Multipointühendus

Multipointühendus (multipoint connection) is a communication arrangement that links more than two endpoints through a shared medium or via centralized control, allowing several participants to engage in a single session or channel. It contrasts with point-to-point connections, which connect exactly two endpoints.

There are two common forms: point-to-multipoint (P2MP), where a single source communicates with multiple receivers, and multipoint-to-multipoint (MP2MP), where several endpoints share a conference or channel among themselves. Implementations often rely on a central element such as a multipoint control unit (MCU) or a multipoint bridge that coordinates streams, performs transcoding when needed, and allocates bandwidth to maintain usable quality.

Architectures for multipoint connections can be star-like, with a central hub connecting all participants, or more distributed, especially in MP2MP setups where participants share the medium without a single centralized controller. In telecommunications and networking, protocols and technologies supporting multipoint connections include multicast and conference bridges, as well as various wireless and fiber-optic systems designed to scale to many endpoints.

Applications of multipoint connections are diverse. They include video conferencing and collaborative tools, live broadcasts with audience interaction, IPTV multicast, and sensor networks where multiple devices report to a central or shared channel. Benefits of multipoint connectivity include more efficient use of bandwidth when serving many participants and easier scalability for group communications. Challenges involve managing latency and jitter, ensuring reliable delivery to all endpoints, and addressing security and access control as the number of participants grows.