Development of Multipoint Communication Systems for Remote Seminar

Toshihiro Hayashi and Yukuo Hayashida

Department of Information Science, Saga University

E-mail: {hayashi, hayasida}@is.saga-u.ac.jp

Background

Remote education is getting popular. Large scale of remote education: for lecture Small scale of remote education: for seminar

Seminar is generally synchronous activity. Same time and same location

Seminar always needs arranging time and location among the learning group

Sometimes, some members cannot attend the seminar by restrictions of time and location (absentee problem).

Utilization of computers for solving the restrictions of seminar This changes synchronous seminar into asynchronous

seminar

Asynchronous seminar

Solutions for time restriction Asynchronous communication tools: e-mail,

electronic bulletin board system and so on. Assistance tools for absentee: video archives

and so on Solutions for location restriction

Synchronous communication tools: electronic conference system (NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe, and so on)

These systems change seminar into remote seminar

Our research questions

Development of a computer supported remote seminar environment Model: What is remote seminar model ? Architecture: What kind of system architecture is

appropriate for remote seminar ? Implementation: How to develop communication

systems for realizing remote seminar ? What kind of techniques are needed for the implementation ?

Evaluation: Do our systems work effectively in the situations of remote seminar ?

Seminar model

Same time and same location

Professor Students

Same time but different locations

Professor Students

CA: Computer assistance

Remote seminar 1

Same time but different locations

Professor Students

Remote seminar 2

Normal seminar

CA

CA

CA

Features for remote seminar in our research Remote seminar consists of max five members. Each member has one PC for seminar. All PCs are connected to information network (Internet and so

on) to transmit data. The members are generally in different rooms/locations.

Some members might be in the same room/location.

Informationnetwork

Communication systems for realizing remote seminar

System requirements Multi-point communication

For data transmission for small group via information networks

Flexible system configurationFor various kind of situations of “Same time but

different locations”

Multi-point communication (1)

Server

Server based multi-point communication Peer to peer multi-point communication

Multi-point communication (2)

Server based multi-point communication Typical style of existing electronic conference systems Some existing server based systems are high-cost (for

example, MeetingPoint: $8,995 for 10 user license) At least, one sever machine must be prepared. There are free servers but we cannot always use them.

Peer to peer multi-point communication This type of communication needs no server. This type of communication generally requires high-

performance PC for each user

Existing network applications available for remote seminar

Classification of network applications

Single-function applicationshave one or a few operations for single medium dataExample: CD player (Windows accessory)

Multi-functions applicationshave plural functions for various kind of media data

(multimedia data) and handle them togetherExamples: NetMeeting and CU-SeeMe

System construction models

Multi-Functions on Single Application modelMFSA model

Media1Media1

App1App1

Remote seminar system

Core application

Media2Media2

Media3Media3

Media1Media1 App1App1

Remote seminar system

Media2Media2

Media3Media3 App3App3App4App4

App5App5

App2App2

Multi-Applications with Single Function modelMASF model

AppApp

Single-function applicationAppApp

Multi-functions application

Features of system construction models

MFSA model Remote seminar system is constructed by only one multi-

functions application Core application centered system --- low flexibility Actual examples: NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe

MASF model Remote seminar system is constructed by plural single-

function applications Integrated and complementary system --- high flexibility Actual examples: MBone applications (VIC, VAT, WB,

and so on)

Overview of our system development

MASF based communication systems VCRS (Video Communication tool for remote

seminar): video data transmission system RCS (Remote Chat System): sound and voice data

transmission system RPS: remote presentation system RWB: remote white board

Prototype implementation on Linux Linux is free OS and provides free system

development environment.

Interface of remote seminar system

(1) VCRS: Video Communication tool for Remote Seminar

(2)RWB: Remote White Board

(2) RPS: Remote Presentation System

Consideration (1)

Problems of system use It is complicated for users to combine our

communication systems for remote seminar.Necessity of a support system for integrating our

communication systems. It is bothersome for users to connect all hosts

for every communication system. Necessity of an auto control system for host

connection.

Configuration of remote seminar system

User InterfaceUser Interface

Communication SystemControl Module

Communication SystemControl Module

ControlDatabase

Configuration pattern

Informationnetwork

Monitor

Speaker

Mike

KB & mouse

User

VCRSVCRS

RCSRCS

RWBRWB

RPSRPS

Camera

Presentationdocuments

Recordedseminar data

MHB: MediaHandling Block

MHB: MediaHandling Block

User requests

GUIControl

Transmission Control

To other hosts

From other hosts

Communicationsystems

ACU: Auto Configuration Unit

ACU: support system for

integrating communication systems

MHB: auto control system for host connection

Consideration (2)

Problems of operating system There are hardware restrictions, for example

video chip, to use our communication systems on Linux.

Linux is not so major compared with Windows.

Porting of communication systems into Windows

System prototyping on Windows

Summary

Development of remote seminar system Prototype implementation of communication

systems on Linux (kernel: 2.4.5, distribution: Turbo Linux workstation 7.0) and Windows (Windows 98SE, 2000 and XP)

Future work Implementation of ACU and MHB Field test of remote seminar system using

Internet and JGN (Japan Gigabit Network)