(Continuation of Question 12/16) Motivation
As the lead Study Group on multimedia terminals, systems, and applications,
SG 16 strives to make advances in multimedia communication systems that take
advantage of emerging technologies, as well as advances in and deeper
understanding of existing technologies, in an effort to enable new and better
forms of communication capabilities (ubiquitous services and applications e.g.
any devices, any time and anywhere) for end users.
ITU-T has a long history of delivering successful multimedia systems that
have enriched everyone’s lives. One of the most widely deployed and successful
videoconferencing systems produced by the ITU is H.320. It is recognized by
ITU-T SG 16 as a first generation system and took advantage of the then
newly-developed ISDN. In the mid-1990s, the ITU began work on H.323, which
essentially leveraged the knowledge gained through the development of H.320 and
applied that knowledge to packet-switched networks, including LANs, WANs, and
the Internet. H.323 quickly became the dominant protocol for LAN-based
videoconferencing, as well as a protocol used for transporting voice calls
around the world. H.323 was developed in parallel with the IETF’s Session
Initiation Protocol (SIP), and was effective in facilitating a migration from
circuit-switched networks to packet-switched networks. Sharing similar
capabilities and similar design philosophies and being produced in the same time
period, H.323 and SIP are classified as second generation systems.
Now, more than 12 years since the introduction of second generation systems,
ITU-T SG 16 is again looking toward the future of multimedia systems as the
ITU-T also undertakes a study to introduce the Next Generation Network (NGN).
NGN holds the promise of revolutionizing communication as we know it and
multimedia will be an important part of any new network technology.
By building on the knowledge gained through the development of voice and
video technologies that were the core part of H.320 and H.323, as well as the
data conferencing technologies introduced in the T.120-series standards, ITU-T
SG 16 aims to introduce a third-generation system that truly enables users to
utilize multiple modes of communication such as audio, video or electronic
whiteboard.
Further, it is expected that through the use of technologies developed as a
part of this study, the effects on climate change may be reduced by enabling
improved forms of communication that may be used as an alternative to travel.
Study items
The work on the third generation multimedia system will entail the creation
of multiple new ITU-T Recommendations that will specify system architecture,
system components, and one or more protocols at the service and application
layer. The primary objective is to deliver a new advanced multimedia system (AMS)
that operates on NGN, taking advantage of its features, and will also operate on
non-NGN packet-switched networks.
This Question will examine technologies such as various IP technologies,
wireless technologies, inclusive designs, and distributed computing capabilities
in order to realize a system that will enable users, including persons with
disabilities, to communicate using, as examples, voice and audio, video,
electronic whiteboard, application sharing, real-time text, and file transfer
across one or more communicating devices (e.g. smart phones, TV set-top boxes,
game consoles, handheld game/entertainment machines, digital cameras, Internet
“appliances” and networked robots). Unlike previous generation systems, this new
system will enable independent application developers to create system
components that are able to seamlessly interface with the system in order to
deliver any one or more of the aforementioned modes of communication. There is a
strong desire to move away from the “monolithic applications” that were
distinctive of second generation systems, to a system that enables components to
“plug in” to the system, either locally or remotely using various wired or
wireless technologies, to deliver an enhanced user experience. To meet that
objective, this Question will study the various interfaces between these
components and the technologies that might be used to tie them together.
The study includes among others:
- Downloadable codecs
- System decomposition
- Discovery of services
- Support for transcoding functionality (e.g. text to speech)
- Dynamic device discovery
- Application plug-in
- Consideration of various business models
- Integrated QoS, security and mobility functionality
- NAT and firewall traversal procedures
- Considerations on how to help measure and mitigate climate change
Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Identification of additional requirements
- Basic architecture (until Q1/2009)
- Complete system specification (depends on progress)
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is found in the SG 16 work
programme (http://itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?isn_sg=554).
Relationships
Recommendations:
- F.750, G.710-G.720-series, H.320-series, H.360-series, H.450.x series,
H.460.x series
Questions:
- All SG 16 Questions, especially systems, applications and audio/video
coding Questions
Study Groups:
- ITU-T SGs 2, 11, 12, 13 and 17
Other Bodies:
- 3GPP, 3GPP2
- ETSI TISPAN
- IETF
- OASIS
- W3C
- IMTC for interoperability aspects
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