Error-resilient method for robust video transmissions

In this paper we address the problems of video transmission in error prone environments. A novel error-resilient method is proposed that uses a data embedding scheme for header parameters in video coding standards, such as MPEG-2 and H.263. In case of requiring taking the loss of data information into account except for header errors, the video decoder hides visual degradation as well as possible, employing an error concealment method using an affine transform. Header information is very important because syntax elements, tables, and decoding processes all depend on the values of the header information. Therefore, transmission errors in header information can result in serious visual degradation of the output video and also cause an abnormal decoding process. In the proposed method, the header parameters are embedded into the least significant bits (LSB) of the quantized DCT coefficients. Then, when errors occur in the header field of the compressed bitstream, the decoder can accurately recover the corrupted header parameters if the embedded information is extracted correctly. The error concealment technique employed in this paper uses motion estimation considering actual motions, such as rotation, magnification, reduction, and parallel motion, in moving pictures. Experimental results show that the proposed error-resilient method can effectively reconstruct the original video sequence without any additional bits or modifications to the video coding standard and the error concealment method can produce a higher PSNR value and better subjective video quality, estimating the motion of lost data more accurately.