A video gateway between the next generation broadband Internet and the current narrowband Internet for live and on-demand access

Objective

The proposal is for a system that functions as a gateway between the next generation Internet streaming video standards and the narrowband Internet with its own video streaming standards. The proposed video gateway will also serve as a gateway between different video sources coming from analog video, DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) compressed video, stored MPEG (Motion Pictures Experts Group) video coming off video servers and DVD (Digital Video Disc) video to the narrow-band Internet. Since the world is moving to digital at an accelerated rate, there is a real need to develop such a gateway with capabilities to handle compressed video already in MPEG format and transcode it efficiently with maximum quality.

Objectives:
While today's Internet is evolving quickly, the next generation broadband Internet will evolve at an even more accelerated pace. Based on evolving technologies such as cable modems, xDSL (Digital Subscriber Line), Gigabit Ethernet and ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), it will enable high quality, MPEG-based video communication. This type of broadband network will transport high quality video content that cannot be streamed over today's Internet, so the Internet will be composed of heterogeneous networks with different bandwidth and protocol capabilities. Our video gateway will function as a gateway between video streaming standards currently in use on the narrowband Internet and those to be used by the next generation Internet. It will serve as a gateway between different video sources originating from analog video (DVB compressed video, stored MPEG video and DVD) and the narrowband Internet. The system will perform dynamic bit-rate adaptation and protocol conversion between networks for live and on-demand audio video applications.

Milestones:
Key milestones of this 24 month project are:
(1) the launch of a prototype video gateway in month 12, to allow the first stage of 4 separate trials to start;
(2) the completion of the gateway development and the video server enhancements and integration in month 18, to allow the second stage trials to start;
(3) successful outcome of the trials in month 24 to allow full exploitation of the gateway and server to commence.

Programme(s)

• FP5-IST - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on a "User-friendly information society, 1998-2002"

Topic(s)

• 1.1.2.-4.2.3 - Network integration, interoperability and interworking

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

OPTIBASE LTD.

Address

7 Shenkar St.
46120 Herzliya Pituach
Israel

Participants (5)

NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS

Greece

Address

30 Panepistimiou Str.
10679 Athens

SYCOMORE

France

Address

63 Ter, Avenue Edouard Vaillant
92100 Boulogne Billancourt

T-SYSTEMS NOVA GMBH

Germany

Address

Am Probsthof 10
53121 Bonn

TELECOM ITALIA LAB S.P.A.

Italy

Address

Via G. Reiss Romoli 274
10148 Torino

TERACOM AB

Sweden

Address

Medborgarplatsen 3
118 92 Stockholm