Power optimized mode selection for H.263 video coding and wireless communications

We study how to use the H.263 video communications standard efficiently to save the total consumed energy of a mobile unit in cellular networks. Particularly, we study the computational power dissipation of various operation modes available in the H.263 coding standard. We show how to achieve low power consumption in a mobile unit by judiciously selecting the operating mode of H.263 in response to the mobile environment changes (e.g., slow fading and path loss), while maintaining a good video quality level. Our preliminary results show that a mobile with the proposed method consumes 10% less energy than a mobile that comes with the most efficient power-rate mode (with a search window size of 8) of H.263 video coding in one-hour mobile communication simulation. It even saves around 32% energy over a mobile operating with an advanced coding method (using four negotiating options)