Context-aware multiparty networking

Abstract

Efficient network support of real-time group communications requires dedicated multiparty networking technologies, such as IP multicast, to send the same content simultaneously to multiple receivers, with intermediate routers duplicating packets as needed. The increasing popularity of group applications introduces new technical challenges to meet the users’ new expectations of accessing them anywhere, anytime, and anyhow. The heterogeneity in group members, e.g. in terms of access to network resources, devices used, physical mobility and environment, makes it almost impossible to deliver content to all group members in the same manner. Dynamic adaptation of the multiparty delivery is thus needed to optimize group communications and maximise satisfaction of group members. Hence, although the same content is to be sent to all group members, its delivery needs to be optimized for each user based on its context. Addressing this research challenge, we propose a functional architecture for context-aware multiparty delivery. The solution presented is unique in that it allows optimization of the delivery in all layers of the multiparty networking stack (i.e. session, transport, and network layers) based not only on the user networking context but also on its environmental context.