Delayed contribution on Q4/16 from Waseda University

[OKUBO Sakae]

Dear SG16 experts,

The subject contribution has been sent to Mr. Bigi and also placed at the
ftp site:

  http://standard.pictel.com/ftp/avc-site/0105_por/delayed_Q4_Waseda.zip

Its text version is attached for your quick reading.

Please also be advised that the Launceston meeting report has been sent to
Mr. Bigi and placed at the ftp site:

  http://standard.pictel.com/ftp/avc-site/0105_por/TDxx-WP2_AVD-2100.zip

Best regards,

OKUBO Sakae
*********************************************************
Global Information and Telecommunication Institute (GITI)
Waseda University
29-7 Waseda University Bldg.
1-3-10 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
169-0051 Japan
        e-mail: okubo at giti.waseda.ac.jp
        Tel: +81 3 3204 8194
        Fax: +81 3 5286 3832
*********************************************************

ITU - Telecommunication Standardization Sector
Study Period 2001-2004
Study Group 16                              Delayed Contribution D.xxx

Porto Seguro, 28 May - 8 June 2001

Questions:    4/16, C/16

SOURCE*: WASEDA UNIVERSITY
TITLE:   SOME SCENARIOS FOR THE USE OF INTERNET SERVICES TO ENHANCE
VIDEOCONFERENCING AND VIDEOPHONE

                         ___________________

1.     Introduction

In response to the request made at the Launceston Rapporteur meeting[1],
this contribution provides some scenarios for the utilization of internet
services to enhance videoconferencing and videophone that would form a
basis to derive technical requirements for the enhanced system.

2.     Internet services to be considered

Internet services may be classified into two categories; transport services
like multicast and applications services on top of UDP/IP or TCP/IP. This
contribution focuses on use of the latter application services that enhance
basic audio and video functionalities of videoconferencing and videophone
systems. Some possible service scenarios are described from the user's
perspective.

3.     Example scenarios

A.     Retrieval and presentation of web materials

A.1    Use of the web site as a private database

This is an alternative of bringing large amount of paper documents or
electronic files to the meeting site that should be referred to during the
meeting session.

A.2    Use of web pages for the presentation

We can utilize multimedia contents on the web for persuasive presentation
of the meeting subject. There may be a case of presenting the image the
presenter has chosen to all the participants and a case of each participant
accessing the designated web page.

In case the presented document is to be collaboratively worked out by the
meeting participants, the presentation image is shared by all and each
participant can add or modify the document from his/her own PC after
obtaining the chairperson's permission.

A.3    Integration with reservation of meeting resources such as meeting
room and circuit

Reservation systems using web technology are foreseen to prevail. The
reservation service and the enhanced services described here can be
provided with a unified interface like web browser.

A.4    Automatic response to the incoming telephone call

On behalf of the absent callee, a web server responds to the incoming call
from a telephone set with display. One of the menu items can be selected;
request of call back, leaving a message, transfer to another telephone,
recording of the message, etc [2]. Use of mobile phone as web browser is
widely deployed and similar service for the fixed phone (called L-mode) is
going to start in June in Japan. Future telephone set will be equipped with
a display and internet accessibility.

A.5    Use of browser first to the incoming telephone call

In contrast with the above A.4 case where the callee is absent, a browser
can be utilized even in case the callee is present. The incoming call is
first responded with a browser phone or PC (acting as secretary), then
based on the information regarding the caller, the callee may choose to
take a voice conversation, record a message, respond with another phone
(call transfer), or reject the call.

B.     Instant messaging, chat

B.1    Private communication among meeting participants

Members of the same group (section, division, company, etc) or those in
alliance may wish to exchange opinions or information and give and receive
instructions during the meeting session. This is an analogy of whispering
into colleague's ear or assembling among members during the meeting.

B.2    Private communication with those who are not attending the meeting

The above communication (B.1) may be extended to outside members who are
not attending the meeting but supporting those who are in the meeting. They
may be experts, managers or group members.

C.     E-mail

C.1    Communication with other meeting participants or outside experts

During the meeting session, a meeting participant may exchange views and
information with members with inside or outside the meeting.

C.2    Management of pre-meeting mailing list discussion

A tool is desired to make a report of the pre-meeting mailing list
discussion. Visualization of who commented what on whose opinion is
desirable.

C.3    Assistance to create ad-hoc groups

A tool is desired to easily create an ad-hoc group for discussing a
particular topic after the meeting and to register participants.

D.     File transfer

D.1    Distribution of meeting documents

In advance of or during the meeting, meeting documents are electronically
distributed. This service is already utilized for our ITU-T Rapporteur
meetings.

E.     Streaming

E.1    Presentation

Instead of presenting motion pictures by using a VCR, audio, video or
audiovisual materials stored at the server can be presented during the
meeting session.

E.2    Record of the meeting

Meeting scenes are sent to a local or remote server where they are archived
together with such metadata as meeting objectives, participants, agenda for
later information retrieval.

F.     Seamless transition between telephone and multimedia communication

F.1    Starting with mono media (telephone) and multimedia (video, data)
being added or removed later as necessary

A call center is accessed by telephone, information retrieval and menu
selection are carried out with audio input, then pre-view or pre-listening
is given as picture or audio, and finally desired information content (such
as a melody for mobile phone "ringing melody") is downloaded.

G.     Others

G.1    Integration of electronic documents and handwritten presentations
such as diagrams on whiteboard that are created during the meeting

A tool is desired to easily integrate materials handwritten on electronic
blackboard or flip chart with a Word or PDF file and distribute it to the
meeting participants.

4.     Conclusion

This contribution has given some usage scenarios of internet services that
can enhance the basic audio and video functionalities of videoconferencing
and videophone. As many service scenarios as possible should be collected
from user's viewpoints to derive technical requirements for the system
design.

Acknowledgements

Draft of this contribution was reviewed by the members of TTC AVS Working
Group whose comments, particularly those from Canon, NEC and Oki Electric,
have been thankfully incorporated into this contribution.

References

[1] TD-xx (WP2/16), Report of the Launceston meeting, AVD-2100, March 2001
[2] TD-xy (WP2/16), Draft Annex I to H.324 "Usage of HTTP Generic
Capability in H.324 terminals" May 2001

               ____________________

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