Constrained Maximum-Utility Rate Optimization for Unicast-Based Streaming Applications Using Differentiated Multipaths

The multipath-based method can effectively improve the video streaming quality. However, it suffers a limitation on the realistic deployment and needs global optimization to improve the network accommodation capability. In this article, we study a novel multipath-based streaming rate optimization solution for unicast-based video applications. The proposed solution employs a differentiated multipath delivery model, which uses a main path built at the network layer and multiple auxiliary paths built at the application layer. Because of the application layer-based implementation, auxiliary paths overcome the aforementioned limitation on deployment. Based on the proposed multipath delivery model, we study the global multipath-based streaming rate optimization problem, which strives for an effective tradeoff among video streaming quality, network accommodation capability and video delivery stability. The studied optimization problem is complicated, and we solve it approximately using an approximate algorithm and a convex optimization-based technique.