Perhaps the major technical problem in streaming

media on demand over the Internet is the need to adapt

to changing network conditions. In this paper, we investigate

the problem of coding rate control , or equivalently quality

adaptation, in response to changing network conditions such

as the onset of congestion. Using the theory of optimal

linear quadratic control, we design an efficient online rate

control algorithm. Extensive analytical and experimental

results show that three goals are achieved: fast startup (about

1 s delay without bursting), continuous playback in the face of

severe congestion, and maximal quality and smoothness over

the entire streaming session. We argue that our algorithm

complements any transport protocol, and we demonstrate

that it works effectively with both TCP and TFRC transport

protocols.

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In  Int'l Packet Video Workshop

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