Multimedia Application Framework Q13/SG16

1. Seminar on ITU-T hot topics for Standardization (Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009) Multimedia Application FrameworkQ13/SG16 Marcelo Moreno Multimedia Networking ResearcherTeleMidia Lab - PUC-Rio moreno@telemidia.puc-rio.br

2. Introduction • Multimedia Applications for IPTV • Interactivity • Services • Games • And more…

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. H.760 (Overview) • Declarative application frameworks: • BIFS, BML, CEA-2014, CSS, DOM, DVB-HTML, 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)

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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

20. H.IPTV-MAFR.11 • Worldwide TV Markup Language IPTV • Content format for delivery using Internet Servers. • Supports key features to enable service-oriented 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.

21. H.IPTV-MAFR.12 • MPEG Multimedia Middleware IPTV • M3W Multimedia platform API defines mainly audio and video processing APIs handling front-end, decoders and post-processing of A/V. • M3W Multimedia APIs offer a high-level API that is independent of the target hardware. Focus on MPEG technologies.

22. H.IPTV-MAFR.13 • HTML for IPTV • Hypertext Markup Language • XHTML • DHTML • HTML profile for IPTV

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. Final Remarks Interoperability is achieved through configurable platforms that can be adapted to specific MAFR subsets. The use of standardized, media-independent glue language is also a good solution for interoperability and harmonization. MAFR discussions are under way in Q13/SG16, a highly active question.

26. Seminar on ITU-T hot topics for Standardization (Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2 September 2009) Thank you Marcelo Moreno Multimedia Networking ResearcherTeleMidia Lab - PUC-Rio moreno@telemidia.puc-rio.br