Page 12 - Intelligent Communication Systems

PREFACE XI

In Chapter 5, several telecommunication systems, such as the data communi-
cation system, facsimile communication system, and videotex communication
system, are described. With progress in telecommunication and information tech-
nology, various kinds of telecommunication services have been developed and put
into practical use.
In Chapter 6, the information superhighways being developed in various coun-
tries are described. The idea of a national information infrastructure (NII) was pro-
posed by the Clinton administration. After NII was proposed, many countries
followed this initiative and devised their own concepts and development plans on
information superhighways. Now under the umbrella of a global information infra-
structure (GII), many countries are trying to build their own such highways,
In Chapter 7, newly developed telecommunication services are described. In
this chapter, the newly developed telephone services, such as free phone service,
source ID service, call forwarding service, and call waiting service, are described.
Then mobile phone service is described. The number of mobile phone subscribers
is increasing rapidly year by year. The potential applications of telecommunica-
tions, such as Continuous Acquisition and Lifelong Support (CALS) and electronic
money, are described. The former provides the means, tools, or systems for con-
ducting a business transaction at light speed. Electronic money and how to secure
information transmitted over the network are focused on. The secure sockets layer
and secure electronic transactions are described.
Chapter 8 describes the concept of the intelligent communication system, its
system structure, its platform for a telecommunication system, and the knowledge base
system that is a key component for constructing the intelligent communication system,
In Chapter 9, the design methodology for telecommunication services is
described. AI theories, such as the state transition rule, graph theory, and predicate
logic, are used for describing telecommunication services.
In Chapter 10, basic technologies of the intelligent communication system are
described. Network components such as the terminal, computer, and network system
are described by using the semantic network. Predicate logic is used for defining
the syntax of dialog between human and computer. Symbolic logic is a basis of
predicate logic. These theories are described here.
In Chapter 11, a next-generation communication environment, called Tele-
sensation, is discussed. Through telesensation, an image, for example, of a scene
from a natural environment or of a museum exhibit from a remote place is instantly
transmitted through the communication links to viewers. Via stereoscopic display
of such images using virtual reality (VR) technology, the viewers can enter the
scene, a virtual world, and walk through it. Furthermore, the viewers can touch the
leaves on a tree or the wall of the museum. They can behave as if they were actually
present in that place. A further step, HyperReality, is introduced. In HyperReality,
inhabitants, real or virtual, in reality their avatars, are brought together via the com-
munication network and work or play together as if gathered in the same place.
Several potential applications are also described.