Using the floor control mechanism in distributed multimedia presentation system

Abstract

Establishing a Web-based distributed multimedia presentation system environment is technical challenge. In this paper, we describe how to present different multimedia objects indispensably on a Web presentation system with a floor control mechanism, to be used in a distance learning environment. The distributed approach is based on an extended timed Petri net model. Using the characterization of extended timed Petri nets, we express the temporal behavior of multimedia objects. Then we introduce the concepts of user interaction. The main goal of our system is to provide a feasible method to represent a schedule and navigate different multimedia objects with user interaction. In addition, users can dynamically modify and verify different kinds of conditions during the presentation. To verify the structural mechanism, we implement an algorithm using the Petri net diagram, analyzing the model by a time schedule of multimedia objects, and we produce a synchronous set of multimedia objects with respect to the time duration. In particular, we consider the interactive facilities needed to support the distance learning requirements. We propose a floor control mechanism which provides four types of control (free access, equal control, group discussion and direct contact). These control mechanisms are sufficient for use in a distance learning environment.