Interworking video services with layered coding

Interworking between different video services is a critical factor in the success of a video communication system. A layered coding scheme which is well suited for use in a multimedia environment is described. The concept of layered coding, the coding algorithm and its coding efficiency are discussed. The idea of flexible layering is introduced, which, when combined with flexible picture formats, becomes an extremely powerful technique for interworking of video communications. Efficient interworking between video services in point-to-point or point-to-multipoint calls requires the capabilities of an appropriate communication network, such as broadband ISDN (B-ISDN)