MPEG-21 : Overview MUMT 611 Doug Van Nort

Introduction Rather than audiovisual content, purpose is set of standards to deliver multimedia in secure environment Builds on MPEG-4 and MPEG-7 standards

Introduction Framework for delivery, consumption and exchange of multimedia content Based on two concepts: Digital Item - fundamental unit of distribution and transaction. structured and standardized Users, who interact with Digital Items

Goals Initial Tech Report ISO/IEC of September 2001established: Goal of creating “multimedia framework (for) transparent…use of multimedia resources across a wide range of networks and devices…” Integration of components and standards Established “strategy” of collaboration To bring together technology and multimedia content standards, one step at a time Intellectual property rights

Standardization Calls for Proposals issued by MPEG, based on certain requirements. Responses from MPEG experts and industry reps result in a part of the MPEG-21 standard

User Model “any entity that interacts in the MPEG- 21 environment or makes use of a Digital Item. Such Users include individuals, consumers, communities…” Users identified by relationship to other Users No distinction made between provider and consumer out of context.

User Transactions MPEG-21 is framework for interactions between Users Examples of “Interactions” may include creating, providing, editing, enhancing or delivering content.

Digital Items Fundamental architectural unit Combination of resources (audio/video), metadata (MPEG-7 descriptors) structure (relationship between resources)

Digital Items Digital Item Declaration (DID) Specification of abstract terminology and concepts to create working model of Digital Item definition Entire grammar of DID representation is in XML format Established as part of MPEG-21 standard

Digital Items Digital Item Identification (DII) How to: uniquely identify Digital Items Identify IP addresses related to DI Identify description schemes Use these indentifiers to link DI with info such as metadata Accomplished by including in DIDL “statement” message Established as part of MPEG-21 standard

Example

DIDL example Weapons of Mass De(con)struction <RESOURCE REF=“file:///pix/dsc1234.REF=“file:///pix/dsc1234.j pg”/>

Good For: 1. Digital Libraries 2. Broadcast usage 3. Publishing 4. Music/Video Releases 5. Asset management 6. Cataloguing in publication 7. Trade transactions 8. Content filtering 9. Media resource delivery10. Streaming media

Currently in Development Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP) Rights Expression Language (REL) Rights Data Dictionary (RDD) Digital Item Adaptation Reference Software File Format

IPMP Building on existing MPEG-4 IPMP Providing more interoperability between systems Ideally: standardization of DRM

IPMP Identification: copyright descriptor = identifier + number Identifier refers to Registration Authority (such as ISBN) Protection: encryption

REL Language to declare rights and permissions using specific syntax and semantics Defined by Rights Data Dictionary

RDD Provide definition of term for use in REL Mapping of metadata from the terminology of one authority into that of another.

Digital Item Adaptation shield Users from network and terminal management and implementation issues

Reference Software Guide implementation of specifications on a particular system

Priorities Completeness Variety of data supported Configurability Augmentations for particular Users Versatility Support for many specifications, on many sytems Security Ensure privacy of Users Interactivity Extensibility Higher level of abstraction allow for change with new tech

File Format Method of packaging content that is both text and binary, still and dynamic in a compressed form

Musical Use Example: Audio content which also contains sheet music, midi files

Conclusion Quite Comprehensive Can change expectations of general Users of Multimedia content Provides more “complete” multimedia experience by providing other forms of description and representation Will Lead to less passivity in consumers? Issues of Intellectual Property…. Project with very large scope -> specifications remain abstract Allows it to be around 5 years later?