The Design of a System Architecture for Mobile Multimedia Computers

This chapter discusses the system architecture of a portable computer, called Mobile Digital Companion, which provides support for handling multimedia applications energy efficiently. Because battery life is limited and battery weight is an important factor for the size and the weight of the Mobile Digital Companion, energy management plays a crucial role in the architecture. As the Companion must remain usable in a variety of environments, it has to be flexible and adaptable to various operating conditions. The Mobile Digital Companion has an unconventional architecture that saves energy by using system decomposition at different levels of the architecture and exploits locality of reference with dedicated, optimised modules. The approach is based on dedicated functionality and the extensive use of energy reduction techniques at all levels of system design. The system has an architecture with a general-purpose processor accompanied by a set of heterogeneous autonomous programmable modules, each providing an energy efficient implementation of dedicated tasks. A reconfigurable internal communication network switch exploits locality of reference and eliminates wasteful data copies

The use of hypermedia to increase the productivity of software development teams

Rapid progress in low-cost commercial PC-class multimedia workstation technology will potentially have a dramatic impact on the productivity of distributed work groups of 50-100 software developers. Hypermedia/multimedia involves the seamless integration in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a wide variety of data structures, including high-resolution graphics, maps, images, voice, and full-motion video. Hypermedia will normally require the manipulation of large dynamic files for which relational data base technology and SQL servers are essential. Basic machine architecture, special-purpose video boards, video equipment, optical memory, software needed for animation, network technology, and the anticipated increase in productivity that will result for the introduction of hypermedia technology are covered. It is suggested that the cost of the hardware and software to support an individual multimedia workstation will be on the order of $10,000

Functional requirements document for the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Scientific Computing Facilities (SCF) of the NASA/MSFC Earth Science and Applications Division, 1992

Five scientists at MSFC/ESAD have EOS SCF investigator status. Each SCF has unique tasks which require the establishment of a computing facility dedicated to accomplishing those tasks. A SCF Working Group was established at ESAD with the charter of defining the computing requirements of the individual SCFs and recommending options for meeting these requirements. The primary goal of the working group was to determine which computing needs can be satisfied using either shared resources or separate but compatible resources, and which needs require unique individual resources. The requirements investigated included CPU-intensive vector and scalar processing, visualization, data storage, connectivity, and I/O peripherals. A review of computer industry directions and a market survey of computing hardware provided information regarding important industry standards and candidate computing platforms. It was determined that the total SCF computing requirements might be most effectively met using a hierarchy consisting of shared and individual resources. This hierarchy is composed of five major system types: (1) a supercomputer class vector processor; (2) a high-end scalar multiprocessor workstation; (3) a file server; (4) a few medium- to high-end visualization workstations; and (5) several low- to medium-range personal graphics workstations. Specific recommendations for meeting the needs of each of these types are presented

Virtualisation and Thin Client : A Survey of Virtual Desktop environments

This survey examines some of the leading commercial Virtualisation and Thin Client technologies. Reference is made to a number of academic research sources and to prominent industry specialists and commentators. A basic virtualisation Laboratory model is assembled to demonstrate fundamental Thin Client operations and to clarify potential problem areas

Gigabit Networks

This chapter summarizes what we have learned in the past decade of research into extremely high throughput networks. Such networks are colloquially referred to as Gigabit Networks in reference to the billion bit per second throughput regime they now operate in. The engineering challenges are in the integration of fast transmission systems and high-performance engineering workstations

Experimental Evaluation of a Video Capture Board for Networked Workstations

This thesis examines the architectural issues in the design of a video capture board intended for use in multimedia videoconferencing. The major issues examined are: Control of reception and transmission of multimedia video streams, (i) Quality of service and service provision (ii) Compression requirements and solutions (iii) Data buffering and card connection strategies (iv) Handling multiple video streams Results of measurements for prototype boards designed and constructed at Penn are also given

Networking high-end CAD systems based on PC/MS-DOS platforms

The concept of today\u27s technology has been dropped. Everything is now either oobsolete or experimental. Yesterday\u27s technology is appealing only because it is tried-and-true and prices are reduced for clearance. Tomorrow\u27s technology is exciting, somewhat expensive and not well tested. In the field of architecture, where most firms are medium or small, having limited resources, the high cost initially required for a CAD installation was generally impossible to meet not too many years ago. From spreadsheets and CAD graphics to network file systems and distributed database management, the basic systems and application tools have matured to the point that the possibilities are now limited mainly by how creatively the architects can apply them. CAD systems on the market today are not so different from the systems of the mid 70s, except they have gone from hardware costing a hundred thousand dollar to PC based systems, costing under ten thousand dollars. Choices of hardware and software for CAD systems undergo continual changes in power and efficiency. There will come a point where upgrading will create more a deficiency rather than an augmentation of capability efficiency and overall function. Thus it becomes a major problem for the prospect buyer

Deep Space Network information system architecture study

The purpose of this article is to describe an architecture for the Deep Space Network (DSN) information system in the years 2000-2010 and to provide guidelines for its evolution during the 1990s. The study scope is defined to be from the front-end areas at the antennas to the end users (spacecraft teams, principal investigators, archival storage systems, and non-NASA partners). The architectural vision provides guidance for major DSN implementation efforts during the next decade. A strong motivation for the study is an expected dramatic improvement in information-systems technologies, such as the following: computer processing, automation technology (including knowledge-based systems), networking and data transport, software and hardware engineering, and human-interface technology. The proposed Ground Information System has the following major features: unified architecture from the front-end area to the end user; open-systems standards to achieve interoperability; DSN production of level 0 data; delivery of level 0 data from the Deep Space Communications Complex, if desired; dedicated telemetry processors for each receiver; security against unauthorized access and errors; and highly automated monitor and control