Seminar on ITU-T hot topics for
Standardization
(Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009)
Multimedia Application Framework
Q13/SG16
Marcelo Moreno
Multimedia Networking Researcher
TeleMidia Lab - PUC-Rio
moreno@telemidia.puc-rio.br
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
International
Telecommunication
Union
Introduction
Multimedia Applications for IPTV
Interactivity
Services
Games
And more…
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
International
Telecommunication
Union
2
Introduction
IPTV set-top boxes
Multiple vendors
Multiple platforms
Multimedia Applications must be
platform-independent
Interoperability is mandatory
Content creators/providers need a
common application framework
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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3
H.IPTV-MAFR
ITU-T’s effort to identify and
harmonize the relevant multimedia
application frameworks
Established technologies
New emerging technologies
Question 13, Study Group 16
Multimedia application platforms and
end systems for IPTV
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
International
Telecommunication
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4
H.IPTV-MAFR
Set-top box vendors will be able to
compete in multiple markets
Migration between markets is supported
choosing well-known MAFR standards
Hybrid set-top boxes
Component-based engines
Configurable systems
Content interchange
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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5
H.IPTV-MAFR
MAFR can be classified by the
authoring paradigm
Declarative Application Frameworks
e.g.: HTML, BML, SVG, NCL…
Procedural Application Frameworks
e.g.: Java (MHP)…
2 recommendations approved
13 working documents
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6
H.760 (ex-H.IPTV-MAFR.0)
H.760 - Overview of multimedia
application frameworks for IPTV
services
Identifies and briefly describes the
relevant standards of multimedia
application frameworks
Interoperability and harmonization in
IPTV services
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H.760 (Overview)
Declarative application frameworks:
BIFS, BML, CEA-2014, CSS, DOM, DVBHTML, EcmaScript, HTML, LASeR,
MHEG-5, NCL, SVG, WTML
Procedural application frameworks
GEM-based frameworks, M3W
Annex A describes common usage of
web-related technologies (HTML,
DOM, CSS, EcmaScript)
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8
H.761 (ex-H.IPTV-MAFR.9)
Nested Context Language (NCL) and
Ginga-NCL for IPTV services
NCL is a glue language that holds media
together in a multimedia presentation,
describing relationships among media
objects in time and space
XML-based, high-level constructs
Ginga-NCL is an NCL presentation
engine built as part of an IPTV
middleware
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H.761 (NCL)
NCL highlights:
Code reuse
Multidevice support (in a home network)
Content adaptability
Spatiotemporal media synchronization
No restrictions about media objects
Procedural code handled as a media
object. Native scripting in Lua
Open-source reference implementation
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10
H.IPTV-MAFR.1
Binary Format for Scene for IPTV
Scene description language, a part of
MPEG-4 standard.
Designed to allow for the efficient
representation of dynamic and
interactive presentations
Description of the spatial and temporal
organization of the different scene
components.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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11
H.IPTV-MAFR.2
Broadcasting Markup Language for
IPTV (BML)
Declarative application specification for
multimedia broadcasting in Japan
Standardized by ARIB.
BML consists of XHTML, CSS, Document
Object Model (DOM) and ECMAScript.
BML defines additional API and objects
for IPTV using ECMAScript.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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H.IPTV-MAFR.3
CEA-2014 for IPTV
Remote User Interface specification
Allows a user interface to be remotely
displayed on devices.
Based on existing web technologies
XHTML, EcmaScript, CSS and DOM 2.
It is a web based protocol and
framework for Remote user interface
(UI) on UPnP Home Network and over
Internet.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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13
H.IPTV-MAFR.4
Cascading Style Sheet for IPTV
CSS is a Style sheet language by W3C
Used to describe the presentation of a
document written in a markup
language.
A CSS can be either linked to a
document through a URI or included in
the document.
Does not constitute by itself a MAFR
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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H.IPTV-MAFR.5
Document Object Model for IPTV
Platform-, language-neutral interface
Allows programs and scripts to
dynamically access and update the
content and structure of documents.
It does not constitute by itself
multimedia framework but is used with
some markup languages.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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H.IPTV-MAFR.6
ECMAScript for IPTV
Scripting language by ECMA
Used on the Web and supported in
many applications
Included as a component in many
presentation engines (PE) such as BML
and DVB-HTML
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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16
H.IPTV-MAFR.7
LASeR and SAF for IPTV
MPEG-4 Part 20, designed for
representing and delivering rich-media
services to resource-constrained devices
It defines two binary formats: LASeR, a
binary format for encoding 2D scenes;
and SAF, a binary format for
aggregating in a single stream LASeR
content with audio/video streams.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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17
H.IPTV-MAFR.8
MHEG-5 for IPTV
Represents an application as a set of
scenes based on synchronization and
spatial-temporal relationships of
multiple media formats
It supports structural composition,
event-action associations, navigation,
and user interaction capabilities.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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H.IPTV-MAFR.10
Scalable Vector Graphics for IPTV
Describes 2D graphics and graphical
applications in XML.
Allows for three types of graphic
objects: vector graphic shapes, images
and text.
Drawings can be interactive and
dynamic. Animations can be defined and
triggered either declaratively or via
scripting
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H.IPTV-MAFR.11
Worldwide TV Markup Language IPTV
Content format for delivery using
Internet Servers.
Supports key features to enable serviceoriented applications.
Platform comprises a micro-browser and
a markup language (WML 1.3 spec).
User agent behavior is more
sophisticated than a standard internet
based HTML browser.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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20
H.IPTV-MAFR.12
MPEG Multimedia Middleware IPTV
M3W Multimedia platform API defines
mainly audio and video processing APIs
handling front-end, decoders and postprocessing of A/V.
M3W Multimedia APIs offer a high-level
API that is independent of the target
hardware. Focus on MPEG technologies.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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H.IPTV-MAFR.13
HTML for IPTV
Hypertext Markup Language
XHTML
DHTML
HTML profile for IPTV
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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22
H.IPTV-MAFR.14
Lua for IPTV services
Extension programming language to
support procedural programming with
data description facilities.
Lua is intended to be used as a
powerful, lightweight scripting language.
Lua engine is small and easily portable
to several hardware platforms.
The Lua engine is distributed as free
software under the MIT license.
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Final Remarks
Market is in serious need of
standardized interoperable solutions.
Interoperability will provide benefit
for all and encourage growth of the
multimedia application market.
The H.760 recommendation series
standardizes the relevant MAFR
technologies.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
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Final Remarks
Interoperability is achieved through
configurable platforms that can be
adapted to specific MAFR subsets.
The use of standardized, mediaindependent glue language is also a
good solution for interoperability and
harmonization.
MAFR discussions are under way in
Q13/SG16, a highly active question.
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
International
Telecommunication
Union
25
Seminar on ITU-T hot topics for
Standardization
(Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009)
Thank you
Marcelo Moreno
Multimedia Networking Researcher
TeleMidia Lab - PUC-Rio
moreno@telemidia.puc-rio.br
Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009
International
Telecommunication
Union