Constructing end-to-end paths for playing media objects

This paper describes a framework for constructing network services for accessing media objects. The framework, called end-to-end media paths, provides a new approach for building multimedia applications from component pieces. Based on input from the user and resource requirements from the media object, the system first discovers the sequence of nodes (end-to-end path) that both connect the source device to the sink device and possess sufficient resources to play the object. It then configures the individual nodes along this path with the modules (path segment) that implement the service.