Multimedia communications 1.

2 Multimedia information representation

• Form of representation
1.1 Introduction:
• In applications that involve just a single type of media,
• Multimedia indicates that the information/data being the basic form of representation of the particular media
transferred over the network may be composed of one or type is required.
more of the following types: Text, images, audio and • Otherwise, different media types should be integrated
video. together in a digital form.

• Applications: • In applications involving text and images:

• person-to-person communications (e.g. email) • It comprise blocks of digital data each of which is
represented by a fixed bit pattern known as codeword.
• person-to-system communications (e.g. web-browsing)
• The duration of the overall transaction is relatively
• In this chapter, we'll talk about short.
• How the different media types are represented. • No streaming is required.
• Different types of network that are used to provide
• In applications involving audio & video:
multimedia communication services
• The signals vary continuously with time.
• A selection of the applications that these networks
support • The duration of application can be relatively long.
• Meaning of a range of terms that are associated with • Streaming is required.
multimedia communications. • The amount of data used to represent the signal is
measured in bits per second (bps).

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• Compression is generally applied to digitized signals to 1.3.1 telephone networks
reduce (i) the resulting bit rate to a level a network can
• Designed to provide a basic switched telephone service.
support and (ii) the time delay between a request being
made for some information and the information • 'Switched' means that a subscriber can make a call to any
becoming available. other telephone that is connected to the total network.

1.3 Multimedia networks

• There are 5 types of communication network that are

used to provide multimedia communication services:
• Telephone networks
• Data networks
• Broadcast television networks
• Integrated services digital networks (ISDN)
• Broadband multuiservice networks

• Characteristics:
• The first 3 types were initially designed to provide just
a single type of service.
• The last 2 types were designed to provide multiple
services.

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 1.3.2 data networks
• It's designed to provide basic data communication
services such as email and general file transfer.
• Two most widely deployed networks of this type are the
X.25 network and the Internet.
• The X.25 network is restricted to relatively low bit rate
data applications only.
• The Internet is made up of a vast collection of
interconnected networks all of which operate using the
same set of communication protocols.
• Communication protocol
• is an agreed set of rules that are adhered to by all
communication parties for the exchange of
• Telephone networks operate in circuit mode. information.
• defines (i) the sequence of messages for the exchange
• For each call, a separate circuit is set up through the
of information and (ii) the syntax of these messages.
network for the duration of the call.
• The access circuits that link the telephone handsets to a • A user may access to the Internet through an
PSTN or PBX were designed to carry the 2-way analog intermediate Internet service provider (ISP) network.
signals associated with a call.
• Though modern PSTNs operate in a digital mode, a
modem is used to carry a digital signal over the analog
access circuits.

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 • A network is called intranet if all internal services are
provided using the same set of communication protocols.

• Different types of network are connected to the Internet

backbone network through an internetworking unit
called a gateway.

• A gateway is also known as a router as it is responsible

for routing and relaying all messages to and from the
connected networks.

• All data networks operate in packet mode.

• A packet is a container for a block of data and the

information for routing the packet to the destination
through the network.

• This mode is used because the format of the data

associated with data applications is normally in the form
of discrete blocks of text or binary data with varying
time intervals between each block.

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1.3.3 Broadcast television networks
• designed to support the diffusion of analog television
(and radio) programs throughout wide geographical
areas.

• Broadcast media include

• Cable distribution network : for a town or city
• Satellite network : for larger areas
• Terrestrial broadcast network : for larger areas

• The traffic is 1-way or asymmetric.

• It generally works with a low bit rate return channel

offered by a cable network for interaction purposes to
provide a range of additional services such as home
shopping and games playing.

• The subscriber accesses the cable distribution network

through a set-top box.

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1.3.4 Integrated services digital networks

• Designed to provide PSTN users with the capability of

having additional services.
• This was achieved by
(i) converting the access circuits that connect user
equipment to the network into an all-digital form,
and
(ii) providing 2 separate communication channels over
these circuits.
• This all-digital access circuit is known as a digital
subscriber line (DSL)

• The digitization of a toll-quality analog speech produces 1.3.5 Broadband multiservice networks
a constant bit rate bitstream of 64kbps. (64kbps is hence
used as a basic unit.) • Designed in mid-80s for use as public switched networks
to support a wide range of multimedia communication
• Options of service: applications.
• Basic rate access(BRA) : supports 2 independent • "Broadband" means it can support a bit rate higher than
64kbps channels or 1 128kbps channel (with an that an ISDN can support (>2Mbps).
aggregation unit to synchronize 2 64kbps channels)
• This type of network is also known as broadband ISDN
• Primary rate access (PRA) : supports 1 1.5/2.0Mbps (B-ISDN) while ISDN is known as narrowband ISDN
channel (N-ISDN).
• It can also support a single switched channel of • Switching and transmission methods that are used in
px64kbps, where p=1,2...30. these networks must be more flexible as they are
designed to support multiple services.
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• All media types are converted into digital form and 1.4 Multimedia application
integrated together, and the resulting stream is divided
into fixed-sized packets known as cells. Category Media Application descriptions
• Switching fixed-sized cells can be carried out much Interpersonal Speech Telephony, voice-mail,
faster than switching variable-length packets. communications teleconferencing
Image Facsimile
• Different multimedia applications generate cell streams
of different rates and hence the rate of transfer of cells Text Electronic mail
through the network varies. This mode of transmission is Text and images Computer-supported
known as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). cooperative working

• This type of network is also known as ATM network or Speech and video Video telephoney, video mail,
videoconferencing
cell-switching network.
Text, image, audio Multimedia electronic mail,
and video multiparty video games etc.
Interactive Text, image, audio Information retrievaal (news,
applications over and video weather, books, magazines,
the Internet video games, product literature
etc.)
Electronic commerce
Entertainment Text, image, audio Audio/CD-on-demand
services and video
Movie/video-on-demand
Analog and digital television
broadcasts
Interactive television

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1.5 Application and network terminology 1.5.1 Media types
• The information flow associated with the different
applications can be either continuous or block mode.

• In the case of continuous media:

• Mode of operation : streaming
• The information stream is generated by the source
continuously in a timely-dependent way and played
out directly as it is received at the destination.
• e.g. audio, video
• The continuous media is called real-time media as it's
generated in a time-dependent way.
• The source stream can be generated at a constant bit
rate (CBR) or a variable bit rate (VBR).

• In the case of block-mode media:

• We review • Mode of operation: downloading
• some of the terminology used in relation to the • The source information comprises a single block of
different media types and information that is created in a time-independent way.
• the terminology and operational characteristics of the • E.g. text, image
different type of communication channels provided by
different networks. • The delay between the request being made and the
contents of the block being outputted at the destination
is called round-trip delay. (should be <few seconds)

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1.5.2 communication modes 1.5.3 Network types
• The transfer of the information streams associated with • There are 2 types of communications channel associated
an application can be 1 of the 5 modes: with the various network types: circuit-mode & packet-
mode.
• Simplex: 1 direction only
• Half-duplex: flows in both directions but alternately • Channels in circuit-mode:
• Full-duplex: flows in both directions simultaneously • Operates in a time-dependent way
(1-to-1 transmission) • Also known as a synchronous communications
• Broadcast: 1-to-all transmission channel since it provides a constant bit rate service.
• Multicast: 1-to-many transmission • Channels in packet-mode:
• Operates in a time-varying way
• Also known as an asynchronous communications
channel since it provides a variable bit rate service.

Circuit-mode:
• This type of network is also known as a circuit-
switched network.
• A circuit-mode network comprises an interconnected
set of switching offices/exchanges to which the
subscribers/computers are connected.
• Prior to sending any information, the source must first
set up a connection through the network.
• The bit rate associated with the connection is fixed.
• In duplex communications, if the flows in the 2 • The messages associated with the setting up and
directions are equal, the information flow is symmetric. clearing of a connection are known as signaling
Otherwise, it's asymmetric. messages.
• There is a call/connection setup delay.
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• Examples: PSTN and ISDN Packet-mode:
• There are 2 types of packet-mode networks:
connection-oriented (CO) and connectionless (CL)
• This type of network is also known as a packet-
switched network.

• A connection-oriented network:
• A connection-oriented network comprises an
interconnected set of packet-switching exchanges
(PSEs).
• Prior to sending any information, a connection is
first set up through the network.
• The connection utilizes only a variable portion of the
bandwidth of each link and hence it's known as a
virtual connection or a virtual circuit (VC).

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 A call request packet contains • Example: Internet
: source/destination addresses
+ virtual circuit identifier(VCI)
- used for setting up a VC

time
call request packet

source call accepted packet destinaction

terminal/ terminal/
computer computer A VC is
available
call clear packet

How to set up a VC

• Each PSE has a routing table which defines a packet

coming from which input link will be delivered to
which output link.
• Examples: X.25, ATM network

• Connectionless network:
• The establishment of a connection is not required
and the two communicating terminals/computers can • Basic mode of operation (Common to PS networks):
communicate and exchange information as and when
they wish. • When a packet is forwarded to a PSE/router, it's stored
in a buffer, checked, discarded if there is any problem
• Each packet must carry the full source and (due to congestion or error), or else forwarded to next
destination addresses in its header in order for each PSE/router if the outgoing link is available.
PSE to route the packet onto the appropriate
outgoing link. • Each PSE/router has a routing table and it's used to
determine the outgoing link to which a packet from a
• The term router is normally used rather than PSE. particular incoming link should forward.
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 • This mode of operation is called store-and-forward as 1.5.4 Multipoint conferencing
a packet has to wait in a PSE/router until the outgoing
• It's implemented in one of the 2 ways: centralized and
link is available.
decentralized.
• The service offered by a packet-switched network is said
to be a best-effort service as the transmission of a packet • The centralized mode is used with circuit-switched
is not guaranteed to be successful. networks such as a PSTN or an ISDN.

• Mean packet transfer delay: The mean of overall transfer • The decentralized mode is used with packet-switched
networks which support multicast communications. (e.g.
delay of a packet across the network
LAN, intranet and the Internet)
• Delay variation or jitter : the variation about the mean
• A third mode known as the hybrid mode can be used.
packet transfer delay

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 1.5.5 Network QoS
• the network Quality of Service (QoS) parameters
• are the operational parameters associated with a
communications channel through a network, and
• collectively determine the suitability of the channel in
relation to its use for a particular application.

• Circuit-switched network: (CBR network)

• The QoS associated with a CBR channel that is set up
through a circuit-switched network include:
• The bit rate
• The mean bit error rate
• The transmission delay

• The mean bit error rate (BER) of a channel is the

probability of a bit being corrupted during its
transmission across the channel in a defined time
interval.

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• Issue of the block size: • Packet-switched network
• In practice, most networks provide an unreliable • The QoS parameters associated with a packet-switched
service (best-effort service). network include:
• Information is partitioned into blocks during its • The maximum packet size
transmission so as to minimize the propagation of • The mean packet transfer rate
error. • The mean packet error rate
• Any blocks containing bit errors will be discarded. • The mean packet transfer delay
• A reliable service can be offered by using error • The worst-case jitter
detection and block retransmission, which results in • The transmission delay
high transmission overheads and additional delay.
• The choice of the block size is a compromise
between the delay and the overhead in this case.

• The transmission delay associated with a channel is

determined by the bit rate, the codec delay and the
propagation delay.
• The propagation delay is determined by (i) the
physical separation of the 2 communicating devices
and (ii) the velocity of propagation of a signal across
the transmission medium.

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• Mean packet transfer rate is a measure of the average 1.5.6 Application QoS
number of packets that are transferred across the
• The application QoS parameters that relate to the
network per second
network include:
• Mean bit rate of the channel = mean packet transfer • The required bit rate or mean packet transfer rate
rate x mean packet size • The maximum startup delay
• Maximum delay variation/jitter
• Mean packet error rate (PER) is the probability of a • Maximum round-trip delay
received packet containing bit errors.
• Startup delay defines the amount of time that elapses
• Mean packet transfer delay is the summation of the between an application making a request to start a
store-and-forward delay that a packet experiences session and the confirmation being received from the
when it travels along the route. application at the destination.

• The transmission delay • A circuit-switched network would be most appropriate

• includes the codec delay and the signal propagation for applications that involve the transfer of a constant bit
delay rate stream.
• is the same whether the network operates in a packet • Why?
mode or a circuit mode 1. The call setup delay is not important.
2. The channel provides a constant bit rate service of a
known rate.

• A connectionless packet-switched network would be

more appropriate for interactive applications.
• Why?
1. There is no network call setup delay
2. Any variations in the packet delay are not important.

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• When packet-switched network is used:
• A technique known as buffering is used to overcome • Packetization delay is the delay incurred at the source
the effect of jitter in a packet-switched network. to packetize the information.
• The effect of jitter is overcome by retaining a defined • The larger the size of a packet, the larger the
number of packets in a memory buffer at the packetization delay is.
destination before playout of the information bitstrem
is started. • Some other concerns when determining the packet
size:
• Buffering delay plus the time for playing a packet must
• Is retransmission required?
be larger than the worst-case jitter.
• Is the destination buffer larger enough to handle the
worst-case jitter?

• How to use QoS in multimedia communication?

• In order to simplify the process of determining
whether a particular network can meet the QoS
requirements of an application, a number of standard
application service classes have been defined.
• A specific set of QoS parameters is associated with
each class.
• In order to ensure the QoS parameters associated with
each class are met, the packets relating to each class
are given a different priority in a network that supports
a number of different service classes.

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Revision

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