Statistical multiplexing of video sources for packet switching networks

Communication networks are fast evolving towards truly integrated networks handling all types of traffic. They employ integrated switching technologies for voice. video and data. Statistical or asynchronous time division multiplexing of full motion video sources is an initial step towards packetized video networks. The main goal is to utilize the common communication channel efficiently, without loosing quality at the receiver. This work discusses the concept of using statistical multiplexing for packet video communications. The topology of a single internal packet network to support ISDN services has been adopted. Simulations have been carried out to demonstrate the statistical smoothing effect of packetized video in the networks having high speed links. Results indicate that the channel rate per source decreased in an exponential manner as the number of sources increased. An expression for the average usage time t of the channel has been derived in terms of channel rate per source and the number of sources multiplexed. Also the average usage time of the channel is higher for buffered data than that of the multiplexed data. The high speed communication links in the internal network are lightly loaded, which indicates that these links can accommodate more data