Using an agent based platform to map quality of service to experience in conventional and active networks
A quality of experience (QoE) metric is defined as being the user's perception of the network's QoS parameters. The QoE defines a combination of user satisfaction, understanding and interest. Using agents, network QoS parameters are controlled in an attempt to match the user's perceived QoE. The QoS is managed through an arbitrator using (a) a series of rules and reference tables and (b) the end-user feedback. Within the framework presented the user can change the QoS requirements at any time. It is believed that by empowering the user to select the quality according to expectation, QoE can be improved relative to the individual. A mapping to the perceived QoE is derived from a group of objective and subjective weighting factors associated to the QoS performance parameters. The framework has been validated by building a prototype. A series of experiments was conducted in which both a conventional and an active QoS mechanism was employed by the arbitrator. The QoE mapping has proved useful for understanding the relation between objective and subjective metrics in the experiments. From these measurements the QoE requirements and a general outlook of the network and the conditions at the time of the transmission may be inferred.