An architecture based on IETF protocols for the transport of MPEG-4 content over the Internet

Networking of MPEG-4 content is the topic of ongoing standardization efforts in the ISO MPEG and IETF. In this paper, we describe a complete architecture for the transport of MPEG-4 content over the Internet. The MPEG-4 concept of separation between applications and delivery mechanism is preserved. The use of well-established Internet protocols, such as the real time protocol (RTP) and the real time streaming protocol (RTSP) allows for robustness and flexibility in view of interoperability and future extensions. In particular, we present an original proposal for the mapping of MPEG-4 specific signaling primitives onto RTSP functions.