Architectural support for multipoint digital video communications

Architectural issues discussed include intermediate signal representations, stream multicast path finding schemes and network interfacing mechanisms, which correspond to the layers from presentation down to data link in the International Standards Organization open systems interconnection (ISO OSI) model. As digital video has been regarded as a new and important communication medium after voice and data, issues related to its effective and efficient use in a networked environment must be carefully considered. Possible approaches to the problems at different layers are presented and compared, together with a complete system implementation currently being developed