Performance Metrics for Wireless Image Transmission
In order to assess the expected performance of various wireless data options for the portable ultrasound machine, such as wireless LANs, 3G mobile phones, and satellite phone, a testing protocol must be developed to accurately compare the performance under different options. The ultimate goal is to be able to accurately predict what level of performance can be expected from each data option given a specific application. The work was carried out by Brett Dickson, MS student in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Having a relevant performance metric available for wireless data options will make it easier to recommend a specific data link option to a clinical trial organization, given their intended application space of the ultrasound machine as well as their existing communications infrastructure. Because it would be impossible to test every conceivable configuration that may arise in telemedicine, this project aims to test the most common configurations in a manner that will make it possible to confidently predict the affect of application-specific variables from alternative configurations.
The main variables that exist among different telemedicine applications include: the distance between the remote device and base station, the size of the data file that must be transmitted, and if the data must be sent in real-time. Therefore, the key factors that must be examined when choosing a data link option include: maximum transmission range, supported bandwidth, and average latency of the network. It is also important to determine how varying the distance between the remote machine and the base station will affect these attributes.
In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, factors such as the number of failed attempts and the number of errors during transmission must also be considered as they are indicative of the reliability of the communication link. The transport and network layers that will be used to test the different communication options will be TCP/IP as well as UDP/IP. An IP performance software package may be used in conjunction with the RPC application to gather the following performance statistics.
Hypothetical Radio Test Configuration
Last modified: September 05, 2008 11:07:35