| Abstract: | The optimum BISDN teleconference service for business, called hypermedia teleconference, is designed based on research into typical business activities and ATM, the most promising BISDN architecture. Service characteristics are determined by analysing the daily work practices of a large set of businessmen. It is shown that communication tasks occupy 44 per cent of the working day. The analysis further shows that some 60 per cent of all communication tasks could be performed through an advanced digital teleconference service. Hypermedia teleconference is designed to satisfy the needs of business through personal communication terminals and ATM public networks. The terminals effectively allocate the BISDN's high-speed transmission capability between a number of subchannels that realize distributed multipoint connection links and multimedia paths. The terminals use a new variable-bit-rate ATM codec created to realize high quality video. Users can easily create full featured teleconferences without a centralized connection facility. Terminals allow the synergistic combination of video, voice, telewriting, telepointing and document transmission services. |
