Technical considerations towards mobile user QoE enhancement via Cloud interaction

This paper discusses technical considerations of a Cloud infrastructure which interacts with mobile devices in order to migrate part of the computational overhead from the mobile device to the Cloud. The aim of the interaction between the mobile device and the Cloud is the enhancement of parameters that affect the Quality of Experience (QoE) of the mobile end user through the offloading of computational aspects of demanding applications. This paper shows that mobile user’s QoE can be potentially enhanced by offloading computational tasks to the Cloud which incorporates a predictive context-aware mechanism to schedule delivery of content to the mobile end-user using a low-cost interaction model between the Cloud and the mobile user. With respect to the proposed enhancements, both the technical considerations of the cloud infrastructure are examined, as well as the interaction between the mobile device and the Cloud

Desempenho de QoS e mobilidade de sessões multicast em redes dinâmicasMes

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesThe increasing demand in multimedia group services, contextawareness and seamless mobility implies strict requirements that cannot be satisfactorily addressed by the traditional transport control architectures for session content delivery. Moreover, context-aware networks introduce personalized concepts: any change in context can change the overall services and network environments, requiring the network and multicast sessions to be completely restructured in a very dynamic way. Regarding the complexity of maintaining scalability in context-aware networks, this Thesis has as main goal the development of an intelligent module, included in C-CAST architecture, capable of managing the entire network scheme. This mechanism depending on the scenario and the context of users and sources, and in cooperation with other network entities, must decide the most suitable network transport path in order to provide the best multiparty content delivery to the users, and manage the dynamicity of the network whenever changes occur. To perform its implementation, it was used an approach based in the interaction of different network components, exchanging context information between them. The intelligent module, using the updated network information, decides the better network connection to serve each user. In order to simulate the network behaviour in various situations, several scenarios were tested to evaluate its performance. The network is evaluated according to the several configured parameters, evaluating the improvements achieved in the network performance concerning different metrics, e.g. delay, lost packets ratio, overhead introduced by the architecture signalling. Through the implemented simulation setup, it is possible to conclude that the deployment of the solution proposed effectively provides an enhanced service to the users, distributing the multiparty content with QoS assurance using context information.O aumento da exigência em serviços de grupo, redes baseadas em contexto e mobilidade transparente implicam requisitos rígidos que não podem ser satisfeitos pelas arquitecturas tradicionais de controlo de transporte para entrega de conteúdos de sessão. Não obstante, redes baseadas em contexto introduzem conceitos personalizados: qualquer mudança no contexto pode mudar completamente os serviços e a própria rede, sendo necessário que a rede e as sessões multicast sejam completamente reestruturadas de uma forma dinâmica. Tendo em conta a complexidade de manter a escalabilidade em redes baseadas em contexto, esta Tese tem como principal objectivo o desenvolvimento de um módulo inteligente, que faz parte da arquitectura do projecto C-CAST, capaz de gerir toda a rede. Este mecanismo, dependendo do cenário da rede e do contexto dos utilizadores e das fontes, e em cooperação com outras entidades da rede, deve seleccionar a o caminho mais apropriado da rede de modo a fornecer da melhor forma o conteúdo aos utilizadores, e gerir a dinâmicidade da rede sempre que ocorrem mudanças. Para o implementar foi usada um método baseado na interacção de vários componentes, que trocam informação sobre contextos entre eles. O componente inteligente, usando informação actualizada da rede decide qual a melhor conexão da rede para servir cada utilizador. De forma a simular o comportamento da rede em várias situações, foram testados diversos cenários para avaliar a sua performance. A rede é avaliada de acordo com os vários parâmetros configurados, avaliando as melhorias conseguidas na performance da rede, por exemplo em termos de atrasos, rácio de pacotes perdidos e a carga imposta pelas mensagens de controlo da arquitectura. Através das simulações efectuadas é possível concluir que aplicando a arquitectura proposta, é fornecido de forma eficiente um serviço melhorado aos utilizadores, distribuindo o serviço de grupo com garantias de Qualidade de Serviço e usando informação de contexto

Avaliação de controlo de sessões multicast em redes com contexto

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesOs utilizadores pretendem aceder, cada vez mais, a serviços multimédia com requisitos mais exigentes e personalizados. As limitações impostas pelos ambientes existentes (internet, 3G) para fornecer estes serviços levam à procura de melhores soluções, nomeadamente uma gestão eficaz das sessões multiparty. Neste tipo de soluções é normalmente utilizado o multicast, já que este permite reduzir os recursos utilizados, diminuindo o número de pacotes na rede. Contudo, o multicast não está consistente ao nível dos cenários de mobilidade, fundamentais nas redes de próxima geração. Actualmente existe uma vasta gama de tecnologias de acesso sem fios como WiFi, GPRS, UMTS e WiMAX. No futuro estas tecnologias diferentes complementar-se-ão convergindo numa infra-estrutura heterogénea capaz de fornecer um melhor serviço aos utilizadores, denominadas de redes 4G. A evolução dos terminais móveis também permitirá que estes se liguem simultaneamente a várias redes de acesso. Para uma melhor distribuição dos serviços dos utilizadores pelas redes de acesso disponíveis são necessários novos mecanismos de selecção. Uma nova selecção da rede baseada em informação de contexto (entidades e ambiente) tem tido grande relevo na comunidade científica. Assim, aplicações e rede reagem a alterações de contexto para uma melhor selecção da mesma. A dissertação apresentada encontra-se no âmbito do transporte multiparty com informação de contexto e reserva de recursos, permitindo a entrega do conteúdo de uma forma personalizada e com Qualidade de Serviço a vários utilizadores móveis, independentemente da tecnologia de acesso de cada um e da própria tecnologia da rede. Em suma, é utilizada uma arquitectura de rede baseada em informação de contexto e que reage eficazmente a alterações do mesmo. De forma a implementar a proposta apresentada recorreu-se à criação de várias entidades no simulador de redes NS-2. Os resultados foram obtidos usando diferentes cenários, avaliando a influência de cada parâmetro individualmente. Demonstrou-se que a arquitectura implementada permite suportar uma entrega dos conteúdos de uma maneira personalizada e independente da tecnologia utilizada. Obteve-se ainda uma boa gestão dos recursos da rede e uma melhoria na experiência percepcionada pelo utilizador através da selecção total da rede com base numa entidade de controlo central. A introdução do overlay de transporte multiparty melhora o comportamento geral da rede, minimizando as reconfigurações frequentes necessárias.Nowadays, more and more users want to access multimedia services with strong and personalized requirements. The limitations intrinsic to current environments (Internet and 3G) to provide this type of services motivate the research for an efficient management of multiparty sessions. The solution can also be based on multicast implementation, since it reduces resources utilization, decreasing the number of packets in the network. However, current multicast is not a strong solution in mobility scenarios, essential in next generation networks. Currently there is a wide range of wireless access technologies such as WiFi, GPRS, UMTS and WiMAX. In the future, these different technologies will converge in a complementary manner forming a heterogeneous infrastructure able to offer a better service to its users, usually named 4G. The evolution of mobile terminals will also allow them to connect simultaneously to several access networks. In order to a better distribution of the users services throughout available access networks, new selection mechanisms are required. A new network selection based on context information (entities and environments) is having a relevant role in scientific community. So, applications and networks react according to context changes, improving network selection. This Thesis is in the scope of context-aware multiparty transport with resources allocation, allowing the delivery of content in a personalized way with Quality of Service to several users, independently of the technology and the network. Resuming, the solution implements a context-aware network architecture that reacts efficiently to its changes. In order to implement this architecture, new entities were created in the network simulator NS-2. The results were obtained using different scenarios, evaluating the influence of each parameter independently. It was demonstrated that the integration of several components, allows a delivery of contents in a personalized manner and independently of the technology. The results showed a better management of the network resources and users experience, throughout the total network selection, based on a central control unit. The multiparty transport overlay improves the network behaviour, minimizing the necessary frequent reconfigurations

Flexible media transport framework based on service composition for future network

This work introduces common guidelines defined in several standardization organisms towards future networks based on the actual mechanisms and protocols used to treat the multimedia data, most of them placed in the application layer of the OSI reference model.Peer ReviewedPreprin

Internet of robotic things : converging sensing/actuating, hypoconnectivity, artificial intelligence and IoT Platforms

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept is evolving rapidly and influencing newdevelopments in various application domains, such as the Internet of MobileThings (IoMT), Autonomous Internet of Things (A-IoT), Autonomous Systemof Things (ASoT), Internet of Autonomous Things (IoAT), Internetof Things Clouds (IoT-C) and the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) etc.that are progressing/advancing by using IoT technology. The IoT influencerepresents new development and deployment challenges in different areassuch as seamless platform integration, context based cognitive network integration,new mobile sensor/actuator network paradigms, things identification(addressing, naming in IoT) and dynamic things discoverability and manyothers. The IoRT represents new convergence challenges and their need to be addressed, in one side the programmability and the communication ofmultiple heterogeneous mobile/autonomous/robotic things for cooperating,their coordination, configuration, exchange of information, security, safetyand protection. Developments in IoT heterogeneous parallel processing/communication and dynamic systems based on parallelism and concurrencyrequire new ideas for integrating the intelligent “devices”, collaborativerobots (COBOTS), into IoT applications. Dynamic maintainability, selfhealing,self-repair of resources, changing resource state, (re-) configurationand context based IoT systems for service implementation and integrationwith IoT network service composition are of paramount importance whennew “cognitive devices” are becoming active participants in IoT applications.This chapter aims to be an overview of the IoRT concept, technologies,architectures and applications and to provide a comprehensive coverage offuture challenges, developments and applications

A new framework architecture for next generation e-Health services

The challenge for fast and low-cost deployment of ubiquitous personalized e-Health services has prompted us to propose a new framework architecture for such services. We have studied the operational features and the environment of e-Health services and we led to a framework structure that extends the ETSI/Parlay architecture, which is used for the deployment of standardized services over the next generation IP networks. We expanded the ETSI/Parlay architecture with new service capability features as well as sensor, profiling and security mechanisms. The proposed framework assists the seamless integration, within the e-Health service structure, of diverse facilities provided by both the underlying communication and computing infrastructure as well as the patient's bio and context sensor networks. Finally, we demonstrate the deployment of a tele-monitoring service in smart home environment based on the proposed framework architecture

A Consumer Premises End User Interface for OSA/Parlay Applications

Student Number : 9812990V - MSc project report - School of Electrical Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built EnvironmentThe NGN is a multi-service network which inter-works with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the voice network and the data network provided by Internet. Through network independent APIs such as OSA-Parlay, the NGN slowly migrates and converges Telecoms and IT networks, voice and Internet, into a common packet infrastructure. The OSA/Parlay group defines a softswitch architecture which provides network independent APIs or SCFs that enable cross network application development The Parlay softswitch provides connectivity to underlying transport networks for application providers. The standard specifies the interaction between application providers and the softswitch. However, the standard does not specify an interface to regulate the interaction between service providers and the consumer/end user domain. This means that applications housed in the service provider domain have no defined interfaces to manage service delivery to the consumer domain. For most service providers, the lack of a non-standardized API set impedes efforts to decrease application creation and deployment time. This research investigates the design and implementation of a standard consumer interface which can be used by application providers within an OSA/Parlay system to deliver service content to end users. The main objectives with regard to the functionality provided by the interface include the integration of facilities which will assist application providers to manage end user access and authentication (to enable users to establish a secure context for service usage), subscription (to handle the subscription life cycle), and service usage management (to enable the initiation and termination of services). The TINA-Consortium (TINA-C) has developed a service architecture to support the creation and provisioning of services in the NGN. The TINA architecture offers a comprehensive set of concepts and principles that can be used in the design of NGN services. The architecture consists of a set of reusable and interoperable service components encapsulating a rich and well defined set of APIs aimed at supporting the interaction between application providers and consumers. TINA’s session concepts, information structures, interfaces and service components can be used to support the design of a consumer premises end user interface for OSA/Parlay. This research also aims to explore the feasibility of using the TINA API within an OSA/Parlay system to support consumer domain service delivery. In order to implement the consumer interface for Parlay applications, the ability of the TINA service architecture to provide Access and Authentication management; Subscription and Profile management; and Service Usage management was investigated. The report documents the design and implementation of an OSA/Parlay consumer interface utilizing TINA service components and interfaces

Delivering Live Multimedia Streams to Mobile Hosts in a Wireless Internet with Multiple Content Aggregators

We consider the distribution of channels of live multimedia content (e.g., radio or TV broadcasts) via multiple content aggregators. In our work, an aggregator receives channels from content sources and redistributes them to a potentially large number of mobile hosts. Each aggregator can offer a channel in various configurations to cater for different wireless links, mobile hosts, and user preferences. As a result, a mobile host can generally choose from different configurations of the same channel offered by multiple alternative aggregators, which may be available through different interfaces (e.g., in a hotspot). A mobile host may need to handoff to another aggregator once it receives a channel. To prevent service disruption, a mobile host may for instance need to handoff to another aggregator when it leaves the subnets that make up its current aggregator�s service area (e.g., a hotspot or a cellular network).\ud In this paper, we present the design of a system that enables (multi-homed) mobile hosts to seamlessly handoff from one aggregator to another so that they can continue to receive a channel wherever they go. We concentrate on handoffs between aggregators as a result of a mobile host crossing a subnet boundary. As part of the system, we discuss a lightweight application-level protocol that enables mobile hosts to select the aggregator that provides the �best� configuration of a channel. The protocol comes into play when a mobile host begins to receive a channel and when it crosses a subnet boundary while receiving the channel. We show how our protocol can be implemented using the standard IETF session control and description protocols SIP and SDP. The implementation combines SIP and SDP�s offer-answer model in a novel way