Multimedia Systems discusses the basic characteristics of multimedia operating systems, networking and communication, and multimedia middleware systems. The overall goal of the book is to provide a broad understanding of multimedia systems and applications in an integrated manner: a multimedia application and its user interface must be developed in an integrated fashion with underlying multimedia middleware, operating systems, networks, security, and multimedia devices. Fundamental characteristics of multimedia operating and distributed communication systems are presented, especially scheduling algorithms and other OS supporting approaches for multimedia applications with soft-real-time deadlines, multimedia file systems and servers with their decision algorithms for data placement, scheduling and buffer management, multimedia communication, transport, and streaming protocols, services with their error control, congestion control and other Quality of Service aware and adaptive algorithms, synchronization services with their skew control methods, and group communication with their group coordinating algorithms and other distributed services.

Multimedia computing has emerged in the last few years as a major area of research. Multimedia computer systems have opened a wide range of applications by combining a variety of information sources, such as voice, graphics, animation, images, audio and full-motion video. Looking at the big picture, multimedia can be viewed as the merging of three industries: computer, communications, and broadcasting industries. Research and development efforts can be divided into two areas. As the first area of research, much effort has been centered on the stand-alone multimedia workstation and associated software systems and tools, such as music composition, computer-aided education and training, and interactive video. However, the combination of multimedia computing with distributed systems offers even greater potential. New applications based on distributed multimedia systems include multimedia information systems, collaborative and video conferencing systems, on-demand multimedia services, and distance learning. Multimedia Systems and Techniques is one of two volumes published by Kluwer, both of which provide a broad introduction into this fast moving area. The book covers fundamental concepts and techniques used in multimedia systems. The topics include multimedia objects and related models, multimedia compression techniques and standards, multimedia interfaces, multimedia storage techniques, multimedia communication and networking, multimedia synchronization techniques, multimedia information systems, scheduling in multimedia systems, and video indexing and retrieval techniques. Multimedia Systems and Techniques, together with its companion volume, Multimedia Tools and Applications, is intended for anyone involved in multimedia system design and applications and can be used as a textbook for advanced courses on multimedia.

Introduction to Multimedia Systems

This book equips readers with the skills to design multimedia delivery systems. It provides an overview of current research in the area, giving readers a glimpse of what multimedia computers will be doing in the near future. Divided into 2 parts, it discusses how multimedia delivery systems are designed and constructed, and then covers the methods of realizing true multimedia computing. With its authoritative outlook and supplementary material available on authors website, this book will interest all those working in multimedia.

This carefully edited book provides a technical introduction to key issues in multimedia, including detailed discussion of new technologies, principles, current research, and future directions. The book covers important interdisciplinary aspects of digital multimedia systems, among them sound and video recording, television engineering, digital signal processing, systems architectures, user interface, and algorithms. Multimedia Systems furnishes a unified treatment of recent developments in the field, bringing together in one volume multimedia elements common to a range of computing areas such as operating systems, database management systems, network communications, and user interface technology. Features Comprehensive overview of fundamental principles and key issues in multimedia computing. Integrated presentation of multimedia technologies and their applications to a variety of settings. Author and contributors are leading researchers in multimedia computing. Large number of illustrations. 0201532581B04062001

Video and Image Processing in Multimedia Systems treats a number of critical topics in multimedia systems, with respect to image and video processing techniques and their implementations. These techniques include: Image and video compression techniques and standards, and Image and video indexing and retrieval techniques. Video and Image Processing in Multimedia Systems is divided into three parts. Part I serves as an introduction to multimedia systems, discussing basic concepts, multimedia networking and synchronization, and an overview of multimedia applications. Part II presents comprehensive coverage of image and video compression techniques and standards, their implementations and applications. Because multimedia data (specifically video and images) require efficient compression techniques in order to be stored and delivered in real-time, video and image compression is a crucial element of an effective multimedia system. In Part III attention is focused on the semantic nature of image and video source material, and how that material may be effectively indexed and retrieved. Topics discussed include static images, full-motion video, and the manner in which compressed representations can facilitate structural analysis. Part III concludes with an extended discussion of a case study. This book serves as an invaluable reference with respect to the most important standards in the field. Video and Image Processing in Multimedia Systems is suitable as a textbook for course use.

Describes ITU H H.323 and H.324, H.263, ITU-T video, and MPEG-4 standards, systems, and coding; IP and ATM networks; multimedia search and retrieval; image retrieval in digital laboratories; and the status and direction of MPEG-7.