Distributed synchronization protocols for multimedia services on Internet

Abstract

In this paper we present a distributed architecture for the existing and the emerging Internet for providing synchronized virtual channels (SVCs) to support presentation of multimedia information. The SVC architecture (SVCA) provides both intra-stream and inter-stream synchronization using resources available over the Internet and implementing distributed transmission scheduling mechanisms. We also propose a set of quality of presentation (QOP) parameters that quantify the quality of multimedia presentation from the user's point of view. Based on these parameters, we evaluate the proposed architecture and provides trade-offs between the QOP parameters and the required network resources to maintain this quality. Subsequently, these trade-offs are used to generate an optimal schedule for transmission of multimedia information over the SVCA. We also present protocol mechanisms to realize the SVCA.<>