An architecture for group communications-support networked multimedia applications

This paper presents an architecture for a multimedia application platform able to support real-time group communication activities (such as: Videophone, Teletraining, Computer Supported Collaborative Work) between remotely located members of groups by delivering multimedia communication capabilities directly at their personal computers ("desktops"). The paper focuses on a component-based design approach that gives the potential to integrate into the platform various Application Components (Audio, Video, Text chat, File transfer, Slide show, Shared Whiteboard or text editor, etc.) depending on the activity supported and thus permitting to customise the platform for the specilic activity. Apart from the basic architecture, alternative connection schemes depending on the capabilities of the network are surveyed. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the described architecture is also given andfinally, an-implernentation aiming to support Teletraining activities is presented.