Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for quality of experience (QoE)-centric adaptive bitrate encoding for a live video stream. Conventional QoE aware Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) scheme may not be suitable for live interactive streams especially in bandwidth limited practical situations and does not address the core issues inherent in present ABR schemes. The present models the adaptation as a context specific multi-model tuning mechanism and provides a dual adaptation control for spatial encoding of each frame. This involves defining a starting region of potential attention by the user based on a standard estimate of eye-foveation with respect to the field of view (FOV) and then adapting it through a foveal-breathing technique. Further, a median based sparsification of quantized DCT coefficient matrix for each minimum coded unit (MCU) of a frame is introduced to satisfy channel bit budget without compromising the quality of the foveal region.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses an issue of inherent delay in a cloud-centric architecture in a scenario where multiple remote users join a teleoperation session with a robot such that any one of the users may take exclusive control of the robot and remotely maneuver it as the avatar of a current master. A Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) based signaling protocol with a hybrid topology for a multi-user session is provided, wherein Audio-Visual (A/V) data streaming happens over a public cloud while each master creates an on-demand peer-to-peer (P2P) channel with the robot for a desired duration of maneuvering the robot that represents the avatar of the current master. Thus, low-latency delivery of control commands results in good user experience. The provided method and system may be applied to teleoperation sessions like telemedicine sessions.

Abstract: A system and method for navigation of a robot from a first area to a second area in a facility is provided. The present disclosure is providing robot navigation using the ‘Areagoal’ Navigation technique. ‘Areagoal’ class of problem is divided into two subtasks: identifying the area; and navigation from one area to another. The robot starts in first location and goes out of the current area if it is not in the target area. If there are multiple openings from the first area, it needs to select the most statistically close one to the target area and go there. If the target area is not reached, it backtracks to an earlier viable branch position to continue the target area search. The system takes input from RGB-D camera and odometer, while the output is action space (left, right, forward) with goal of moving to target area.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to navigation of a tele-robot in dynamic environment using in-situ intelligence. Tele-robotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of robots (tele-robots) in a remote environment from a distance. In reality the remote environment where the tele robot navigates may be dynamic in nature with unpredictable movements, making the navigation extremely challenging. The disclosure proposes an in-situ intelligent navigation of a tele-robot in a dynamic environment. The disclosed in-situ intelligence enables the tele-robot to understand the dynamic environment by identification and estimation of future location of objects based on a generating/training a motion model. Further the disclosed techniques also enable communication between a master and the tele-robot (whenever necessary) based on an application layer communication semantic.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to method and system for live video streaming with integrated encoding and transmission semantics. The system receives a set of frames associated with a live video stream encoded to generate a set of data fragments using a reference encoder and a delta encoder. Transmitter unit of the live video streaming protocol transmits each packet of the set of full frames and the set of delta frames in sequence with a payload specific header based on a packet mode. Further, the receiver unit receives each packet of the full frames and each packet of the delta frames based on the packet mode to reconstruct an original sequence from the foreground pixels by estimating a total number of packets expected at each frame interval and loss incurred in each packet of the set of full frames and the set of delta frames.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to method and system for live video streaming with integrated encoding and transmission semantics. The system receives a set of frames associated with a live video stream encoded to generate a set of data fragments using a reference encoder and a delta encoder. Transmitter unit of the live video streaming protocol transmits each packet of the set of full frames and the set of delta frames in sequence with a payload specific header based on a packet mode. Further, the receiver unit receives each packet of the full frames and each packet of the delta frames based on the packet mode to reconstruct an original sequence from the foreground pixels by estimating a total number of packets expected at each frame interval and loss incurred in each packet of the set of full frames and the set of delta frames.

Abstract: The embodiments of present disclosure herein address unresolved problem of cognitive navigation strategies for a telepresence robotic system. This includes giving instruction remotely over network to go to a point in an indoor space, to go an area, to go to an object. Also, human robot interaction to give and understand interaction is not integrated in a common telepresence framework. The embodiments herein provide a telepresence robotic system empowered with a smart navigation which is based on in situ intelligent visual semantic mapping of the live scene captured by a robot. It further presents an edge-centric software architecture of a teledrive comprising a speech recognition based HRI, a navigation module and a real-time WebRTC based communication framework that holds the entire telepresence robotic system together. Additionally, the disclosure provides a robot independent API calls via device driver ROS, making the offering hardware independent and capable of running in any robot.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses an issue of inherent delay in a cloud-centric architecture in a scenario where multiple remote users join a teleoperation session with a robot such that any one of the users may take exclusive control of the robot and remotely maneuver it as the avatar of a current master. A Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) based signaling protocol with a hybrid topology for a multi-user session is provided, wherein Audio-Visual (A/V) data streaming happens over a public cloud while each master creates an on-demand peer-to-peer (P2P) channel with the robot for a desired duration of maneuvering the robot that represents the avatar of the current master. Thus, low-latency delivery of control commands results in good user experience. The provided method and system may be applied to teleoperation sessions like telemedicine sessions.

Abstract: Conventional tele-presence robots have their own limitations with respect to task execution, information processing and management. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a tele-presence robot (TPR) that communicates with a master device associated with a user via an edge device for task execution wherein control command from the master device is parsed for determining instructions set and task type for execution. Based on this determination, the TPR queries for information across storage devices until a response is obtained enough to execute task. The task upon execution is validated with the master device and user. Knowledge acquired, during querying, task execution and validation of the executed task, is dynamically partitioned by the TPR across storage devices namely, on-board memory of the tele-present robot, an edge device, a cloud and a web interface respectively depending upon the task type, operating environment of the tele-presence robot, and other performance affecting parameters.

Abstract: Robotic platform for tele-presence applications has gained paramount importance, such as for remote meetings, group discussions, and the like and has sought much attention. There exist some robotic platforms for such tele-presence applications, these lack efficacy in communication and interaction between remote person and avatar robot deployed in another geographic location thus adding network overhead. Embodiments of the present disclosure for edge centric communication protocol for remotely maneuvering tele-presence robot in geographically distributed environment.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to navigation of a tele-robot in dynamic environment using in-situ intelligence. Tele-robotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of robots (tele-robots) in a remote environment from a distance. In reality the remote environment where the tele robot navigates may be dynamic in nature with unpredictable movements, making the navigation extremely challenging. The disclosure proposes an in-situ intelligent navigation of a tele-robot in a dynamic environment. The disclosed in-situ intelligence enables the tele-robot to understand the dynamic environment by identification and estimation of future location of objects based on a generating/training a motion model. Further the disclosed techniques also enable communication between a master and the tele-robot (whenever necessary) based on an application layer communication semantic.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to method and system for enhancing Quality of experience (QoE) for rendering live interactive videos in real-time. The conventional methods utilize an additional field in packet header to determine which packet sequences were lost, so that the receiver could request a retransmission. Due to unpredictable delay and loss, the receiver may not get the end-of-frame packet which has been sent using best-effort. The disclosed method and system introduced an additional indicator to identify an expected maximum number of packets transmitted for each frame, and further determine the distribution of loss so that the rendering unit can intelligently decide on whether to allow the frame to display, or to drop it without using any additional retransmission or error-concealment strategy, thereby enhancing the QoE of reception at the receiver.

Abstract: Video conferencing involves transmission of video as well as audio over a network between people involved in the video conferencing, over a network. Typically, quality of conference sessions are affected by quality of network connection. If the bandwidth of the network is low, that that may cause call quality issues or call drops, which is not desirable especially in certain applications such as a surgery over video conferencing. Disclosed herein is a Conference Manager (CM) that can facilitate video conferencing over a low bandwidth network. The CM uses a producer unit and a consumer unit, for video capture and transmission, and a communication device for audio capture and transmission. The CM captures and combines audio and video data at a receiving end of the communication network. The CM also uses a fast block-wise data transfer mechanism for facilitating communication between the transmitting end and the receiving end.

Abstract: In the field of Internet of Things understanding need of applications and translating them to network parameters and protocol parameters is a major challenge. This disclosure addresses problem of enabling network services by cognitive sense-analyze-decide-respond framework. A processor implemented method is provided for enabling network aware applications and applications aware networks by a sense analyze decide respond (SADR) framework.

Abstract: Conventional tele-presence robots have their own limitations with respect to task execution, information processing and management. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a tele-presence robot (TPR) that communicates with a master device associated with a user via an edge device for task execution wherein control command from the master device is parsed for determining instructions set and task type for execution. Based on this determination, the TPR queries for information across storage devices until a response is obtained enough to execute task. The task upon execution is validated with the master device and user. Knowledge acquired, during querying, task execution and validation of the executed task, is dynamically partitioned by the TPR across storage devices namely, on-board memory of the tele-present robot, an edge device, a cloud and a web interface respectively depending upon the task type, operating environment of the tele-presence robot, and other performance affecting parameters.

Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for maintaining quality of experience (QoE) in real-time live video streaming. Conventional techniques in achieving the QoE employ either additional bandwidth of the network or compromise on a latency of the network. The present disclosure provides a rendering algorithm to compensate for lost entropy without attempting to regain exact lost packet(s) information. The rendering algorithm enhance the QoE by regaining structural continuity of the lost packet(s) information despite variations in the end-to-end transmission channel. A segmentation algorithm is employed to segment each frame into one or more packets, so that each packet should only have integer number of MCU blocks. The rendering algorithm to identify the lost packets and to compensate the lost information. The present disclosure provides a loss resilient solution to maintain the QoE without trading off the bandwidth efficiency and the network latency.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to the use of distributed system for computation, and more particularly, relates to a method and system for optimizing computation and communication resource while preserving security in the distributed device for computation. In one embodiment, a system and method of utilizing plurality of constrained edge devices for distributed computation is disclosed. The system enables integration of the edge devices like residential gateways and smart phone into a grid of distributed computation. The edged devices with constrained bandwidth, energy, computation capabilities and combination thereof are optimized dynamically based on condition of communication network. The system further enables scheduling and segregation of data, to be analyzed, between the edge devices. The system may further be configured to preserve privacy associated with the data while sharing the data between the plurality of devices during computation.

Abstract: Robotic platform for tele-presence applications has gained paramount importance, such as for remote meetings, group discussions, and the like and has sought much attention. There exist some robotic platforms for such tele-presence applications, these lack efficacy in communication and interaction between remote person and avatar robot deployed in another geographic location thus adding network overhead. Embodiments of the present disclosure for edge centric communication protocol for remotely maneuvering tele-presence robot in geographically distributed environment.

Abstract: Mobile nodes communicating in direct mode (DM) may be compelled, due to their mobility pattern, to switch to infrastructure mode (IM) via conventional uplink/downlink through base station (eNB) to maintain best possible link-quality. When mobile nodes move away from each other, Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) may degrade over D2D link, side link (SL), and eNB is forced to re-schedule nodes to IM, incurring additional delay and potential loss of packets in transit. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that uses information such as flow size, transport layer type, bandwidth and RTT to determine whether request initiated by a mobile node for communication with another mobile node is of a particular transfer flow type and based on the request type (i) DM is enabled for communication or (ii) DM mode is disabled and initiates, within the mobile node, request to activate IM mode for communication.

Abstract: Conventional protocols for live media streaming are not lightweight and hence not suitable for constrained video transmitting devices. The protocols are poor in terms of delay performance under lossy conditions and need to maintain a lot of states at the constrained transmitting end leading to load on the memory and draining energy of the devices. The conventionally used protocols do not perform well for intermittent connectivity. Usually the existing streaming solutions act either in completely reliable manner, using reliable transport protocol like TCP, or in completely unreliable manner using best effort unreliable transport protocol like UDP. The present disclosure provides a single streaming solution which can change the protocol semantics and maintains a balance between reliability and delay-performance, thereby optimizing the overall system goodput. The protocol does this intelligently by inferring the criticality of the segment in flight and enable live video streaming for Internet of Things (IoT).