This paper describes an event-based synchronization mechanism, which is at the core of the inter-media synchronization in the upcoming standard for multimedia presentation, PREMO. The synchronization mechanism of PREMO is a powerful tool, based on a small number of concepts, and on cooperation among active objects, and represents a synthesis of various synchronization models described in the literature. This model can serve as a basis for the implementation of complex synchronization patterns in multimedia presentations, both purely event-based, as well as time-based.

Middleware system services architecture

A standard model for multimedia synchronization: PREMO synchronization objects

A standard for multimedia middleware

Digital multimedia systems are rapidly becoming ubiquitous with nearly all computer platforms offering support for audio and video. Multimedia computing promises to augment or replace most of the traditional broadcast and print media with more interactive and personalized information services. Unfortunately, today's real-time multimedia services are either tailored to a personal computer environment or are vulnerable to performance degradations in a shared environment. Designers are faced with two fundamental problems: (1) choosing a digital representation for continuous media, and (2) scheduling resources to approximate a real-time presentation. While some multimedia systems take an ad hoc approach to these problems, an optimal solution requires a complete specification of presentation quality requirements.
This thesis offers the first complete framework for specifying presentation Quality of Service (QOS) requirements. Beginning with a formal definition of an ideal presentation, the thesis describes a quality estimation function based on error in the presentation outputs. This approach allows device and data independent descriptions of multimedia services. We provide a detailed example of a formal QOS specification composed of orthogonal content, view, and quality descriptors. These descriptors are designed to support useful, complex multimedia presentations and to have a simple formal semantics. The practicality of the QOS specifications are demonstrated by a multimedia player that translates QOS requirements at runtime into acceptable presentations with near-optimal resource use.

Quality of Service Specification for Resource Management in Multimedia Systems

15cOOPERATIVE MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Cooperative MMIS are increasingly gaining importance for multimedia information creation and dissemination in distributed teams. This chapter discusses relevant issues on cooperative aspects of Multimedia Information Systems (MMIS) and provides an insight into a variety of applications, technical constraints, and architectures enhancing efficient information dissemination and collaboration among people. Thus this chapter will offer breadth by reviewing the state of the art of commercial systems as well as research prototypes rather than details of one particular system.

Middleware system services architecture

Citations

A standard model for multimedia synchronization: PREMO synchronization objects

A standard for multimedia middleware

Quality of Service Specification for Resource Management in Multimedia Systems

15cOOPERATIVE MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Cooperative Multimedia Information Systems

Related Papers (5)

Active Middleware Services

A service-oriented architecture for design and development of middleware

Grid Middleware and Services

Towards an organic middleware for real-time applications

A Service-oriented Middleware for Runtime Web Services Interoperability