Bandwidth-efficient continuous media streaming through optimal multiplexing

Maximizing bandwidth efficiency in distributed continuous media streaming systems is the key in delivering cost-effective multimedia services to distributed and heterogeneous receivers. We introduce a technique based on stream multiplexing to achieve the highest possible bandwidth efficiency, while preserving stringent and deterministic quality of service guarantees. The technique accomplishes the optimal multiplexing (i.e. resulting in the lowest possible bandwidth allocation) by exploiting both the temporal and the spatial structures among a group of continuous media streams. We present a family of optimal multiplexing schedules. The adverse per-stream effects of optimal multiplexing are studied and a technique based on transmission rearrangement is proposed to mitigates these effects, without sacrificing the achieved multiplexing optimality. The results presented in the paper provide some fundamental criteria and limits in the design and evaluation of resource allocation, admission control and stream scheduling policies for bandwidth efficient continuous media streaming.