Nhut Nguyen

Architecture model choices for a Smart Grid home network

Different architectural models for a Smart Grid home network, based on centralized and distributed control options, are proposed in order to enable the integration of smart devices into a Utilitys demand/response infrastructure. The models explore the role of the home gateway and the smart meter for enabling the Smart Grid home architecture. This paper evaluates the models using a wide range of criteria such as scalability, security, demand response control, privacy, integration of the home local area network and flexibility. Architecture issues related to standardization and regulations and their impact on the models are also discussed.

MMT+AVR: enabling collaboration in augmented virtuality/reality using ISO's MPEG media transport

Augmented Reality (AR) and Augmented Virtuality (AV) systems have been used in various fields such as entertainment, broadcasting, gaming [1], etc. Collaborative AR or AV (CAR/CAV) systems are a special kind of such system in which the interaction happens through the exchange of multi-modal data between multiple users/sites. Multiple sensors capture the real objects and enable interaction with shared virtual objects in a customizable virtual environment. Haptic devices can be added to introduce force feedback when the virtual objects are manipulated. These applications are demanding in terms of network resources to support low latency media delivery and media source switching similar to broadcast applications. Enabling real time interaction with multiple modalities with high volume data requires an advanced media transport protocol that supports low latency media delivery and fast media source (channel) switching. To enable such collaboration over a stochastic network like the Internet requires a combination of technologies from data design, synchronization to real time media delivery. MPEG Media Transport (MMT) [ISO/IEC 23008-1] is a new standard suite of protocols designed to work with demanding, real-time interactive multimedia applications, typically in the context of one-to-one and one-to-many communication. In this paper, we identify the augmentations that are required for the many-to-many nature of CAR/CAV applications and propose MMT+AVR as a middle ware solution for use in CAV applications. Through an example CAV application implemented on top of MMT+AVR, we show how it provides efficient support for developing CAV applications with ease.

MPEG Media Transport (MMT) for 3D Tele-Immersion Systems

3D Tele-Immersion (3DTI) environments are a new medium for highly interactive and immersive means of collaborations through a shared virtual 3D environment. They have many applications in the areas of education, entertainment, sports training, tele-medicine etc. The data in these systems are multi-modal, some high volume, some high frequency and all highly correlated. We identify three major challenges in a general 3DTI system, session management, synchronization and data format conversion. We discuss the shortcomings of some of the existing protocols/solutions to them. We describe some features relevant to 3DTI of the MPEG Media Transport (MMT) standard. In this paper we evaluate the use of MMT in a 3DTI application. We provide a feature comparison with the most popular protocols currently being used in such applications, RTP, RTSP, TCP and UDP etc. MPEG DASH was another protocol that was being considered, but that also fails to fully address some of the challenges that 3DTI applications face. Through this comparison study we advocate the use of MMT in 3DTI applications.