Decentralized Video Streaming in Multi-Hop Wireless Networks: Incentive Mechanism and Energy Efficiency

Abstract

This paper studies video streaming from a source to multiple receivers in wireless networks. The video is streamed with the help of intermediate users who forward the video to others. Two main challenges affect user satisfaction in this network. The users usually have 1) different willingness to contribute (forwarding the video), and; 2) different preferences regarding the video quality. To overcome the challenges, we propose a framework based on an incentive/taxation mechanism in which the forwarding users, depending on their spent energy, are paid by their corresponding receivers. The video is layered such that the more video layers are received, the higher the quality-of-experience (QoE) and the higher the price. Using a decentralized game-theoretic algorithm, we define a user-specific utility function whose maximization determines the number of video layers a user wishes to receive. The utility function captures the user's preferences including the importance of the video quality to her and her willingness to contribute. Our model supports the multicast transmission by which the receivers can use a common forwarder and share the cost. The simulation results show that the proposed model not only provides a higher QoE for the users compared to the preference-agnostic models but also improves the network social-welfare.INDEX TERMS Game theory, incentive mechanism, multi-hop networks, quality-of-experience, video streaming.

Incentive Mechanisms in Peer-to-Peer Networks — A Systematic Literature Review

“…The algorithm considers the quality of the stream to calculate the number of ToBs to reward the user. Mousavi et al [90] also deployed a deterministic monetary incentive for video streaming and combined it with a reputation metric to reflect the quality of service each peer delivers. Al Ridhawi et al [4] proposed a blockchain-based reward mechanism for peer-to-peer computing.…”

“…"Decentralized Video Streaming in Multi-Hop Wireless Networks". In [90], Mousavi and Klein address the challenges associated with video streaming in Multi-Hop wireless networks by having one source and multiple receivers. They propose a monetary incentive mechanism that factors in different preferences regarding the video quality of the receiving peers and proposes a taxation scheme to reward disseminating peers depending on their spent energy.…”

Efficient token circulation strategies against misers in device‐to‐device relay using token‐based incentive mechanisms

“…Some studies also propose tax‐based methods of tokens. The work [38] considers video streaming from a source to multiple receivers, which requires intermediate nodes to relay the video to receivers. The payment of tokens by receivers depends on the energy spent by senders.…”

“…Each node also pays a portion of its reward to the parent nodes as tax. However, the objective of taxation in [38] is to let the nodes closer to the source have higher rewards (as they may consume more energy), instead of avoiding some nodes (e.g. misers) to hoard tokens.…”

Distribution Games: A New Class of Games With Application to User Provided Networks

“…In our previous work [6], we considered a UPN topology and a bandwidth sharing scheme using a potential game where the client utilities are aligned with the global utility of the system. Potential games have also other applications such as video streaming in multi-hop wireless networks [34], caching access point selection in wireless caching networks [35], decentralized resource coordination in coexisting industrial wireless networks [57] and resource allocation in mobile edge computing [55], [56].…”