Error-Correction and Distributed-Storage for Wireless Video Streaming

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Video is considered to be the killer application in future wireless communication systems. Video traffic has dramatically increased in the last few years, and is projected to continue a similar trend in the future. The proposed research will develop highly efficient and scalable mechanisms for storage and communication of both on-demand and live-video. Novel techniques for authentication, quality-control, and security will be developed for our proposed solutions. The proposed research is divided into three topics, each of which addresses some immediate challenges in today's wireless networks.The first topic of the proposed research will investigate the theory and practice of streaming error-correction codes. Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes provide a natural mechanism for protecting video packets against errors over communication channels. In contrast to classical FEC, that have been studied for several decades, error correction for low-delay, real-time, video streaming applications remains a fertile area of research. Theoretical properties of streaming-codes will be studied and connections to the dynamical systems theory of convolutional codes will be made. On the practical side, new source and channel models will be developed based upon real-world applications and performance gains will be evaluated in realistic environments. Ultimately such streaming-codes could significantly increase the efficiency of high-end video conferencing systems, and make them affordable to small business owners.The second topic will develop a scalable mechanism for the distribution of video, using storage that will be available in next generation access points and base-stations. A particular focus will be on the optimal storage for HTTP Adaptive Bit-Rate Streaming --- the dominant mechanism for delivering on-demand video. Our proposed techniques will be assessed on a local testbed, consisting of software defined radios and a computer cluster at U of T, as well as a national testbed consisting of computing nodes at several universities across Canada. The proposed research will exploit an untapped resource --- caching in access points and base-stations --- to significantly reduce the congestion due to the explosive growth in mobile traffic and will provide a new cutting edge technology for mobile operators.The third topic will focus on security and privacy mechanisms in video distribution systems. Principles from distributed source coding will be used to develop a real-time authentication and quality-control mechanism in these systems. In a different direction, we will also develop novel approaches for providing privacy in a network of smart-meters. Smart-meters report real-time measurements of electricity usage, which can leak sensitive information about end users. To address this, novel techniques that mask the electricity consumption from utility companies by using local energy storage will be developed. Such techniques may be implemented in appliances such as plug-in hybrid vehicles, which already support built in mechanisms for energy storage at homes. The HQP in the proposed research will obtain expertise in some of the most pressing challenges faced by today's wireless industry: (1) efficient and scalable distribution of video traffic, and (2) security and privacy. Such a training will enable the HQP to contribute to standardization activities in wireless and multimedia, as well as in developing algorithms and architectures for next generation communication systems. The proposed topics closely align with the PI's long-term research program of creating a ubiquitous, reliable, and trustworthy data network, based on sound engineering principles, to support our economy and national infrastructure.