Katerina Pandremmenou

Optimal Power Allocation and Joint Source—Channel Coding for Wireless DS-CDMA Visual Sensor Networks

In this paper, we propose a scheme for the optimal allocation of power, source coding rate, and channel coding rate for each of the nodes of a wireless Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) visual sensor network. The optimization is quality-driven, i.e. the received quality of the video that is transmitted by the nodes is optimized. The scheme takes into account the fact that the sensor nodes may be imaging scenes with varying levels of motion. Nodes that image low-motion scenes will require a lower source coding rate, so they will be able to allocate a greater portion of the total available bit rate to channel coding. Stronger channel coding will mean that such nodes will be able to transmit at lower power. This will both increase battery life and reduce interference to other nodes. Two optimization criteria are considered. One that minimizes the average video distortion of the nodes and one that minimizes the maximum distortion among the nodes. The transmission powers are allowed to take continuous values, whereas the source and channel coding rates can assume only discrete values. Thus, the resulting optimization problem lies in the field of mixed-integer optimization tasks and is solved using Particle Swarm Optimization. Our experimental results show the importance of considering the characteristics of the video sequences when determining the transmission power, source coding rate and channel coding rate for the nodes of the visual sensor network.

Game-theoretic solutions through intelligent optimization for efficient resource management in wireless visual sensor networks

We propose a quality-driven cross-layer optimization scheme for wireless direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) visual sensor networks (VSNs). The scheme takes into account the fact that different nodes image videos with varying amounts of motion and determines the source coding rate, channel coding rate, and power level for each node under constraints on the available bit rate and power. The objective is to maximize the quality of the video received by the centralized control unit (CCU) from each node. However, since increasing the power level of one node will lead to increased interference with the rest of the nodes, simultaneous maximization of the video qualities of all nodes is not possible. In fact, there are an infinite number of Pareto-optimal solutions. Thus, we propose the use of the Nash bargaining solution (NBS), which pinpoints one of the infinite Pareto-optimal solutions, based on the stipulation that the solution should satisfy four fairness axioms. The NBS results in a mixed-integer optimization problem, which is solved using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The presented experimental results demonstrate the advantages of the NBS compared with alternative optimization criteria.

A study on visual sensor network cross-layer resource allocation using quality-based criteria and metaheuristic optimization algorithms

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted HighlightsOptimal allocation of source and channel coding rates and power levels of nodes.Minimization of the average and maximum distortion of video received by all nodes.Mixed integer optimization problems.Mixed-integer optimization problems arise.The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used.A hybrid algorithm that combines PSO and active set algorithm is used. Visual sensor networks (VSNs) consist of spatially distributed video cameras that are capable of compressing and transmitting the video sequences they acquire. We consider a direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) VSN, where each node has its individual requirements in compression bit rate and energy consumption, depending on the corresponding application and the characteristics of the monitored scene. We study two optimization criteria for the optimal allocation of the source and channel coding rates, which assume discrete values, as well as for the power levels of all nodes, which are continuous, under transmission bit rate constraints. The first criterion minimizes the average distortion of the video received by all nodes, while the second one minimizes the maximum video distortion among all nodes. The resulting mixed integer optimization problems are tackled with a modern optimization algorithm, namely particle swarm optimization (PSO), as well as a hybrid scheme that combines PSO with the deterministic Active-Set optimization method. Extensive experimentation on interference-limited as well as noisy environments offers significant intuition regarding the effectiveness of the considered optimization schemes, indicating the impact of the video sequence characteristics on the joint determination of the transmission parameters of the VSN.

Fairness issues in resource allocation schemes for wireless visual sensor networks

This work addresses the problem of fairness and efficiency evaluation of various resource allocation schemes for wireless visual sensor networks (VSNs). These schemes are used to optimally allocate the source coding rates, channel coding rates, and power levels among the nodes of a wireless direct sequence code division multiple access (DS–CDMA) VSN. All of the considered schemes optimize a function of the video qualities of the nodes. However, there is no single scheme that maximizes the video quality of each node simultaneously. In fact, all presented schemes are able to provide a Pareto–optimal solution, meaning that there is no other solution that is simultaneously preferred by all nodes. Thus, it is not clear which scheme results in the best resource allocation for the whole network. To handle the resulting tradeoffs, in this study we examine four metrics that investigate fairness and efficiency under different perspectives. Specifically, we apply a metric that considers both fairness and performance issues, and another metric that measures the “equality” of a resource allocation (equal utilities for the nodes). The third metric computes the total system utility, while the last metric computes the total power consumption of the nodes. Ideally, a desirable scheme would achieve high total utility while being equally fair to all nodes and requiring low amounts of power.

A no-reference bitstream-based perceptual model for video quality estimation of videos affected by coding artifacts and packet losses

In this work, we propose a No-Reference (NR) bitstream-based model for predicting the quality of H.264/AVC video sequences, affected by both compression artifacts and transmission impairments. The proposed model is based on a feature extraction procedure, where a large number of features are calculated from the packet-loss impaired bitstream. Many of the features are firstly proposed in this work, and the specific set of the features as a whole is applied for the first time for making NR video quality predictions. All feature observations are taken as input to the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression method. LASSO indicates the most important features, and using only them, it is possible to estimate the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) with high accuracy. Indicatively, we point out that only 13 features are able to produce a Pearson Correlation Coefficient of 0.92 with the MOS. Interestingly, the performance statistics we computed in order to assess our method for predicting the Structural Similarity Index and the Video Quality Metric are equally good. Thus, the obtained experimental results verified the suitability of the features selected by LASSO as well as the ability of LASSO in making accurate predictions through sparse modeling.

Kalai-Smorodinsky Bargaining Solution for Optimal Resource Allocation over Wireless DS-CDMA Visual Sensor Networks

Surveillance applications usually require high levels of video quality, resulting in high power consumption. The existence of a well-behaved scheme to balance video quality and power consumption is crucial for the systems performance. In the present work, we adopt the game-theoretic approach of Kalai-Smorodinsky Bargaining Solution (KSBS) to deal with the problem of optimal resource allocation in a multi-node wireless visual sensor network (VSN). In our setting, the Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) method is used for channel access, while a cross-layer optimization design, which employs a central processing server, accounts for the overall system efficacy through all network layers. The task assigned to the central server is the communication with the nodes and the joint determination of their transmission parameters. The KSBS is applied to non-convex utility spaces, efficiently distributing the source coding rate, channel coding rate and transmission powers among the nodes. In the underlying model, the transmission powers assume continuous values, whereas the source and channel coding rates can take only discrete values. Experimental results are reported and discussed to demonstrate the merits of KSBS over competing policies.

Perceptual quality estimation of H.264/AVC videos using reduced-reference and no-reference models

Abstract. Reduced-reference (RR) and no-reference (NR) models for video quality estimation, using features that account for the impact of coding artifacts, spatio-temporal complexity, and packet losses, are proposed. The purpose of this study is to analyze a number of potentially quality-relevant features in order to select the most suitable set of features for building the desired models. The proposed sets of features have not been used in the literature and some of the features are used for the first time in this study. The features are employed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), which selects only the most influential of them toward perceptual quality. For comparison, we apply feature selection in the complete feature sets and ridge regression on the reduced sets. The models are validated using a database of H.264/AVC encoded videos that were subjectively assessed for quality in an ITU-T compliant laboratory. We infer that just two features selected by RR LASSO and two bitstream-based features selected by NR LASSO are able to estimate perceptual quality with high accuracy, higher than that of ridge, which uses more features. The comparisons with competing works and two full-reference metrics also verify the superiority of our models.

A novel cumulative distortion metric and a no-reference sparse prediction model for packet prioritization in encoded video transmission

In this paper we propose a new quality metric to estimate the impact of packet loss on the perceptual quality of encoded video sequences transmitted over error-prone networks. The proposed metric, henceforth referred to as Cumulative Distortion using Structural Similarity (CDSSIM), quantifies the overall structural distortion resulting from bidirectional error propagation in predictively coded, motion compensated videos. Furthermore, we present a No-Reference (NR) sparse regression model to predict the proposed CDSSIM metric using pre-defined features associated with slice loss. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method is applied for two resolution formats with features extracted solely from the encoded bit-stream. Standardized statistical performance measures show that the model can predict the cumulative distortion to a high degree of accuracy. We further evaluate the results using a Quartile-Based Prioritization (QBP) scheme and demonstrate that the predicted data provides an effective way to prioritize packets for video streaming applications.

On the improvement of no-reference mean opinion score estimation accuracy by following a frame-level regression approach

In order to estimate subjective video quality, we usually deal with a large number of features and a small sample set. Applying regression on complex datasets may lead to imprecise solutions due to possibly irrelevant or noisy features as well as the effect of overfitting. In this work, we propose a No-Reference (NR) method for the estimation of the quality of videos that are impaired by both compression artifacts and packet losses. Particularly, in an effort to establish a robust regression model that generalizes well to unknown data and to increase Mean Opinion Score (MOS) estimation accuracy, we propose a frame-level MOS estimation approach, where the MOS estimate of a sequence is obtained by averaging the per-frame MOS estimates, instead of performing regression directly at the sequence-level. Since it is impractical to obtain the actual per-frame MOS values through subjective experiments, we propose an objective metric able to do this task. Thus, our proposed NR method has the dual benefit of offering improved sequence-level MOS estimation accuracy, while giving an indication of the relative quality of each individual video frame.

Quality optimization of H.264/AVC video transmission over noisy environments using a sparse regression framework

We propose the use of the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression method in order to predict the Cumulative Mean Squared Error (CMSE), incurred by the loss of individual slices in video transmission. We extract a number of quality-relevant features from the H.264/AVC video sequences, which are given as input to the LASSO. This method has the benefit of not only keeping a subset of the features that have the strongest effects towards video quality, but also produces accurate CMSE predictions. Particularly, we study the LASSO regression through two different architectures; the Global LASSO (G.LASSO) and Local LASSO (L.LASSO). In G.LASSO, a single regression model is trained for all slice types together, while in L.LASSO, motivated by the fact that the values for some features are closely dependent on the considered slice type, each slice type has its own regression model, in an e ort to improve LASSOs prediction capability. Based on the predicted CMSE values, we group the video slices into four priority classes. Additionally, we consider a video transmission scenario over a noisy channel, where Unequal Error Protection (UEP) is applied to all prioritized slices. The provided results demonstrate the efficiency of LASSO in estimating CMSE with high accuracy, using only a few features. les that typically contain high-entropy data, producing a footprint that is far less conspicuous than existing methods. The system uses a local web server to provide a le system, user interface and applications through an web architecture.