On File Delay Minimization for Content Uploading to Media Cloud Via Collaborative Wireless Network

This paper investigates the problem of uploading user-generated content files (e.g., video captured on mobile devices) to a media cloud via a cooperative wireless network. The multi-path opportunity inherent to the cooperative network provides a new dimension by optimally allocating all the packets into different paths to improve the user experience. Specifically, the authors aim to minimize the end-to-end file delay, resulting in a better experience for end users. They first show that the file delay is penalized by a path-starvation effect, which results from poor packet allocation among different paths. Secondly, their in-depth analysis of the canonical two-path case indicates that it could hurt in some cases to use more paths.