Analysis of QoS Requirements for e-Health Services and Mapping to Evolved Packet System QoS Classes

E-Health services comprise a broad range of healthcare services delivered by using information and communication technology. In order to support existing as well as emerging e-Health services over converged next generation network (NGN) architectures, there is a need for network QoS control mechanisms that meet the often stringent requirements of such services. In this paper, we evaluate the QoS support for e-Health services in the context of the Evolved Packet System (EPS), specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a multi-access all-IP NGN. We classify heterogeneous e-Health services based on context and network QoS requirements and propose a mapping to existing 3GPP QoS Class Identifiers (QCIs) that serve as a basis for the class-based QoS concept of the EPS. The proposed mapping aims to provide network operators with guidelines for meeting heterogeneous e-Health service requirements. As an example, we present the QoS requirements for a prototype e-Health service supporting tele-consultation between a patient and a doctor and illustrate the use of the proposed mapping to QCIs in standardized QoS control procedures

Conveying and Handling Location Information in the IP Multimedia Subsystem

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), is a key element in the next-generation network (NGN) converged architecture. Extending the IMS towards provisioning support for location based services (LBS) will enable enhanced services and offer new revenues to the operator. Conveying location information in the IMS and connecting the IMS with a positioning system are still open issues. This paper presents the design and implementation of an IMS Location Server (ILS) integrating IMS with a positioning system. From the IMS perspective, the ILS serves as a service enabler for LBS. In order to demonstrate proof-of-concept in enhancing IMS-based services, two prototype service scenarios have been implemented: Location-aware Messaging (LaM), and Location-aware Push-to-Talk over cellular (LaPoC). Some work has been done by the IETF in the area of location information transport based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). This paper proposes improvements in this area, primarily related to reducing the necessary amount of signaling with the specification of a new type of location filter. We have conducted measurements in a laboratory environment in order to illustrate our proposed solution and verify the benefits compared to existing solutions in terms of traffic load and session establishment time. Furthermore, we present a case study integrating the ILS with the Ericsson Mobile Positioning System (MPS)

From QoS Distributions to QoE Distributions: a System's Perspective

In the context of QoE management, network and service providers commonly rely on models that map system QoS conditions (e.g., system response time, paket loss, etc.) to estimated end user QoE values. Observable QoS conditions in the system may be assumed to follow a certain distribution, meaning that different end users will experience different conditions. On the other hand, drawing from the results of subjective user studies, we know that user diversity leads to distributions of user scores for any given test conditions (in this case referring to the QoS parameters of interest). Our previous studies have shown that to correctly derive various QoE metrics (e.g., Mean Opinion Score (MOS), quantiles, probability of users rating "good or better", etc.) in a system under given conditions, there is a need to consider rating distributions obtained from user studies, which are often times not available. In this paper we extend these findings to show how to approximate user rating distributions given a QoS-to-MOS mapping function and second order statistics. Such a user rating distribution may then be combined with a QoS distribution observed in a system to finally derive corresponding distributions of QoE scores. We provide two examples to illustrate this process: 1) analytical results using a Web QoE model relating waiting times to QoE, and 2) numerical results using measurements relating packet losses to video stall pattern, which are in turn mapped to QoE estimates. The results in this paper provide a solution to the problem of understanding the QoE distribution in a system, in cases where the necessary data is not directly available in the form of models going beyond the MOS, or where the full details of subjective experiments are not available.Comment: 4th International Workshop on Quality of Experience Management (QoE Management 2020), featured by IEEE Conference on Network Softwarization (IEEE NetSoft 2020), Ghent, Belgiu

Towards a new ITU-T recommendation for subjective methods evaluating gaming QoE

This paper reports on activities in Study Group 12 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T SG12) to define a new Recommendation on subjective evaluation methods for gaming Quality of Experience (QoE). It first resumes the structure and content of the current draft which has been proposed to ITU-T SG12 in September 2014 and then critically discusses potential gaming content and evaluation methods for inclusion into the upcoming Recommendation. The aim is to start a discussion amongst experts on potential evaluation methods and their limitations, before finalizing a Recommendation. Such a recommendation might in the end be applied by non -expert users, hence wrong decisions in the evaluation design could negatively affect gaming QoE throughout the evaluation

QUALINET white paper on definitions of Immersive Media Experience (IMEx)

With the coming of age of virtual/augmented reality and interactive media, numerous definitions, frameworks, and models of immersion have emerged across different fields ranging from computer graphics to literary works. Immersion is oftentimes used interchangeably with presence as both concepts are closely related. However, there are noticeable interdisciplinary differences regarding definitions, scope, and constituents that are required to be addressed so that a coherent understanding of the concepts can be achieved. Such consensus is vital for paving the directionality of the future of immersive media experiences (IMEx) and all related matters. The aim of this white paper is to provide a survey of definitions of immersion and presence which leads to a definition of immersive media experience (IMEx). The Quality of Experience (QoE) for immersive media is described by establishing a relationship between the concepts of QoE and IMEx followed by application areas of immersive media experience. Influencing factors on immersive media experience are elaborated as well as the assessment of immersive media experience. Finally, standardization activities related to IMEx are highlighted and the white paper is concluded with an outlook related to future developments

Radni okvir za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvalitete usluge s kraja na kraj na uslužnoj razini

With the move towards a converged, all-IP next generation network (NGN) offering end users personalized, advanced multimedia services anywhere and anytime, a key challenge to be addressed is support for the service-level negotiation and dynamic adaptation of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. Considering that the majority of existing approaches presented in literature and standards focus on solving particular aspects of this problem, it may be concluded that there is a need for a comprehensive and generalized approach addressing and relating various business and technical aspects. A generic framework has been proposed referred to as the SErvice-Level E2E QoS negoTiation and adaptation (SELEQT) framework. The framework is independent of a particular service and network scenario and is comprised of four different conceptual models addressing and relating the following aspects: the actors involved in QoS negotiation (Business Model); specification of the parameters that impact the QoS negotiation process, i.e., the parameters that serve as input and the parameters that comprise the output (Data Specification Model); the identification of dynamic adaptation-triggering events that lead to QoS renegotiation and adaptation (Adaptation Event Model); and the complex process of matching and coordinating QoS parameters specified and signaled by involved actors (Negotiation Model). In order to address the issue of applying the SELEQT framework in practice, a methodology is provided in the form of guidelines comprised of key actions to be taken, considered from the perspective of various involved actors. Guidelines include the modeling of a novel functionality named the QoS Matching and Optimization Function (Q-MOF), introduced for the purpose of providing QoS parameter matching and optimization logic dynamically during the course of a service lifetime. The proposed framework and methodology are demonstrated in a case study involving E2E service level QoS negotiation and adaptation in a network architecture based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as specified by the 3GPP. Key functionalities needed to illustrate framework applicability have been implemented in the scope of a prototype in a laboratory testbed, and prototype performance measurements have been conducted.U konvergiranoj mreži sljedeće generacije zasnovanoj na protokolu IP (Internet Protocol) koja nudi napredne višemedijske usluge “bilo gdje, bilo kada”, ključni izazov predstavljaju mehanizmi pregovaranja i dinamičke prilagodbe parametara kvalitete usluge na uslužnoj razini. S obzirom da se standardi i rješenja predložena u literaturi ponajviše bave riješavanjem zasebnih aspekata datog problema, postoji potreba za općenitim pristupom koji će obuhvatiti i povezati različite poslovne i tehničke aspekte. Predložen je opći radni okvir za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvalitete usluge s kraja na kraj na uslužnoj razini (engl. SErvice-Level E2E QoS negoTiation and adaptation: SELEQT). Radni okvir je definiran neovisno o određenoj mreži i usluzi, te se sastoji od četiri konceptualna modela s naglaskom na sljedećim aspektima: sudionici u procesu pregovaranja kvalitete usluge (poslovni model); specifikaciji parametara koji utječu na pregovaranje (model specifikacije podataka); određivanju događaja koji dovode do potrebe za ponovnim pregovaranjem i prilagodbom parametara kvalitete usluge (model događaja prilagodbe); te procesu usklađivanja i koordiniranja parametara kvalitete usluge (model pregovaranja). Kako bi se primjena SELEQT radnog okvira omogućila u praksi, predložena je metodologija s opisom ključnih akcija koje je potrebno poduzeti, uzimajući u obzir stajališta raznih sudionika. Smjernice obuhvaćaju modeliranje nove funkcionalnosti usklađivanja i optimiranja parametara kvalitete usluge (engl. QoS Matching and Optimization Function: Q-MOF). Predloženi radni okvir i metodologija su demonstrirani na studijskom slučaju koji uključuje podršku za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvaliteta usluge s kraja na kraj u mreži koja se temelji na IP višemedijskom podsustavu (IP Multimedia Subsystem: IMS) specificiranom od strane organizacije Third Generation Parnership Project (3GPP). Ključne funkcionalnosti potrebne za ilustraciju primjene predloženog rješenja su izvedene kroz prototip u laboratorijskom okruženju. Za cjelovitost ilustracije napravljena su i mjerenja kojima su ispitane performanse prototipa

Radni okvir za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvalitete usluge s kraja na kraj na uslužnoj razini

With the move towards a converged, all-IP next generation network (NGN) offering end users personalized, advanced multimedia services anywhere and anytime, a key challenge to be addressed is support for the service-level negotiation and dynamic adaptation of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. Considering that the majority of existing approaches presented in literature and standards focus on solving particular aspects of this problem, it may be concluded that there is a need for a comprehensive and generalized approach addressing and relating various business and technical aspects. A generic framework has been proposed referred to as the SErvice-Level E2E QoS negoTiation and adaptation (SELEQT) framework. The framework is independent of a particular service and network scenario and is comprised of four different conceptual models addressing and relating the following aspects: the actors involved in QoS negotiation (Business Model); specification of the parameters that impact the QoS negotiation process, i.e., the parameters that serve as input and the parameters that comprise the output (Data Specification Model); the identification of dynamic adaptation-triggering events that lead to QoS renegotiation and adaptation (Adaptation Event Model); and the complex process of matching and coordinating QoS parameters specified and signaled by involved actors (Negotiation Model). In order to address the issue of applying the SELEQT framework in practice, a methodology is provided in the form of guidelines comprised of key actions to be taken, considered from the perspective of various involved actors. Guidelines include the modeling of a novel functionality named the QoS Matching and Optimization Function (Q-MOF), introduced for the purpose of providing QoS parameter matching and optimization logic dynamically during the course of a service lifetime. The proposed framework and methodology are demonstrated in a case study involving E2E service level QoS negotiation and adaptation in a network architecture based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as specified by the 3GPP. Key functionalities needed to illustrate framework applicability have been implemented in the scope of a prototype in a laboratory testbed, and prototype performance measurements have been conducted.U konvergiranoj mreži sljedeće generacije zasnovanoj na protokolu IP (Internet Protocol) koja nudi napredne višemedijske usluge “bilo gdje, bilo kada”, ključni izazov predstavljaju mehanizmi pregovaranja i dinamičke prilagodbe parametara kvalitete usluge na uslužnoj razini. S obzirom da se standardi i rješenja predložena u literaturi ponajviše bave riješavanjem zasebnih aspekata datog problema, postoji potreba za općenitim pristupom koji će obuhvatiti i povezati različite poslovne i tehničke aspekte. Predložen je opći radni okvir za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvalitete usluge s kraja na kraj na uslužnoj razini (engl. SErvice-Level E2E QoS negoTiation and adaptation: SELEQT). Radni okvir je definiran neovisno o određenoj mreži i usluzi, te se sastoji od četiri konceptualna modela s naglaskom na sljedećim aspektima: sudionici u procesu pregovaranja kvalitete usluge (poslovni model); specifikaciji parametara koji utječu na pregovaranje (model specifikacije podataka); određivanju događaja koji dovode do potrebe za ponovnim pregovaranjem i prilagodbom parametara kvalitete usluge (model događaja prilagodbe); te procesu usklađivanja i koordiniranja parametara kvalitete usluge (model pregovaranja). Kako bi se primjena SELEQT radnog okvira omogućila u praksi, predložena je metodologija s opisom ključnih akcija koje je potrebno poduzeti, uzimajući u obzir stajališta raznih sudionika. Smjernice obuhvaćaju modeliranje nove funkcionalnosti usklađivanja i optimiranja parametara kvalitete usluge (engl. QoS Matching and Optimization Function: Q-MOF). Predloženi radni okvir i metodologija su demonstrirani na studijskom slučaju koji uključuje podršku za pregovaranje i prilagodbu kvaliteta usluge s kraja na kraj u mreži koja se temelji na IP višemedijskom podsustavu (IP Multimedia Subsystem: IMS) specificiranom od strane organizacije Third Generation Parnership Project (3GPP). Ključne funkcionalnosti potrebne za ilustraciju primjene predloženog rješenja su izvedene kroz prototip u laboratorijskom okruženju. Za cjelovitost ilustracije napravljena su i mjerenja kojima su ispitane performanse prototipa

Dinamička prilagodba parametara kvalitete usluge za umreženu virtualnu stvarnost

With the increasing variety of access options being used to access advanced services such as Networked Virtual Reality (NVR) it is becoming necessary to address service customization and mechanisms for the negotiation of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. The need for renegotiation and service adaptation mechanisms stems from dynamic changes occurring during a service lifetime, including the following: changes in the capabilities/preferences of the end user, changes in network resource availability/cost, and changes in service requirements. The goal of this thesis is to investigate QoS parameters for NVR services and propose a model for the dynamic adaptation of such parameters in light of changes occurring during a service lifetime. The dynamic resource allocation and application configuration problem is formulated as an optimization problem with the goal of maximizing user perceived quality. Constraints are imposed by the end user capabilities and preferences, available resources and resource costs, and service requirements. Implementation of the proposed model in a laboratory testbed demonstrates how the use of dynamic QoS negotiation and renegotiation enables the efficient use of QoS resources. In addition, the applied service adaptation mechanisms illustrate how to maintain acceptable service quality despite changes occurring during a service lifetime.Raznolikost u obilježljima pristupnih uređaja i mreža pomoću kojih se pristupa naprednim uslugama umrežene virtualne stvarnosti stvara potrebu za metodama prilagodbe usluge, te mehanizmima pregovaranja parametera kvalitete usluge. Mehanizmi za pregovaranje parametera kvalitete usluge, te mehanizmi dinamičke prilagodbe usluge, potrebni su i nakon što je usluga uspostavljena zbog niza mogućih razloga, kao što su: promjene u mogućnostima/zahtjevima krajnjeg korisnika, promjene u raspoloživosti/cijeni mrežnih resursa, te promjene u zahtjevima same usluge. Cilj ovoga rada je proučiti parametre kvalitete usluge za primjene umrežene virtualne stvarnosti, te predložiti model njihove prilagodbe kod promjena uvjeta u kojima se odvija usluga. Problem dinamičke dodjele potrebnih mrežnih resursa i prilagodba usluge postavljen je kao optimizacijski problem s ciljem maksimiziranja kvalitete usluge sa stajališta krajnjeg korisnika. U obzir su uzeta ograničenja zbog mogućnosti/zahtjeva krajnjeg korisnika, raspoloživosti/cijene mrežnih resursa, te zahtjeva same usluge. Izvedba predloženog modela u laboratorijskom okruženju pokazuje da potpora dinamičkom pregovaranju parametara kvalitete usluge omogućuje učinkovito korištenje mrežnih resursa. Također, uporaba mehanizama prilagodbe usluge omogućuje očuvanje prihvatljive kvalitete usluge bez obzira na promjene koje nastaju tijekom trajanje usluge

Dinamička prilagodba parametara kvalitete usluge za umreženu virtualnu stvarnost

With the increasing variety of access options being used to access advanced services such as Networked Virtual Reality (NVR) it is becoming necessary to address service customization and mechanisms for the negotiation of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. The need for renegotiation and service adaptation mechanisms stems from dynamic changes occurring during a service lifetime, including the following: changes in the capabilities/preferences of the end user, changes in network resource availability/cost, and changes in service requirements. The goal of this thesis is to investigate QoS parameters for NVR services and propose a model for the dynamic adaptation of such parameters in light of changes occurring during a service lifetime. The dynamic resource allocation and application configuration problem is formulated as an optimization problem with the goal of maximizing user perceived quality. Constraints are imposed by the end user capabilities and preferences, available resources and resource costs, and service requirements. Implementation of the proposed model in a laboratory testbed demonstrates how the use of dynamic QoS negotiation and renegotiation enables the efficient use of QoS resources. In addition, the applied service adaptation mechanisms illustrate how to maintain acceptable service quality despite changes occurring during a service lifetime.Raznolikost u obilježljima pristupnih uređaja i mreža pomoću kojih se pristupa naprednim uslugama umrežene virtualne stvarnosti stvara potrebu za metodama prilagodbe usluge, te mehanizmima pregovaranja parametera kvalitete usluge. Mehanizmi za pregovaranje parametera kvalitete usluge, te mehanizmi dinamičke prilagodbe usluge, potrebni su i nakon što je usluga uspostavljena zbog niza mogućih razloga, kao što su: promjene u mogućnostima/zahtjevima krajnjeg korisnika, promjene u raspoloživosti/cijeni mrežnih resursa, te promjene u zahtjevima same usluge. Cilj ovoga rada je proučiti parametre kvalitete usluge za primjene umrežene virtualne stvarnosti, te predložiti model njihove prilagodbe kod promjena uvjeta u kojima se odvija usluga. Problem dinamičke dodjele potrebnih mrežnih resursa i prilagodba usluge postavljen je kao optimizacijski problem s ciljem maksimiziranja kvalitete usluge sa stajališta krajnjeg korisnika. U obzir su uzeta ograničenja zbog mogućnosti/zahtjeva krajnjeg korisnika, raspoloživosti/cijene mrežnih resursa, te zahtjeva same usluge. Izvedba predloženog modela u laboratorijskom okruženju pokazuje da potpora dinamičkom pregovaranju parametara kvalitete usluge omogućuje učinkovito korištenje mrežnih resursa. Također, uporaba mehanizama prilagodbe usluge omogućuje očuvanje prihvatljive kvalitete usluge bez obzira na promjene koje nastaju tijekom trajanje usluge