Integrating Multimedia into the Distributed Office Applications Environment

Abstract

The Distributed Office Applications Model (ROAM) provides the general framework for applications in the office environment. It is based on ISO Open System Interconnection communications model (OSI), especially on using the Association Control Service Element (ACSE), the Reliable Transfer Service Element (RTSE) and Remote Operations Service Element (ROSE). Using OSI, openness in a multi-vendor environment is achieved but at the same time the possibility to offer added-values concerning multimedia (audio, video) integration is blocked. This is mainly due to the restricted functionality of the OSI communications model that does not support communication services required by multimedia applications, e.g. isochronous data traffic. Using DOAM’s Distinguished Object References (DOR) a solution to this problem can he offered: To transmit whole documents OSI communication is used; to transmit documents for immediate presentation or from real-time capturing control data is transmitted using OSI communication and multimedia data via a separate communication stack supporting isochronous communication services. Based on a prototype implementation of the DOAM conforming Document Filing and Retrieval (DFR) standard this solution is presented and the implemented prototype discussed.