A new approach to cross-layer optimization of multimedia systems

In recent years, cross-layer multimedia system design and optimization has garnered significant attention; however, there is no existing rigorous methodology for optimizing two or more system layers (e.g. the application, operating system, and hardware layers) jointly while maintaining a separation among the decision processes of each layer. Moreover, existing work often relies on myopic optimizations, which ignore the impact of decisions made at the current time on the system´s future performance. In this paper, we propose a novel systematic framework for jointly optimizing the different system layers to improve the performance of one multimedia application. In particular, we model the system as a layered Markov Decision Process (MDP), which enables each layer to make autonomous and foresighted decisions that optimize the system´s long-term performance.