Kazutoshi Maeno

Distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system: MERMAID

This describes a distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system (MERMAID) and presents its preliminary brief evaluation, obtained as a result of daily use. MERMAID, which is designed based on group collaboration system architecture, provides an environment for widely distributed participants, seated at their desks, to hold real-time conferences by interchanging information through video, voice, and multimedia documents. This system is implemented by using narrow-band ISDN, high-speed data network, and UNIX-based EWSs with electronic writing pads, image scanners, video cameras, microphone-installed loudspeakers, etc. The system provides participants with the means for sharing information in such multimedia forms as video images, voice, text, graphics, still images, and hand drawn figures.

Distributed desktop conferencing system with multiuser multimedia interface

A distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system (MERMAID) and the architecture on which it is based are described. This architecture, called group collaboration support architecture, is a framework for assisting geographically separate group members to work together at the same time or at different times, efficiently and effectively, by means of computers and electronic communications equipment. The distributed desktop conferencing system provides distributed participants with an environment for holding conferences. This system is implemented by using ISDN (integrated services digital network), widely connected Ethernet, and UNIX-based engineering workstations with electronic writing pads, image scanners, video cameras, microphone-installed loudspeakers, etc. The system provides participants with a means of sharing information in such multimedia forms as video images, voice, text, graphics, still images, and hand-drawn figures. >

Distributed desktop conferencing system (MERMAID) based on group communication architecture

A distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system called MERMAID is described. This system allows a group of users, seated at their desks, to conduct a meeting from their personal computers (PC). Participants can jointly view and process multimedia conference documents, including text, graphics, scanned images, and handwritten figures they are sharing, and they can simultaneously interchange voice and video images through ISDN (integrated services digital network) and high speed data network, etc. MERMAID is implemented using OS/2-based PCs with electronic writing pads, image scanners, microphone-installed loudspeakers, video cameras, etc. MERMAID is designed based on the group communication architecture, a framework for supporting group cooperative work in a distributed environment. It consists of two models: a function model, which defines hierarchically structured service functions, and a system model, which provides client-server model-based service interfaces and multimedia communication protocols.<<ETX>>

Distributed cooperative control for sharing applications based on multiparty and multimedia desktop conferencing system: MERMAID

A control scheme for sharing applications that is based on MERMAID, a distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system, is described. The control scheme design is based on a replicated architecture which runs a copy of the application at every site or workstation. It is shown that the approach is applicable to developing shared applications, with slight application-independent modifications, to sharing existing single-user applications. The shared-application structure and the functions required for shared applications are discussed. A method for sharing applications for cases in which external resources are accessed is discussed.<<ETX>>

A distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system and its architecture

A distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system (MERMAID) and the architecture on which it is based are described. This architecture is a framework for assisting geographically separate group members to work together at the same time or at different times, efficiently and effectively, by means of computers and electronic communications equipment. The desktop conferencing system provides distributed participants, seated at their desks, with an environment for holding conferences. This system is implemented by using ISDN, satellite communication, and Unix-based EWSs with electronic writing pads, image scanners, video cameras, microphone-installed loudspeakers etc. The system provides participants with the means of for sharing information in such multimedia forms as video images, voice, text, graphics, static images, and hand drawn figures.<<ETX>>

Cooperative control for sharing applications based on distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system: MERMAID

A distributed multiparty desktop conferencing system, called MERMAID, was developed for supporting a wide range of group cooperative work. The authors discuss basic conditions for shared applications and present a sharing control scheme using MERMAID-served functions. The scheme is based on a replicated architecture, in which a copy of the application runs at every site or workstation. MERMAID provides communication functions for maintaining an identical state across all copies of an application in a replicated architecture. Two examples are included. One is an example of sharing an inherently single-user application, and the other is of sharing an application with access to external resources.<<ETX>>

New digital broadcasting services for use with TV sets containing digital storage devices

This paper describes two novel broadcasting services for providing high quality digital video transmissions using the MPEG-2 encoding standard. While image quality in conventional MPEG-2 broadcasting is limited by the available transmission capacity, we propose using TV sets with digital storing devices to create a much higher virtual bandwidth that allows for high quality transmissions. Furthermore, both services are backward compatible, that is ordinary TV sets without such storage devices will still be able to receive regular program, although at a lower quality.