RTP/I : an application level real-time protocol for distributed interactive media

This document specifies RTP/I, an application level real-time protocol for distributed interactive media. Typical examples of distributed interactive media are shared whiteboards, networked computer games and distributed virtual environments. RTP/I defines a standardized framing for the transmission of data and provides mechanisms that are universally needed for this media class. Thereby RTP/I enables the development of reusable functionality and generic services that can be employed for multiple distributed interactive media. Examples for this kind of functionality are the ability to record sessions, to support late coming participants, and to provide security services. RTP/I is a protocol that follows the ideas of application level framing and integrated layer processing. It has been designed to be independent of the underlying network and transport layers. To a large extend RTP/I has been inspired by the real-time transport protocol (RTP), which is used for continuous non-interactive media. This document is intended to stimulate the discussion on how to transport distributed interactive media over the Internet. There exists an RTP/I mailing list. Instructions on how to subscribe to this list can be found at the RTP/I homepage (http://www.informatik.uni-mannheim.de/informatik/pi4/projects/ RTPI/index.html). Feedback on this document should be addressed to the RTP/I mailing list or directly to the authors.