Wolfgang Effelsberg - Böcker

This text presents late 1990s research on the architecture and protocols for high-speed networks, focusing on communication support for distributed multimedia applications. The book brings together state-of-the-art research from telecommunication and computer communication experts with that of application designers. The analyses of the chapters, which are presented in this book following more or less a bottom-up approach, offer the reader an indication of the actual trends in the field. Most of the results presented in the papers of this book are based on simulation. The text should prove a useful reference for telecommunication and computer experts, QoS-based application designers, as well as for graduate students in these fields. The 151 references that supplement the chapters pave the way to access the basic results and related works.

Multimedia data streams will form a major part of the new generation of applications in high-speed networks. Continuous media streams, however, require transmission with guaranteed performance. In addition, many multimedia applications will require peer-to-multipeer communication. Guaranteed performance can only be provided with resource reservation in the network and efficient multipeer communication must be based on multicast support in the lower layers of the network. This book focuses on techniques for building the networks that will meet the needs of these multimedia applications. In particular two areas of current research interest in such communication systems are covered in depth. These are the protocol-related aspects, such as switched networks, ATM, MAC layer, network and transport layer; and the services and applications. This text should provide a useful reference for all professionals, engineers and researchers working in the area of high-speed networks.

It is expected that most of the bandwidth in future high-speed networks will be taken up by multimedia applications, transmitting digital audio and video. Traditional networking protocols are not suitable for this as they do not provide guaranteed bandwidth, end-to-end delay or delay jitter, nor do they have addressing schemes or routing algorithms for multicast connections. Presenting recent research on the architecture and protocols for high-speed networks, this work focuses on communication support for distributed multimedia applications. This includes ATM Networking and quality of service for multimedia applications.

Multimedia data streams will form a major part of the new generation of applications in high-speed networks. Continuous media streams, however, require transmission with guaranteed performance. In addition, many multimedia applications will require peer-to-multipeer communication. Guaranteed performance can only be provided with resource reservation in the network, and efficient multipeer communication must be based on multicast support in the lower layers of the network. Architecture and Protocols for High-Speed Networks focuses on techniques for building the networks that will meet the needs of these multimedia applications. In particular two areas of current research interest in such communication systems are covered in depth. These are the protocol related aspects, such as switched networks, ATM, MAC layer, network and transport layer; and the services and applications. Architecture and Protocols for High-Speed Networks contains contributions from leading world experts, giving the most up-to-date research available. It is an essential reference for all professionals, engineers and researchers working in the area of high-speed networks.

High-Speed Networking for Multimedia Applications presents the latest research on the architecture and protocols for high-speed networks, focusing on communication support for distributed multimedia applications. This includes the two major issues of ATM Networking and quality of service for multimedia applications. It is to be expected that most of the bandwidth in future high-speed networks will be taken up by multimedia applications, transmitting digital audio and video. Traditional networking protocols are not suitable for this as they do not provide guaranteed bandwidth, end-to-end delay or delay jitter, nor do they have addressing schemes or routing algorithms for multicast connections. High-Speed Networking for Multimedia Applications is a collection of high quality research papers which address these issues, providing interesting and innovative solutions. It is an essential reference for engineers and computer scientists working in this area. It is also a comprehensive text for graduate students of high-speed networking and multimedia applications.

High-Performance Networks for Multimedia Applications presents the latest research on the services and protocols for networks providing the communication support for distributed multimedia applications. The need for end-to-end QoS for these multimedia applications is raising the stakes for a powerful shaping and scheduling in the network adapter. It is also creating a need for new services at the ATM layer, CBR and VBR being augmented by UBR, ABR and GFR which have to be evaluated in the TCP/IP environment of today and tomorrow. With the pressure of all the new technologies available today, the backbone architecture needs to be revisited and the success of the TCP/IP must not eliminate the possibility of adding a native ATM access to it. Most of the research in communication services such as IntServ, DiffServ and Native ATM is driven by the requirements of multimedia systems and this book illustrates the new emphasis by bringing telecommunication and computer communication experts together with application designers. This is particularly true for the security issues also addressed here. Last but not least, modeling techniques and mathematical models are essential to assess the performance of the networks to be built and to evaluate next century scenarios unachievable by a simple scaling of today's solutions. High-Performance Networks for Multimedia Applications is a collection of high quality research papers and the in-depth treatment of the subjects provides interesting and innovative solutions. It is an essential reference for telecommunication and computer experts and QoS-based application designers. It is also a comprehensive text for graduate students in high-perforrnance networks and multimedia applications.

This textbook provides an introduction to the fundamentals of serious games, which differ considerably from computer games that are meant for pure entertainment. Undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines who want to learn about serious games are one target group of this book. Prospective developers of serious games are another, as they can use the book for self-study in order to learn about the distinctive features of serious game design and development. And ultimately, the book also addresses prospective users of serious game technologies by providing them with a solid basis for judging the advantages and limitations of serious games in different application areas such as game-based learning, training and simulation or games for health.To cater to this heterogeneous readership and wide range of interests, every effort was made to make the book flexible to use. All readers are expected to study Chapter 1, as it provides the necessary basics andterminology that will be used in all subsequent chapters. The eleven chapters that follow cover the creation of serious games (design, authoring processes and tools, content production), the runtime context of serious games (game engines, adaptation mechanisms, game balancing, game mastering, multi-player serious games), the effects of serious games and their evaluation (player experience, assessment techniques, performance indicators), and serious games in practice (economic aspects, cost-benefit analysis, serious game distribution). To familiarize the readers with best practice in this field, the final chapter presents more than 30 selected examples of serious games illustrating their characteristics and showcasing their practical use. Lecturers can select chapters in a sequence that is most suitable for their specific course or seminar. The book includes specific suggestions for courses such as “Introduction to Serious Games”, “Entertainment Technology”, “Serious Game Design”, “Game-based Learning”, and “Applications of Serious Games”.

This textbook provides an introduction to the fundamentals of serious games, which differ considerably from computer games that are meant for pure entertainment. Undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines who want to learn about serious games are one target group of this book. Prospective developers of serious games are another, as they can use the book for self-study in order to learn about the distinctive features of serious game design and development. And ultimately, the book also addresses prospective users of serious game technologies by providing them with a solid basis for judging the advantages and limitations of serious games in different application areas such as game-based learning, training and simulation or games for health.To cater to this heterogeneous readership and wide range of interests, every effort was made to make the book flexible to use. All readers are expected to study Chapter 1, as it provides the necessary basics andterminology that will be used in all subsequent chapters. The eleven chapters that follow cover the creation of serious games (design, authoring processes and tools, content production), the runtime context of serious games (game engines, adaptation mechanisms, game balancing, game mastering, multi-player serious games), the effects of serious games and their evaluation (player experience, assessment techniques, performance indicators), and serious games in practice (economic aspects, cost-benefit analysis, serious game distribution). To familiarize the readers with best practice in this field, the final chapter presents more than 30 selected examples of serious games illustrating their characteristics and showcasing their practical use. Lecturers can select chapters in a sequence that is most suitable for their specific course or seminar. The book includes specific suggestions for courses such as “Introduction to Serious Games”, “Entertainment Technology”, “Serious Game Design”, “Game-based Learning”, and “Applications of Serious Games”.

Dieses Buch bietet eine offene objektorientierte Losung fur die Entwicklung verteilter Multimedia-Applikationen. Es geht insbesondere um die Systemunterstutzung "Distributed Multimedia Object Services" (DMOS), mit der sich die Komplexitat multimedialer Anwendungen reduzieren lasst. DMOS bildet eine Plattform, die multimediale Anwendungen zur Entwicklungs- und Laufzeit unterstutzt. Hierdurch wird die Verarbeitung zeitabhangiger Medien wie Ton und Bewegtbild in einer verteilten Systemumgebung ermoglicht. Da DMOS-Objekte dem Industriestandard CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) der Open Management Group entsprechen, lassen sich die mit dieser Systemunterstutzung entwickelten multimedialen Module leicht in unterschiedlichste Anwendungen und Rechnerumgebungen integrieren. Die Starke des Buches liegt in seiner sehr anschaulichen Darstellung, die den wissenschaftlich orientierten als auch den praxisorientierten Leser gleichermassen anspricht und ihn durch den Problemkomplex verteilter multimedialer Anwendungen fuhrt.

Das Buch zeigt, wie das WWW fur den Aufbau eines unternehmensweiten Informationssystems genutzt wird, uber das der Mitarbeiter einfach auf alle relevanten Informationsressourcen zugreifen kann. Es analysiert prazise die Starken und Schwachen des World Wide Web im betrieblichen Einsatz. Daraus wird eine mehrschichtige Architektur betrieblicher WWW-Informationssysteme abgeleitet sowie ein Vorgehensmodell zur Durchfuhrung erfolgreicher WWW-Projekte entwickelt. Das Buch beantwortet viele Fragen, mit denen IT-Abteilungen konfrontiert sind und eignet sich als Leitfaden bei der Umsetzung konkreter WWW-Projekte. Zentrale Themen sind: - die Beschreibung der Architektur betrieblicher WWW-Anwendungen * die Kombination des WWW mit Datenbanken und verteilten Systemen * ein Vorgehensmodell zur Durchfuhrung von WWW-Projekten * die Vorstellung von Methoden zum Entwurf von WWW-Systemen

Intelligent agents are rescuer in the information glut. They help users to find information which better corresponds to their interests and needs. This book describes the architecture and basic modules of an intelligent media agent. A personal television guide is described as an example of intelligent help, addressing the problem of managing TV channels by using an intelligent agent. Contents: intelligent agents - software agents - programming - fuzzy logicTarget groups: Computer scientists - students - software developers - multimedia and internet programmerAbout the Author: Hartmut Wittig is directing the corporate strategy department of "Deutsche Telekom Computer Service Management" (DeTeCSM). In the recent years, H.Wittig has directed multimedia and internet software R&D departments and groups. He gave lectures on "Multimedia Systems" in German universities and worked as Editor in Chief of IEEE Multimedia Newsletter.

Die Fachtagung "Kommunikation in verteilten Systemen" hat zum Ziel, neue Erkenntnisse zu Konzepten, Anwendungen und Auswirkungen von verteilten Systemen und den zugehörigen Kommunikationsaspekten zu vermitteln. Die 7. Fachtagung fand vom 20. bis 22. Februar 1991 an der Universität Mannheim statt. Der Tagungsband wendet sich an Informatiker, Ingenieure und andere Fachleute in diesem Arbeitsgebiet aus Universitäten und Forschungseinrichtungen, Industrie, Verwaltung und Telekom. Die thematischen Schwerpunkte sind - Architektur verteilter Systeme; - Offene Netze und offene verteilte Verarbeitung; - Intelligente und flexible Netze; - Protokolle für Hochgeschwindigkeitsnetze; - Netzplanung und Netzmanagement; - Formale Beschreibung, Test und Verifikation; - Verteilte Betriebssysteme; - Verteilte Datenbanksysteme; - Verteilte Anwendungen, Tele-Kooperation.