Designing applications with multimedia capabilities

1. Designing
applications
with
multimedia
capabilities
Mr.K.Senthil Kumar,
Assistant Professor,
Sri Eshwar College of
Engineering, Coimbatore 641
202

2. Design steps for any MM application
1. Specify the business model
This includes the business requirement that the MM software
system should satisfy.

3. Design steps for any MM application / case study
……. Contd…..
2. Specify the business information model
This includes the following :
 Types of users
 Operation performed by each type of user
 Performance requirement ( most important )
Performance requirement calculates the required
download bandwidth for each component – A,V,I
and text and storage space required for storing
each one.
Here state availability requirement if the
application should be 24 * 7 .

4. Design steps for any MM application
Contd…..
3. Architectural recommendation and technology feasibility
report
To achieve performance requirement calculated in above
step Architectural recommendation indicate the following
aspects of the step :
 Topology of the network
 Types of servers
 Location of database servers
 Communication and networking protocols.
 Security considerations ( only if specifically asked )
 Database integrity considerations. ( only if specifically
asked )

5. Design steps for any MM application
Contd…..
4.Object architecture
This is important when we design a distributed
MM system.
This diagram indicates different components
required in a distributed system like
Object request broker
Object name server
A,V,I – show each MM component server
separately.
Object directory manager

6. Design steps for any MM application
Contd…..
5. Workflow
Workflow is a set of steps which govern the flow of
data and or information to produce a tangible
output.
Please remember as regards MM there are only 4 types :
1. Training manuals and online help
2. Information databases
3. Messaging systems
4. Business processes

7. About Workflow….
Any workflow has simple three stages
 Capture stage: This includes
 capturing of image through digital camera or scanner
 checking its quality.
 Indexing i.e. finding unique information and storing it
separately in index tables.

8. About Workflow….
 User access stage
This is always mentioned relatively as it is very specific
to the application to be implemented.
For eg : OLE, possible output modes.
 Archiving and purging stage :
Archiving means taking periodic backup for
immediate future use. Backup means saving data
on offline storage for future reference if any.
Purging means removing data / information no
longer needed

9. Design steps for any MM application
Contd…..
6. Object design
( also called MM authoring)
This includes the following :
1. Database schema design
2. Categorizing different components into
audio, video, image and text. Please note
for this u have to read the case study
thoroughly.
3. Making MM user interfaces.

10. Case study example
Continuous education program : One of the most
important application using both technologies,
networks and multimedia, is distance learning.
Computers offer the chance for new educational
procedures, which in combination to networks
reach levels beyond imagination. Anyone could
be educated by the greatest teachers of the
world. Computers cannot replace the teacher,
but they can bring him closer to the student.
Assume required data if any and specify clearly.
You are appointed as a consultant to implement
this application.

11. Case study example
1. Design the performance requirements if
this application is to be used in
distributed environment
2. Give the workflow design.
3. Model the various objects and design
special multimedia user interface.

12. Step 1 : Specify the business model
1) Spread the domain of education.
2) Facilitate the virtual learning of
students from best teachers without
bothering of physical boundaries.
3) Resolve space & time problem of student
and teacher alike.

13. Step 2: Specify the business information
model
1) Types of Users : There are broadly two types of users
:
a) Students b) Teachers
2)Operation Performed by Users :
a) Role of Student :
1) Browsing
2) Register
3 ) Fetch Information
4) Download White papers
5) Choose Course & specialization subjects
6) Pay online
7) Enroll for multiplecourses.

14. Step 2: Specify the business information
model Contd….
b) Role of teacher :
a) register
b) upload information
c) open forums
d) resolve queries

15. Step 3) Performance
Requirements
To find Bandwidth, and storage Requirements;
following assumptions are made : 1) Online
University offers 40 courses / subjects /
technical / literature based enrollments.
2) There are 1000 Hits on the web site.
3) About 400 students take there tutorials
daily.
4) Every tutorial has a Interactive class room
session, Object based test papers, containing
video clips, Audio to support the lecture,
text to support literature about current topic.
5) There are at most 5 active users
downloading content at any point of time.

16. Performance requirement calculation:
1) Video content in Tutorials :
Frames = 320 x 200 @ 30 frames / sec and 8 bit colour =
1.92 MB / sec
For 30 minutes of lecture (in video) space required = 1.92 x
30 x 60 = 3.456 GB
If compressed with compression Ration = 30:1
Then space required / per lecture = 3.456 GB / 30
= 115.2 MB
For 5 users total Required Space = 115.2 MB x 5 = 576 MB
And download BW required is very high therefore choose
leased line T1 connection ( not shared )= 1.544 Mbps

17. Performance requirement
calculation:
2 ) Audio (speech) content in Virtual Close Room
Lecture
For 30 minutes lecture, 8 KHz / sample, 8 bits /
sample
= 8 KB / sec x 30 x60 = 14.4 MB
Space required for 1 session = 14.4 MB
Space required for 5 Active Users = 14.4 x 5 = 72
MB
If compressed with 30:1 Ratio = 72 MB = 2.4 MB
30
Network Bandwidth (Download B.W.) Required :
2.4 MBps, but this kind of high B.W is practically
and financially not feasible. Therefore previously
chosen T1 line is acceptable.

18. Performance requirement
calculation:
3) Images : - Average compressed image = 30
KB
Assuming 20 Images per session download =
30 x 20 = 0.6 MB
Compressed (20:1) = 0.6 MB = 0.03 Mb = 30
KB
20
For 5 Active users total space required = 30 KB x 5 =
150 KB
Network Bandwidth = 150 KB / sec (Download B.W)
T1 line is sufficient for above BW requirement.

19. Performance requirement
calculation:
Therefore, Total space required at content
server end =~
576 MB + 72 MB + 0.15 MB = 649 MB
Therefore 1 GB buffer (Working
memory) space at server end
sufficient enough to cater 6 ( 5 + 10 %
tolerance )users taking virtual
classroom coaching.

20. Step 3) Architectural Recommendation to support
above performance requirements
 Topology of the network
 Types of severs
 Location of database servers
 Communication and networking
protocols

21. High Speed
Fiber Optic
(FDDI II) Link
Object Server
ATM
Switch
Client
Client
Client
ATM Hub
Object Server
Object
Retriever
Object
Manager
Client Client
Object Server
Client
Object Server
ATM
Switch
Client
Internet

22. Step 4 Object architecture
Object Server
Object Manager
Replication
Migration
Archival
Class-Specific
Functions
Purging
Object Server
Multimedia Application
Common Object Management API
Object Nameserver
Object Directory Service
Object Request Broker
Object Recompilation, Playback Control, Format Conversions
Object Server
Object Manager
Replication
Migration
Archival
Class-Specific
Functions
Purging
Object Retriever
Retrieve Full Object
Playback on Demand
ODMS
Object Retriever
Retrieve Full Object
Playback on Demand

23. Performance Attributes
Achieved :from architectural
layout
a) Good Response time
b) Quick & efficient search due to
object indexing
c) Good availability and failsafe
operation as object server replication
done.
d) User friendliness.

24. Step 5 : Workflow Design
IV) : Capture Stage : The video conversation or a stored
video mail message are recorded as a part of document or
a database record. A video camera and appropriate sound
and video hardware are required for this. The captured
information is recorded directly on an object server for
multimedia objects.
User Access Stage : The workflow is designed to allow the user
to retrieve the container document via a database. The
container document has the embedded objects for the
video message or video conversation and other embedded
or linked objects or shared workspace.
Archiving and Purging : Allow the user to perform the archiving
and purging; no automatic facilities are provided. Only if he
purchases a case paper i.e. transaction takes place.

25. Step 5 : Workflow Design … contd…
Above workflow for virtual university, supports following
features :
a) They are primarily playback-only systems. End users
do not add information components to these systems.
b) The input and output components of the workflow
are completely independent of each other and may or
may not reside on the same network.
c) Size of the database is large and the need for
indexing every component in an information repository is
a must. In addition, these systems also require the ability
to adjust the display quality and window size on the
basis of the workstation hardware and user preferences.

26. Step 6 : MM object design
The various objects which will be used for distance
learning will be :
Text : Lecture notes, tutorials, textbooks, references,
technical papers, journals, manuals.
Images : Book cover (Covering name & author),
lecturer image, flash image at the start and end of
the lecture, images of various icons, image of
student – lecturer interaction, various images
related to the lecture subject like diagrams,
drawings, maps etc.
Audio: The lecturer’s talking, students question,
sound of flash image indicating start and end of
the lecture.
Video : Video conferencing overall, display of some
classroom virtual tour.