MAC-PHY layer optimization for digital video transmission in wireless network

Video transmission over 802.11 wireless networks poses many challenges. Bandwidth demands and timing constraints are two major challenges for real time video transmission over wireless. To increase network throughput as well as overall network capacity, the use of cross layer design approach is required. One of such design approaches includes physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers considerations and is explored in this paper. This survy paper describes a detailed study of the MAC and PHY layer considerations for good wireless video transmission performance. The ultimate solution for the problem of real time video transmission is to study the different methods of adapting parameters for achieving the delay constraints in real time environment. The best techniques available in literature are studied for adapting the parameters which are suitable for real time video transmission. This study focuses on adaptive retry limit (ARL) parameter for MAC layer and PHY layer parameter like Enhanced Adaptive Forward Error Correction (EnAFEC) for real time video transmission that can be supported by a wireless network. The new scheme for optimizing the wireless network´s MAC and PHY layer parameters is proposed in this work.