Buffer design for modular-quality video playout without prebuffering in cellular networks

A playout buffer management method, which aims to minimize video freeze duration and low quality playout duration as well as the amount of unused data, for a scenario in which a mobile user downloads video content that is available in two different encoding quality levels over a cellular network is proposed. The mobile is assumed to browse the video by seeking within it, and it is expected that the seek is seamless, thus prohibiting prebuffering. The effect of the values that the thresholds of the buffer can take on the performance of the system is demonstrated via simulations.