Browser-based Mobile TV

Thesis description

The goal of this thesis is to investigate and implement a flexible mobile TV service that is running inside a browser on a mobile phone and compare it to other client architecture alternatives such as Java midlets. Included in this thesis are the tasks of investigating what is possible on different phone models, comparing performance of channel switching and interactivity for different types of server communication and developing an environment that make it possible to do easy customization of the client. Ericsson Research has developed a server side for mobile TV for the Java clients in Python and twisted, and it is part of the thesis work to extend this to support similar functionality for browser clients.

Background

Java clients for Mobile TV over cellular networks with fast channel switching have been developed by Ericsson during the last years. The possibility of downloading the clients to standard phones has made it possible to have a fast development cycle and add things like electronic program guides and interactivity events like voting.

However, with the advent of AJAX technologies, we have seen more and more applications moving into PC browsers, and we foresee that something similar will happen on the mobile phones, where the first browsers supporting DHTML and even XmlHttpRequest has appeared.

Qualifications

M.Sc or B.Sc. student with deep knowledge and interest in developing DHTML applications including UI design and server side programming in Python or Java.

Ericsson Research – Multimedia technologies

Visual Technology is part of the department of Multimedia Technology at Ericsson Research. The unit works with video coding, video quality, multimedia telephony, mobile TV and graphics. In these areas the unit is active in standardization and implementations for products. The thesis work will be done at the Visual Technology section of Multimedia Technologies at Ericsson Research in Kista, Torshamnsgatan 23.

Contact:
Stefan Andersson, [email protected], 08 - 4042140
Torbjörn Einasson, [email protected] , 08-7572346

Applications (containing a short personal letter, recent grades and CV) should be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]

Please apply before: 2006-12-14
Preferred Starting Date: 2007-01-08