Distributed multimedia systems

A distributed multimedia system (DMS) is an integrated communication, computing, and information system that enables the processing, management, delivery, and presentation of synchronized multimedia information with quality-of-service guarantees. Multimedia information may include discrete media data, such as text, data, and images, and continuous media data, such as video and audio. Such a system enhances human communications by exploiting both visual and aural senses and provides the ultimate flexibility in work and entertainment, allowing one to collaborate with remote participants, view movies on demand, access on-line digital libraries from the desktop, and so forth. In this paper, we present a technical survey of a DMS. We give an overview of distributed multimedia systems, examine the fundamental concept of digital media, identify the applications, and survey the important enabling technologies     

Distributed multimedia information handling and processing

Requirements for distributed processing of multimedia information are summarized and compared with the latest efforts in standardization. An approach to a communication model that can be viewed as a special form of a model for open distributed applications is outlined. The functions of a system for the handling of multimedia information and a functional model approach, including a supporting environment, are considered. Synchronization aspects of isochronous and anisochronous communication are also outlined. The model is still under development. Detailed work needs to be done in the areas of formal specification of abstract services and modeling of communication protocols     

Integrating multimedia in geographical information systems

Developments in multimedia and scientific visualization have greatly expanded the technical capabilities of geographic information systems. Users can visually explore, analyze, and present data and gain insight on spatial relations and patterns. But how do users manage all the information that reaches them? Highly-structured interfaces such as hypermaps, discussed here, are a necessary and useful way to structure multimedia components and let users easily navigate data sets     

Quality-based evaluation of multimedia synchronization protocolsfor distributed multimedia information systems

Distributed, networked multimedia information systems will be a critical component of technology-based information infrastructures in the future. We present an infrastructure for supporting multimedia applications. We discuss various characteristics of multimedia data and the effect of the network on the required quality of presentation for multimedia data. We present a suite of synchronization protocols to support the quality of presentation. The crux of these protocols is the scheduling of multimedia information for synchronized delivery, over broadband networks with limited resources, and is identified as an NP-hard problem. We introduce two parameters which can be used to measure the performance of end-to-end synchronization protocols in a network supporting distributed multimedia applications. We propose and implement several heuristic scheduling algorithms, and compare their performance. We deduce the appropriateness of these algorithms in different types of distributed multimedia environments     

Large-capacity multimedia systems

The exponential growth of Internet use may result in a reduction of the grade of service of telecommunication networks. Capacity increase is the challenge to telecom operators. Communication satellites “see” a large customer population and provide a large: amount of-mainly entertainment-information. Interactive services are possible with enhanced communication satellite systems. Such satellite concepts and technologies are the subject of this article     

Distributed multimedia applications on gigabit networks

MultiG, an open research program addressing issues that range from end-user requirements on distributed multimedia applications supporting collaborative work to medium-access protocols for multi-gigabit networks on optical fibers, is discussed. The projects in MultiG are described from the top down, beginning with computer-supported cooperative work. Distributed multimedia applications and application generators are then considered, followed by networking issues, including interprocess communication, transport services, network protocols, and high-speed protocol processing. Testbed activities and future plans are described     

Handling multimedia information with VLSI

Identifies the basic technological components of multimedia communications. Among these technologies, multimedia processing and transmission already benefit heavily from VLSI advances. in fact, these two technologies could not have matured without special-purpose VLSI chips. We have examined basic processing required in these technologies and some VLSI architectures. The focus has been on standard-compliant VLSI chips, because the eventual goal of communications is to allow everyone to reach others without constraints. There are still a number of evolving standards, which means that we might witness yet another wave of VLSI chips for multimedia communications     

Distributed multimedia and QOS: a survey

Quality of service (QOS) is increasingly important for all components within distributed multimedia systems, as this survey reveals. We discuss the QOS parameters found in communication protocols, operating systems, multimedia databases and file servers, as well as those directly affecting the human user     

Spatial browsing to retrieve multimedia information

Burgeoning consumer products and services provided through cable, television, and the World Wide Web (WWW) make it challenging for consumers to organize and use their home entertainment and information centers. Assuming that this large amount of home entertainment multimedia information will come to consumers' homes through a television or a television-like device, the Spatial Browsing project explores a 3D interface solution to multimedia database browsing and searching. Philips Research in Briarcliff, New York is developing various algorithms for browsing and retrieving information in large multimedia databases. As a design research effort, the Spatial Browsing project further augments the available in-house technology in developing user interface design concepts for interacting with such databases     

MPEG-7与多媒体信息检索

简要阐述了MPEG-7的概况和多媒体数据的内容和结构，并对应用MPEG-7进行多媒体的信息检索作了一定的探讨。介绍了当前多媒体信息检索的主要技术和今后的主要研究方向。     

Adaptation in distributed multimedia systems

The real-time requirements of continuous media call for careful resource management in distributed multimedia systems. In complex and mobile systems, however, effective resource reservation becomes almost impossible. Recent research suggests adaptive applications as a complementary solution. This article reviews heterogeneous networks and the rationale behind adaptation, gives implementation examples, and discusses some outstanding research issues     

Synchronization properties in multimedia systems

Multimedia is defined as the integrated generation, representation, processing, storage, and dissemination of independent machine-processable information expressed in multiple time-dependent and time-independent media such as data, graphics, drawings, voice, audio, and video. The characteristics of synchronization mechanisms desirable for central and distributed multimedia systems are addressed. The concept of multimedia objects as components of an object-based model for a multimedia system is introduced. The essential new synchronization requirement is restricted blocking together with synchronization features covering real-time aspects. Existing synchronization mechanisms can be altered or new ones defined to meet these requirements     

A framework architecture for multimedia information networks

An overview of the INA architecture, which builds on the current advances in broadband communication and distributed computing technologies and specifies an architecture for future information networks that are required to transport multimedia information and to manage multimedia communication, is presented. The key functional separations that have to be met in any INA-consistent network, the major components of an INA-consistent network, and the various levels in the architecture are described. The INA architecture is compared to other networking and distributed-processing architecture     

Distributed resource allocation for DS-CDMA-based multimedia ad hocwireless LANs

Power control in direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) systems and power/rate allocation in multirate DS-CDMA based networks is an open and interesting research area which has attracted much attention. However, with a few exceptions, most researchers have emphasized centralized resource allocation algorithms for cellular systems where the base station keeps track of the requirements of the various users and is thus responsible for the management of network resources. Ad hoc wireless local area networks (WLANs), on the other hand, are generally configured as peer-to-peer networks with no centralized hub or controller. Thus resource allocation has to be conducted in a distributed fashion. We address the issue of distributed resource management for multirate DS-CDMA based multimedia WLANs by (1) presenting a distributed resource allocation protocol, known as distributed resource negotiation protocol (DRNP) that builds on the RTS/CTS bandwidth reservation mechanism provided by IEEE 802.111, and provides quality of service (QoS) guarantees through distributed control of resources in DS-CDMA based multimedia WLANs and (2) investigating the performance of various resource allocation schemes within the context of DRNP, in terms of network wide metrics such as overall throughput and blocking rates     

Exploring the diversity of multimedia systems

We evaluate the validity of the fundamental assumption behind application-specific programmable processors: that applications differ from each other in key parameters which are exploitable, such as the available instruction-level parallelism (ILP), demand on various hardware resources, and the desired mix of function units. Following the tradition of the CAD community, we develop an accurate chip area estimate and a set of aggressive hardware optimization algorithms. We follow the tradition of the architecture community by using comprehensive real-life benchmarks and production quality tools. This combination enables us to build a unique framework for system-level synthesis and to gain valuable insights about design and use of application-specific programmable processors for modern applications. We explore the application-specific programmable processor (ASSP) design space to understand the relationship between performance and area. The architecture model we used is the Hewlett Packard PA-RISC with single level caches. The system, including all memory and bus latencies, is simulated and no other specialized ALU or memory structures are being used. The experimental results reveal a number of important characteristics of the ASSP design space. For example, we found that in most cases a single programmable architecture performs similarly to a set of architectures that are tuned to individual application. A notable exception is highly cost sensitive designs, which we observe need a small number of specialized architectures that require smaller areas. Also, it is clear that there is enough parallelism in the typical media and communication applications to justify use of high number of function units. We found that the framework introduced in this paper can be very valuable in making early design decisions such as area and architectural configuration tradeoff, cache and issue width tradeoff under area constraint, and the number of branch units and issue width     

Distributed systems for telecommunications

The authors present an overview of the January/February 1994 issue of IEEE Network which includes seven articles on distributed telecommunications systems     

A multimedia information system for home health-care support

The author describes Guardian, a knowledge based home health-care support system in the domain of childhood leukaemia. Guardian is part of a joint project between IBM Research and the New England Medical Center for building a prototype home-care system for children with leukaemia. The prototype system consists of a set of applications, including consultation and symptoms analysis, procedure guidance, emotional support, and communications, implemented in Smalltalk/OS2. This article focuses on the knowledge-based system, which helps parents better understand the symptoms or problems their child is experiencing and provides them with relevant therapeutic information