n-Channel Symmetric Motion-Compensated Multiple Description Coding for Video Communications over OFDM Networks

We propose an n-channel symmetric motion-compensated multiple description (MD) coding and transmission scheme for the delivery of fine granular scalable (FGS) video over multicarrier orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, utilizing the concepts of partial and leaky predictions. We investigate the proposed MD coding and transmission scheme using a cross-layer design perspective. In particular, we construct the symmetric motion compensated MD codes based on the diversity order of the channel, defined as the ratio of the overall bandwidth of the system to the coherence bandwidth of the channel. We show that knowing the diversity order of a physical channel can assist an FGS video coder in selecting the motion compensation prediction point, as well as on the use of leaky prediction. More importantly, we illustrate how the side information can reduce the drift management problem associated with the construction of symmetric motion-compensated MD codes.