Multimedia Distribution Research Articles

Secure Multimedia Content Distribution for M2M Communication

Multimedia content distribution based on M2M communication is attracting increasing attentions nowadays. Considering that multimedia will be widely used in various applications over M2M network, the wide range of multimedia content and M2M devices has raised new security requirements for multimedia communication. In this paper, we focus on an aspect of DRM that involves secure multimedia distribution which combines multimedia encryption, copy detection, and digital fingerprinting to prevent widespread piracy. Multimedia encryption is used to encrypt multimedia content firstly before distribution, then, Copy detection is used to verify whether a protected multimedia content is a redistributed copy of its or no, At last, digital fingerprinting is introduced to protect multimedia content further. In this paper, we first use using encryption, fingerprinting and copy detection for secure distribution in M2M communication environments. The secure effect of the proposed scheme has been verified through theory analysis and experimental results.

PSUM: Peer-to-peer multimedia content distribution using collusion-resistant fingerprinting

The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks for multimedia distribution has spread out globally in recent years. The mass popularity is primarily driven by cost-effective distribution of content, also giving rise to piracy. An end user (buyer/peer) of a P2P content distribution system does not want to reveal his/her identity during a transaction with a content owner (merchant), whereas the merchant does not want the buyer to further distribute the content illegally. To date, different P2P distribution systems have been proposed that provide copyright and privacy protection at a cost of high computational burden at the merchant׳s and/or at the buyer׳s end and thus, making these systems impractical. In this paper, we propose PSUM, a P2P content distribution system which allows efficient distribution of large-sized multimedia content while preserving the security and privacy of merchants and buyers. The security of PSUM is ensured by using an asymmetric fingerprinting protocol based on collusion-resistant codes. In addition, PSUM enables buyers to obtain digital contents anonymously, but this anonymity can be revoked as soon as he/she is found guilty of copyright violation. The paper presents a thorough performance analysis of PSUM, through different experiments and simulations, and also analyzes several security compromising attacks and countermeasures.

Design and evaluation of an autonomic platform for the development of synchronous e-learning activities

This thesis is focused on the study of the Autonomic Computing (AC) paradigm within the scope of Multimedia Communication Systems (MCSs). Specifically, it analyzes the set of autonomic properties and identifies the properties that can be observed in MCSs, specially those suitable to be implemented in a synchronous e-learning platform. Based on this analysis, the aim of this thesis is to design a self-managed multimedia distribution platform for developing synchronous e-learning activities, providing an efficient data delivery service and minimizing the required human intervention. The self-healing and self- optimization techniques of this platform use heuristics to select optimal data distribution paths is spite of failures and member joining and leaving.

Intelligent Distributed Multimedia Secure System towards Trusted Cloud Computing Paradigm

Smart devices exploit cloud computing to lessen the resource constrains and provide real-time services to users with cost effective features. Today’s miscellany of end user electronic appliances with wireless transmission, provide a real time computing on wide variety of platforms and devices, by emerging the cloud computing paradigm. In this context, many services like audio and video streaming are delivered to the consumer by using cloud-based providers. Moreover service continuity across the different terminals is still, a major challenge. Present cloud owners enhance the sharing feature, to transmit the user information between different cloud providers, social networking web-sites with the help of several third parties. Which makes the user hesitate to use cloud services, due to security and privacy concerns. To overcome the service continuity and security concerns, this paper proposed an IDMSS(Intelligent Distributed Multimedia Secure System) for heterogeneous networks, with the sum of three functions. 1) Middleware architecture, 2) TCF(Trusted Cloud Framework), 3) Multimedia System. Analysis says that IDMSS provides, a quality session continuity and TCF for a user in the pervasive computing. Simulation analysis presents our proposed novel approach as more effective than existing domains.

Measurements and Analysis of a Major Adult Video Portal

Today, the Internet is a large multimedia delivery infrastructure, with websites such as YouTube appearing at the top of most measurement studies. However, most traffic studies have ignored an important domain: adult multimedia distribution. Whereas, traditionally, such services were provided primarily via bespoke websites, recently these have converged towards what is known as “Porn 2.0”. These services allow users to upload, view, rate, and comment on videos for free (much like YouTube). Despite their scale, we still lack even a basic understanding of their operation. This article addresses this gap by performing a large-scale study of one of the most popular Porn 2.0 websites: YouPorn. Our measurements reveal a global delivery infrastructure that we have repeatedly crawled to collect statistics (on 183k videos). We use this data to characterise the corpus, as well as to inspect popularity trends and how they relate to other features, for example, categories and ratings. To explore our discoveries further, we use a small-scale user study, highlighting key system implications.

Routing Algorithms for Network Function Virtualization Enabled Multicast Topology on SDN

Many multicast services such as live multimedia distribution and real-time event monitoring require multicast mechanisms that involve network functions (e.g., firewall and video transcoding). Network function virtualization (NFV) is a concept that proposes using virtualization to implement network functions on infrastructure building block (such as high volume servers and virtual machines), where software provides the functionality of existing purpose-built network equipment. We present an approach for building the multicast mechanism whereby multicast flows are processed by NFV before reaching their end users. We propose a routing algorithm and a method for building an appropriate multicast topology.

Effect of selective replication strategy and dynamic admission control to QoS management in video on demand systems

Abstract Several solutions have been proposed till date to achieve effective replication policies and admission control methods that can ensure a high Quality of Service (QoS) to Video on Demand (VoD) systems. In this paper, we have chosen to study admission control and a replication strategy in a video on demand system called Feedback Control Architecture for Distributed Multimedia Systems (FCA-DMS). The proposed approaches are founded on (i) the supervision and auto-adaptation of the system load, (ii) continued knowledge of the network and of the video servers’ workload, and (iii) the development of a dynamic replication strategy of segments for popular video, that remade to replica-placement problem by discussing the problem of the replicas number to create (Replication Degree). The workload of video servers and of network are calculated by a QoS controller. The proposed approach takes into account of replica detail and offers a replica removal policy to avoid waste and for a good management of storage space. The goal is to maintain an updated broad view of the system’s behaviour from the collected measurements to databases of available videos and databases of available video servers. To demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of our approaches and validate the results obtained, we conducted a series of experiments based on a simulator that we implemented.

A Crossbreed approach to Enhanced Security of Multimedia Data using SKIP JACK and Elgamal Algorithm

Due to the new development in computer networking expertise, delivery of the digital multimedia content through the internet is huge. However, the increase number of the digital credentials, all inclusive availability, and the multimedia dispensation tools of Internet entrance has created a very easy medium for exclusive rights trickery and out of manage distribution of multimedia contented. A most important constraint now is to protect the thinker property of multimedia content in multimedia organization. So, in this document multimedia protection will be providing using SKIP JACK and Elgamal algorithm. The full implementation is done in .NET structure.

Uncertainty-Aware Autonomic Resource Provisioning for Mobile Cloud Computing

Mobile platforms are becoming the predominant medium of access to Internet services due to the tremendous increase in their computation and communication capabilities. However, enabling applications that require real-time in-the-field data collection and processing using mobile platforms is still challenging due to i) the insufficient computing capabilities and unavailability of complete data on individual mobile devices and ii) the prohibitive communication cost and response time involved in offloading data to remote computing resources such as cloud datacenters for centralized computation. A novel resource provisioning framework for organizing the heterogeneous sensing, computing, and communication capabilities of static and mobile devices in the vicinity in order to form an elastic resource pool—a hybrid static/mobile computing grid (also called a loosely-coupled mobile device cloud)—is presented. This local computing grid can be harnessed to enable innovative data- and compute-intensive mobile applications such as ubiquitous context-aware health and wellness monitoring of the elderly, distributed rainfall and flood-risk estimation, distributed object recognition and tracking, and content-based distributed multimedia search and sharing. In order to address challenges such as the inherent uncertainty in the hybrid grid (in terms of network connectivity and device availability), the proposed role-based resource provisioning framework is imparted with autonomic capabilities, namely, self-organization, self-optimization, and self-healing. A thorough experimental analysis aimed at verifying and demonstrating the benefits brought by autonomic capabilities of the framework is also presented in detail.

Construction and Evaluation of Digital Material Distribution Systems in Foreign Language Teaching

SUMMARYThis paper is concerned with an evaluation of participants' use of two multimedia distribution systems: PC‐based podcasting and mobile‐based distribution. We carried out two experiments: (i) evaluation of user's impressions when using these distribution systems and (ii) the relationship between download time and resulting frustration felt by users. The results of student questionnaires revealed that there is a statistical significance between these two systems and that mobile‐based podcasting was observed to have more salient factors concerning operability, such as “easy to operate” and “friendliness,” regardless of the difficulty of the content. Moreover, comparative study of the download time between the two systems showed that users did not feel less comfortable when downloading materials to mobile devices, even though mobiles took longer times to download materials than did a PC. These results lead us to the interesting idea that mobile devices have great potential to change the learning environment because they will play an important role in the so‐called “blended instruction” classroom environment when used in a traditional classroom setting in the near future.

분산 멀티미디어에서의 결함 허용 시스템

본 논문은 분산 멀티미디어에서의 결함 허용 시스템에 대해서 기술 하였다. 본 시스템은 분산 멀티미디어 공동 작업에 참여한 사용자들이 다른 참여자들에게 같은 뷰로써 동기화된 오류 객체들을 참조할 수 있도록 구축하였다. 분산 멀티미디어 환경은 IP-USN과 M2M에 기반을 두고 있다. 본 시스템은 축제를 여는 장소처럼 분산 멀티미디어 협동 작업 환경에서 소프트웨어 오류를 감지, 공유, 복구하기에 적합한 시스템이다. 이 시스템에 의해서 오류를 동기화 할 수 있다. This paper described fault tolerance system running on distributed multimedia. We implemented the error manager service so that the users participated in distribute multimedia collaborative work may refer synchronized error objects as the same view to others. distributed multimedia environment are based on IP-USN(Internet Protocol - Ubiquitous Sensor Network) and M2M(Machine to machine). This is a system that is suitable for detecting, sharing and recovering software error in distribute multimedia CSCW(Computer Supportes Cooperated Work) environment. With error synchronization system, a group cooperating users can synchronize error applications.

SEAHORSE: Generalizing an artificial hormone system algorithm to a middleware for search and delivery of information units

This paper introduces SEAHORSE (SElforganizing Artificial HORmone SystEm), a middleware that builds upon an artificial hormone system for search and delivery of information units. SEAHORSE is a generalization of an artificial hormone algorithm where information units are requested by network nodes via emitting a an artificial hormone which is propagated through the network with respect to the current network conditions. Information units are following the hormone gradient and therefore place themselves on servers where they are close to the requesting nodes. This self-organizing algorithm is robust and scalable, however, due to their complex nature, self-organizing systems are hard to configure and set up to get a desired outcome. Parameter settings that work on different scales are crucial for making the system work. Therefore, we provide a parameter study based on two use cases showing the applicability of SEAHORSE to target applications ranging from multimedia distribution at social events to information dissemination in smart electrical microgrids.

An integrated multimedia data reduction and content confidentiality approach for limited networked devices

In this paper, we specifically address the problem of securing distributed multimedia systems, based on networked tiny devices (i.e., Internet of Things). Such systems have usually to deal with three antagonistic constraints: (a) the hardware limitations of the devices in terms of computational power, memory storage and energy provision as they are driven by batteries, (b) the intrinsic voluminous and time sensitive nature of the captured multimedia data, and (c) their relative vulnerability to attacks since they are open platforms communicating through unreliable wireless radio communications. We propose and study a novel integrated approach, specifically tailored to significantly reduce the size of the transmitted multimedia data whilst ensuring its content confidentiality. In opposition to traditional approaches, based on cryptographic systems which inquire a huge overhead when applied to multimedia data, our approach makes use of Voronoi tessellation to transform the input data. This transformation, performed on a random fashion basis, allows both significant data reduction and content confidentiality as well, while it exhibits a very low complexity. We performed an in-depth security analysis of our proposal that reveals its robustness against all known types of attacks. Moreover, we conducted an extensive series of simulations, based on realistic settings, to show the effectiveness of our approach over state-of-the-art approaches, in the context of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) applications.

CMT-CC: Cross-Layer Cognitive CMT for Efficient Multimedia Distribution over Multi-homed Wireless Networks

This paper proposes CMT-CC, a novel cross-layer cognitive concurrent multipath transfer (CMT) solution necessitating the following aims: (i) cross-layer design, (ii) fairness to TCP-like flows, and (iii) improve users' quality of experience for multimedia streaming service. To satisfy above requirements, a newly cross-layer network condition sensor is designed in CMT-CC in order to cognize network condition and distinguishes the causes of network condition change. An intelligent multimedia content distributor is further introduced in CMT-CC for enabling adaptive multimedia distribution behavior appropriate for the varying wireless network condition. To make CMT-CC preserve fairness to TCP flows on congested links, a weighted moving congestion window based TCP-friendly congestion control mechanism is developed in CMT-CC. The results gained by a close realistic simulation topology show how the proposed CMT-CC solution significantly improves throughput, as well as multimedia delivery performance while still remaining fair to TCP-like flows.

Remote Content Access and the Rise of the Second Screen

Technological advances are allowing operators, editors, and producers to remotely access media production servers for content editing and repackaging for distribution and archiving—in realtime, anywhere in the world. Advanced remote production gives unprecedented capability to work remotely, enhance content on the fly, and deliver original content to viewers' second screens. This paper analyzes the technology, challenges, results, and opportunities behind new capabilities that are changing the media landscape. Real-world examples, including multimedia distribution for the 2014 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup—delivering live streams, multiangle clips, stats, and social network feeds to viewers' connected screens through broadcaster applications (apps)—are explored. The complex World Cup workflow, encompassing live streaming of six high-definition camera angles and up to 24 multiangle replays, instantly pushed to a central cloud-based platform with access to 3000 hr of stored content, on-the-go transcoding, and distribution to FIFA's media rights licensees, drives an estimated 50 million downloaded apps.

Load management in a distributed multimedia streaming environment using a fault-tolerant hierarchical system

In contrast to text-only forms of communications, multimedia uses a combination of audiovisual means alongside textual modes of communication. Streaming multimedia is such multimedia that is constantly delivered by a provider of the multimedia to a client. In streaming multimedia the streamed content is continually presented to and received by the end user. Distributed multimedia systems (DMSs) deliver multimedia content to end-users by means of distributed multimedia databases and distributed information servers. These DMSs are designed to deliver multimedia content over a network. A fault-tolerant redundant hierarchy (Red-HI)-based load management policy for a distributed multimedia streaming system is proposed in this paper. The main objectives of this policy are to provide fault tolerance while increasing the flexibility offered in the network by improving network resource utilization. Another advantage of this policy is that it provides popularity-zone centric dynamic multimedia object placement. The load management and fault tolerance are achieved using Red-HI for the multimedia servers coupled with parent-only query flooding policy. We show through simulations that our scheme outperforms the traditional pure hierarchy employed in most distributed multimedia systems.

Matrix-based robust joint fingerprinting and decryption method for multicast distribution of multimedia

This paper addresses the problem of unauthorized redistribution of multimedia content by malicious users (pirates). The solution proposed here is a new joint fingerprinting and decryption method which meets the requirements for both imperceptibility and robustness of fingerprints and scalability in terms of design and distribution of fingerprinted multimedia content. The proposed method uses a simple block cipher based on matrix multiplication to encrypt images which are then sent to all users via multicast transmission. Individual decryption keys are designed depending on the users’ fingerprints so that a different fingerprint will be introduced into the image during decryption for each unique decryption key. Encryption and fingerprinting are performed on DCT coefficients, which results in high robustness against compression, low-pass filtering, scaling, etc. The experimental results show that the proposed method is robust against collusion attacks and compression.

A review of sources, multimedia distribution and health risks of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in China

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been recognized as emerging pollutants because of their ubiquitous occurrence in the environment, biota and humans. In order to investigate their sources, fate and environmental effects, a great number of surveys have been carried out over the past several years. In the present review, we summarized the status of sources and emission, concentration, distribution and risks of PFAAs in China. Concentrations of PFAAs, especially perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in various environmental media including water, sediment, soil, rain, snow and organisms, as well as human tissues are summarized based on the available data. Concentrations of PFAAs in aquatic systems are higher in relatively more industrialized and urbanized areas than those from the less populated and remote regions in China, indicating that their emission and distribution are closely related to regional urbanization and industrialization. PFAAs and related products have been widely used over the past several decades, which have brought about high concentrations detected in environmental matrixes, biota and even local residents. Ecological risk assessment of PFAAs is still less developed in China. Most existing studies compared concentrations of PFAAs to guideline values derived for single species to evaluate the risk. In order to reveal the transport, partitioning and degradation of PFAAs in the environment, further studies on their behavior, fate, bioaccumulation and adverse effects in different trophic levels should be conducted.

Framework for preserving security and privacy in peer-to-peer content distribution systems

The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks for multimedia distribution has spread out globally in recent years. The mass popularity is primarily driven by efficient distribution of content, also giving rise to piracy. An end user (buyer) of a P2P content distribution system does not want to reveal his/her identity during a transaction with a content owner (merchant), whereas the merchant does not want the buyer to further distribute the content illegally. Therefore, there is a strong need for a content distribution mechanism over P2P networks that do not pose security and privacy threats to the copyright holders and end users, respectively. The existent systems for copyright and privacy protection employ cryptographic mechanisms at a cost of high computational burden which makes these systems impractical to distribute large sized files, such as music albums or movies. In this paper, we propose and analyze a P2P content distribution system which allows efficient distribution of large-sized content while preserving the security and privacy of merchants and buyers, respectively. Our proposed framework is able to resolve the problems of piracy tracing, buyer frameproofness, collusion resistance, dispute resolution and buyer’s anonymity. We have carried out simulations to evaluate the performance of our framework in terms of imperceptibility, robustness, throughput and content delivery costs. The experimental results confirm that the proposed framework provides an efficient solution to copyright infringement issues over P2P networks, reducing the multimedia file sizes as much as five times on average, while protecting the end users’ privacy and anonymity.

Dynamic hybrid multimedia distribution scheme based on network reconfiguration

This paper addresses a key challenge in the design and implementation of multimedia distribution systems so that users can experience good performance with minimal operational costs. In current structures, the conflict between network architectures and service provision causes a decline in users’ expectations of quality. Network reconfiguration provides a feasible solution for dynamic distribution as a primitive for both quality and efficiency. In this paper, we first present a scheme for a layer-based hybrid multimedia distribution system LHMDS, and then introduce a dynamic sliding push-delivery mechanism based on reconfiguration of the distribution of hotspot files. The LHMDS adopts a unique structure with hybrid channels, including broadcast and unicast ones, and adjusts its distribution topology according to the congestion status, thereby pushing hotspot files dynamically. The mechanism dynamically pushes files to upper or lower network layers depending on the network status while distributing hotspot files by broadcast channels and other files by unicast ones. This guarantees service quality as well as improving resource utilization. Finally, we validate the feasibility and performance of the scheme through a simulation.