QoE-based packet dropper controllers for multimedia streaming in WiMAX networks

Abstract

The proliferation of broadband wireless facilities, together with the demand for multimedia applications, are creating a wireless multimedia era. In this scenario, the key requirement is the delivery of multimedia content with Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) support for thousands of users (and access networks) in broadband in the wireless systems of the next generation.. This paper sets out new QoE-aware packet controller mechanisms to keep video streaming applications at an acceptable level of quality in Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks. In periods of congestion, intelligent packet dropper mechanisms for IEEE 802.16 systems are triggered to drop packets in accordance with their impact on user perception, intra-frame dependence, Group of Pictures (GoP) and available wireless resources in service classes. The simulation results show that the proposed solutions reduce the impact of multimedia flows on the user's experience and optimize wireless network resources in periods of congestion.. The benefits of the proposed schemes were evaluted in a simulated WiMAX QoS/QoE environment, by using the following well-known QoE metrics: Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Video Quality Metric (VQM), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) and Mean Option Score (MOS).