Optimisation of multimedia over wireless IP links via X-layer design: An end-to-end transmission chain simulator

End-to-end optimised Quality of Service (QoS) and its specific declination for multimedia applications with the end-user Perceived Quality of Service (PQoS) is nowadays a trendy topic in the literature. Many different techniques and approaches have been proposed, which are in general focusing on specific weak technical aspects of the transmission chain in the considered scenario. The end-to-end optimisation of a complete system system is however more complex and its practical realisation remains to be achieved, especially with the added constraint to be transparently integrated in existing legacy systems so as to not perturbate their current modes of operation. In this paper, we propose an architecture set-up within the ICT FP7 OPTIMIX project to study innovative solutions enabling enhanced multimedia streaming in a point to multi-point context for an IP (Internet Protocol) based wireless heterogeneous system, based on cross layer adaptation of the whole transmission chain. The corresponding simulation chain architecture is detailed with the description of the existing and/or future features of each module.