video streams at QoE levels that are based on their recorded signal to noise and interference levels. Resource allocations among mobiles are, however, subjected to absolute and proportional fairness objectives. We employ a proxy video manager and resource controller that is located at (or associated with) the base station node. The manager intercepts a channel quality indicator message reported by a mobile client, using it to determine the QoE level at which a requested video stream will be provided. It then selects the proper source and channel encoding schemes to be used for producing and transmitting a compressed version of the stream. To regulate inter-cell signal interference, we examine the joint employment of a number of different spectral-reuse and fractional frequency reuse (FFR) scheduling schemes. To illustrate the use of our models to configure system parameters, we consider a performance metric that incorporates a will-to-pay utility function. We develop analytical techniques for the modeling, analyzing, and designing of such systems. We confirm the precision of these models through the conduct of simulation analyses. Also, we show that, under certain system configurations, FFR-based schemes can lead to substantial enhancement of the system's performance behavior.