Multiple Description Coding for Video Delivery

Multiple description coding (MDC) is an effective means to combat bursty packet losses in the Internet and wireless networks. MDC is especially promising for video applications where retransmission is unacceptable or infeasible. When combined with multiple path transport (MPT), MDC enables traffic dispersion and hence reduces network congestion. This work describes principles in designing MD video coders employing temporal prediction and presents several predictor structures that differ in their tradeoffs between mismatch-induced distortion and coding efficiency. The paper also discusses example video communication systems integrating MDC and MPT.