Cross-layer optimization for m-health SVC multiple video transmission over LTE uplink

Abstract

M-health services are expected to become increasingly relevant in the management of emergency situations, enabling real-time support of remote medical experts. In this context, the transmission of health-related information from an ambulance to a remote hospital is a challenging task, due to the variability and the limitations of the mobile radio link. In particular, the transmission of multiple video streams can improve the efficacy of the tele-consultation service, but requires a large bandwidth to meet the desired quality, not always guaranteed by the mobile network. In this paper we propose a novel cross-layer adaptation strategy for multiple SVC videos delivered over a single LTE channel, which dynamically adjusts the overall transmitted throughput to meet the actual available bandwidth, while being able to provide high quality to diagnostic video sequences and lower (but fair) quality to less critical ambient videos. After having introduced a realistic LTE uplink scenario, including an advanced resource allocation strategy, we show through numerical simulations that the proposed solution is capable to achieve an optimal end-to-end video quality for both the diagnostic and the ambient videos.

Multiple Video Delivery in m-Health Emergency Applications

“…We consider that the ambulance (in the following also called m-health user) competes for radio resources with other K users within the cell, indexed by the set K, subdivided into K 1 GBR users and K 2 best-effort (non-GBR) users, indexed by the sets K 1 and K 2 , respectively. The e-NodeB tries to guarantee the transmission rates R 0 to the m-health user 1 and R k to the k-th GBR user, with k ∈ K 1 , while the throughput to best-effort users is provided fairly, according to the remaining capacity available after allocating all GBR users [33] [34].…”

“…The optimization also takes into account GBR constraint, minimum utility and rate constraints, and maximum rate constraints. This kind of strategy has been first proposed in [26], addressing the problem for both empirical and semi-analytical rate-distortion (R-D) models, and then extended in [33] to consider the different priorities of the video sequences. However, the Authors in [26], [33] used the MSE as video distortion metric, without considering absolute utility constraints.…”

“…This kind of strategy has been first proposed in [26], addressing the problem for both empirical and semi-analytical rate-distortion (R-D) models, and then extended in [33] to consider the different priorities of the video sequences. However, the Authors in [26], [33] used the MSE as video distortion metric, without considering absolute utility constraints. Here, this approach is extended to consider the VSN and the visual quality evaluated by the CRA, with the aim to jointly select the best video set to be delivered and to provide the most fair qualities.…”

Fundamentals of the extremely green, flexible, and profitable 5G M2M ubiquitous communications for remote e-healthcare and other social e-Applications

“…However, all set of qualified smart m/e-health services can be provided only in high urbanized areas with well covered optic infrastructures, because the 4G/5G radio channel ranges ( Fig. 1) does not exceed 2-3 km [2][3][4]. As it follows from a look on the smart cities' infrastructure [2, Fig.…”

“…2], the qualified m/e-health services are "tied on a short leash" to optic lines and "asphalt", although they may be the most in demand and effective in rural RRD areas. Unacceptably high investments are required into deployment of the core infrastructure for a ubiquitous wide covering of the RRD areas by the traditional, centralized, architecture of the mobile wireless broadband communications 4G LTE/WiMAX [3,4]. In this paper, we offer the extremely effective green, flexible, low-cost, and radically distributed 5G communications [6,7] as a perspective approach for ubiquitous profitable RRD-covering by smart remote e-Healthcare and other social m/e-Applications.…”