An IN-Based Multimedia The VoD Approach to theDesign of Interactive Services Over Broadband Networks: The VoD Example

Abstract

The evolving Interactive Multimedia (IMM) services require the development of flexible and easily adaptable design tools that can interoperate with the underlying broadband communication network. In this paper, we adopt a design philosophy based on the Intelligent Network (IN) concept. The main advantage of this approach is the transparency of the service-specific features to the underlying signaling system. Hence, a fast introduction of demanding services becomes possible even if the signaling of the network is not sophisticated enough to fully cover the requirements of IMM services. The standard International TelecommunicationUnion (ITU) Service Independent Block (SIB)-based methodology is used as a basis and further extended, where necessary, to cover new requirements, not originally predicted for Narrowband-Integrated Services Digital Network (N-ISDN), but arising from IMM services. The paper further proceeds with the development of an Interactive Multimedia Object Class Library (IMOCL) which adopts a high-level object-oriented approach that supports an easy evolution of IN-based service design towards implementation. The IMOCL is kept generic to the most possible extent aiming to provide a common framework for the design of a wide variety of IMM services using the IN concept. The IMOCL encompasses service management functionality enabling the designer and provider of an IN service to manage the newly introduced service. Both ITU SIB-based and IMOCL methodologies, together with the standard Specification and Description Language (SDL) technique are demonstrated in the design of selected parts of a typical Video on Demand (VoD) service.