Random Linear Network Coding for 5G Mobile Video Delivery

Abstract

An exponential increase in mobile video delivery will continue with the demand for higher resolution, multi-view and large-scale multicast video services. Novel fifth generation (5G) 3GPP New Radio (NR) standard will bring a number of new opportunities for optimizing video delivery across both 5G core and radio access networks. One of the promising approaches for video quality adaptation, throughput enhancement and erasure protection is the use of packet-level random linear network coding (RLNC). In this review paper, we discuss the integration of RLNC into the 5G NR standard, building upon the ideas and opportunities identified in 4G LTE. We explicitly identify and discuss in detail novel 5G NR features that provide support for RLNC-based video delivery in 5G, thus pointing out to the promising avenues for future research.2 of 20 downloading (PD) and adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) for which mobile cellular network protocols remain largely oblivious [10]. In order to optimize mobile video delivery, a number of solutions have been proposed in recent research studies, including video-aware resource allocation [11] and proactive edge caching and processing [12][13][14].In this review paper, we focus on random linear network coding (RLNC) as a scheme identified to create potentially high impact on flexible, efficient and reliable mobile video delivery. RLNC is a packet-level erasure protection mechanism that is simple, efficient and has a number of useful features including rateless property, i.e., capability to produce arbitrary many encoded packets from a given source block, and network coding property, i.e., capability to increase throughput in certain network scenarios by re-encoding packets in intermediate network nodes [15][16][17][18]. We provide an overview of RLNC placed in the context of a packet-level data processing protocol sublayer that can be easily integrated at different layers of protocol stack within mobile video delivery environment. The RLNC sublayer can be further optimized and improved with respect to complexity and video quality using sparse and unequal error protection RLNC design [19][20][21][22]. In parallel with the review of RLNC, we provide an in-depth overview of mobile video delivery, focusing on unicast and multicast/broadcast mobile video services over fourth generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network [9,[23][24][25]. We then move on to investigate how RLNC sublayer can be integrated as part of the 4G LTE mobile video delivery services, discussing various options for both video unicast and multicast/broadcast across different protocol layers. In the final part, we provide possible directions for optimizing mobile video delivery and integrating RLNC sublayer within upcoming 5G NR standard. We conclude this overview paper by explicitly identifying and discussing in detail novel 5G NR features that could provide support for RLNC-based video delivery in 5G, thus pointing out to the promising avenues for future research.The paper is organized as follows. In Section 2, we provide ...