2011 Fifth International Conference on Next Generation Mobile Applications and Services
Hybrid IPTV Services with IMS
Integration of IMS based IPTV with Broadcast and Unicast Mobile TV Services Using DVB-H
Eugen Mikoczy, Sebastian Schumann, Pavol
Podhradsky
Slovak University of Technology (STU), Ilkovicova 3, 81219
Bratislava, Slovak Republic
{mikoczy, Schumann,podhrad}@ktl.elf.stuba.sk
Abstract— This paper presents a novel concept and prototype
implementation of hybrid IPTV service based on IMS and DVB-H
technologies. In the hybrid service, both traditional broadcast and
unicast transmission technologies are used to deliver IPTV content.
It is argued how such service scenario is effective and beneficial for
hybrid use cases. The original technical contributions to ETSI
technical report TR 182 030 about IMS-IPTV interconnection with
DVB-H technology are presented in paper as well as description of
our prototype implementation done within Celtic Netlab project.
Keywords- IMS, IPTV, DVB-H, broadcast, hybrid services
I. INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, TV service is a mass medium, where a
predefined selection of program content is broadcasted to a large
audience. The broadcast medium may vary, usually being
terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcast. In this sense, broadcasting
means delivery of content from one transmitter to many
receivers. Recently, in addition to broadcast TV services, TV
services based on unicasting are becoming more common.
Multicast and unicast TV over IP data networks is usually called
IPTV, television services based on Internet protocols. In addition
to mimicking traditional broadcast TV service, the IPTV also
enables on-demand content delivery or pushed personalized
content.
Broadcast TV and IPTV services are often based on the same
content, which usually originates from the broadcast companies
or studios. The models for broadcast TV and IPTV are however
very different, because of the delivery medium. The broadcast
value chain is a closed system, from content creation to content
delivery and consuming. The content is preselected by
broadcasters, leaving no possibilities for users to directly affect
the broadcast content. On the other hand, the IPTV model is
based on the service architecture and open protocols.
Implementations vary though, some implementations are more
closed and some are more open.
Currently, the delivery medium of IPTV is also a challenge,
as the current IP backbone networks and last mile media may not
have the capacity for the delivery of TV content for large
audiences, especially when unicast based traffic is becoming
more popular. On the other hand, considering for example
978-0-7695-4496-0/11 $26.00 © 2011 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/NGMAST.2011.23
Timo Koski, Marko Heinikangas
BID Business and Innovation Development
University of Turku,
Turku, FI-20014 FINLAND
{timo.koski,marko.heinikangas}@utu.fi
terrestrial digital television, where 4 multiplexes basically offer
100 Mbps of continuous data stream. This capacity can be more
effectively exploited as a complementary access network for
unicast IPTV services.
In this paper we present a model taking into account strengths
of both broadcast and multicast/unicast approaches, and consider
IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as an enabling service
architecture for converged or hybrid TV services. Especially, the
case of hybrid IPTV is discussed. It is argued why the hybrid
model is beneficial to the industry. Our previous activities in
standardization of IMS based IPTV have been studied and we
proposed DVB-H as possible technology for hybrid mobile TV
services. Other combinations, such as terrestrial, cable or
satellite, are also possible. The modified model for hybrid mobile
TV services was contributed to ETSI TISPAN TR 182 030 by
our Netlab project as well as our prototype implementation of
such a system are described in more details in part 3 of this
paper.
II. BACKGROUND FOR IMS AND DVB-H INTEGRATION
The concept of merging IMS based IPTV and mobile TV
technologies require understanding of strengths and weaknesses
of both technologies to be able to evaluate potential advantages
to integrate both technologies. Next Generation Network (NGN)
has been designed to accommodate a single architecture to
provide multimedia services to multiple types of terminals (fixed,
mobile, wireless) and end users. Several standardization bodies
like ITU-T, ETSI, and ATIS have proposed NGN based IPTV
architectures using IMS for service control. On the other hand,
the development in mobile TV is driven by DVB-H, OMA
BCAST, 3GPP MBMS/PSS and others mobile oriented leader.
The third group of concept for delivering media is coming from
open internet sources where internet application providers
provide ”over the top” services like social media, content sharing,
and user generated content. This last group focuses on the wide
Internet audience and delivers selected services directly to your
screen in the living room or on the move, and all they need is
Internet access.
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A. NGN IMS based IPTV architecture
The IMS based IPTV uses the IP Multimedia subsystem for
IPTV control and introduces the session based IPTV service
control based on the SIP protocol (see Fig.1 or original ETSI TS
182 027 Fig. 2 in [1]). The ETSI TISPAN specified in NGN
Release 2 IMS based architecture and implementation of basic
IPTV services. The concept of IMS based IPTV has been
enhanced by Release 3 of TISPAN where lots of new IPTV
services have been introduced [1], [2].
Ut
SCF
SSF IMS-IPTV AS
Xa
Application Server
SDF
ISC Sh Sh ISC
IPTV
UE UPSF Media
Cx Server
y2
IMS-based service control
(P-/S-/I-CSCF) MCF
Gm
Core IMS
Xc
Transport Processing
MDF
Functions
Xd
Figure 1. Adapted and simplified TISPAN NGN IMS based IPTV functional
architecture for Netlab prototype (based on [1] Fig. 2).
The service provider discovery is performed by a SIP
application server called the Service Discovery Function (SDF)
(optionally there is a possibility used non-SIP based DVB service
provider discovery). The SDF provides information about server
for service discovery and service selection information in Service
Selection Function (SSF). The SSF contains necessary service
information (e.g. TV program guides, service metadata) for
initiating IPTV services (TISPAN reused DVB and OMA
BCAST technology there) and provides them over the Xa
interface based on HTTP, DVBSTP or FLUTE delivery. The
Service Control Function (SCF) is responsible to serve SIP based
service initiation requests delivered over the Gm interface via the
IMS core for any IPTV services required from the UE. The
Media Functions (Media Control/Delivery Function as MCF and
MDF functionalities) are similar to video servers known from the
first generation of IPTV solutions with the difference that SIP
requests can be forwarded from SCF to MCF via IMS core and
y2 interface. The resource allocation and reservation is performed
over the existing IMS interface to the RACS (Gq’ interface)
when available (for simplification, we removed the transport
control functions RACS, NASS from Fig. 1 as we do not include
these in our prototype). Specific combinations of SIP and RTSP
protocols are designed for CoD service initiation where a SIP
INVITE message is used for session setup but control of the
media stream is handled via Xc using RTSP. Then content
selected by user is delivered from Media Delivery Function
CELTIC-EUREKA Netlab project
77
(MDF) to user equipment (set top box, mobile terminal, portable
device, etc.) using media encapsulation over IP (based also on
DVB transport technologies MPEG2-TS over IP or RTP direct IP
encapsulation).
The IMS based IPTV system has a number of advantages, as
the IMS can act as unified service control subsystem for all NGN
services instead of establishing an additional specialized
subsystem (as is the case with an NGN integrated IPTV
subsystem). Additionally, the IMS can more naturally support
mobility, interaction with NGN service enablers (like messaging
or presence), service personalization, or quadruple play services
(voice, data, video and mobile) [3].
The extension of a set of IPTV services in Release, but also
analyzing how Content Delivery Networks and P2P technologies
can be integrated with IPTV, was most important. The possible
mapping and interconnections as well as the support for mobility
and hybrid systems is analyzed in TISPAN technical report [4]
where several roaming scenarios and use cases have been
identified [5].
B. DVB-H technologies
DVB-H is a data broadcasting standard that enables delivery
of various IP based services to mobile receivers. The standard
was ratified by the European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI) in November 2004 (see [6]). A good overview of
DVB-H can be found in [7]. DVB-H is based on DVB-T
(standard for digital terrestrial broadcasting). DVB-H introduces
solutions to problems caused by the mobility of the handheld
terminals receiving digital broadcasts. These solutions are
required to achieve low power consumption, flexibility in
network planning, good performance in mobile channels, and
compatibility with IP networks. Usually, DVB-H is used for the
delivery of mobile TV services, but in addition to that it can be
used to deliver any kind of data, file based or streaming. The file
based content is delivered over FLUTE (File Delivery Over
Unidirectional Transport), and stream based delivery is achieved
using RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol).
Enhancements to conventional DVB-T systems include the
addition of time-slicing and an optional stage of error correction
called MPE-FEC (Multi-Protocol Encapsulation - Forward Error
Correction) at the link layer. Time-slicing means that the
transmission is time division multiplexed, i.e. each service is
transmitted in bursts separated in time. Power-saving is achieved
since the receiver can switch off radio components between the
bursts.
C. Benefits of Integrated IMS and DVB-H Content Delivery
DVB-H is currently the most widely adopted mobile
broadcasting technology in the EU. DVB-H services are
launched in 8 countries in Europe, and launched or trialed in over
40 countries worldwide. DVB-H is endorsed by the European
Commission as the technology for broadcast mobile TV. Most of
the successful DVB-H services are based on mobile pay-TV.
The most recent deployments of DVB-H implement the
OMA BCAST Service Guide technology (see [8]), which
provides advanced features for supporting both broadcast and
unicast delivery of services, along with interactivity features.
OMA BCAST enables also multiple service purchase models,
including pay-per-view, pay-per-program, pay-per-service or
service bundle, or token based consumption. The interactivity
features provide support for delivering additional service related
data along the broadcast service, or provide link to external data
services over unicast access. The interactivity services may be for
example program related games, like voting, or additional
information or e-commerce applications related to advertisement.
Despite many advanced features compared to traditional
broadcast systems, the current deployments of DVB-H (and
broadcast mobile TV in general) are based on a closed system
similar to that of traditional terrestrial or cable television. In the
closed system, the value chain from content creation to content
delivery to content consumption is closed, allowing no service
personalization or effect in the selected content. In case of actual
broadcast mobile TV delivery, the model is based on
simulcasting usually terrestrial digital television content. In
simulcasting, the terrestrial TV transmission is received,
transcoded to a format compatible with mobile devices (i.e.
reducing resolution) and retransmitted over mobile broadcast.
This kind of model based on simulcasting provides very little
flexibility in content creation and delivery, especially when
taking into account the aspects of mobile TV. Situations of
watching mobile TV are usually very different from watching
traditional TV, as mobile TV is usually watched to spend spare
time, for shorter periods. Thus the prime time for mobile TV is
also different than the prime time of traditional TV, the prime
time of mobile TV being during the day, not in the evening.
These aspects should be taken into account when designing
mobile TV services and business models, regardless if the mobile
TV service is based on broadcast or unicast. Thus, in this paper
we propose a novel model based on IP Multimedia Subsystem for
the delivery of mobile TV services over both broadcast and
unicast channel. The model provides flexibility for the whole
value chain in mobile TV services, from content creation to
content delivery to content watching.
III. DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HYBRID
IPTV SYSTEMS
The hybrid IPTV concept can support the hybrid delivery to
enable a complete IPTV service offer to a wider group of
consumers in areas with not enough high speed connection. The
IP based delivery (xDSL, FTTx, UMTS) can be combined with
non-IP delivery (mobile, terrestrial, satellite) or for partially
combined with other TV services in a hybrid service scenario
(Fig.2). For example, a service provider may chose to offer
broadcast services (e.g. broadcast TV) via an independent
broadcasted channel over air while providing interactive,
download or unicast IPTV services via the IP network. NGN
based IPTV may support hybrid delivery of IPTV services, e.g.:
• Live TV delivery over external TV delivery systems such
as DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-C, DVB-H, 3GPP MBMS,
other.
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• Other IPTV services delivered over NGN based IPTV (for
example based on ETSI TISPAN) such as Content on
Demand (CoD), User Generated Content (UGC),
Interactive TV (iTV), Network/Client Personal Recorder
(n-/c-PVR).
Hybrid approaches can offer advantages both to the service
provider and the consumer and widen the application of NGN
based IPTV, e.g. where a part of the IPTV content is delivered
over an independent non-IP delivery network, such as terrestrial
broadcast, direct-to-home satellite, hybrid fiber-coax or optical
distribution network.
Figure 2. Conceptual architecture of TISPAN IMS based IPTV services over
DVB (Source: Netlab, contribution to [4])
A. Hybrid IMS based IPTV testbed
In the prototype implementation it is assumed that the user
equipment is capable of receiving DVB-H services. No other
connectivity is required in this early prototype. Hence the use
scenario of the system is focused on the service operator’s point-
of-view. In the scenario, the service operator uses the DVB-H
platforms with an integrated IMS User Agent to connect to one
or many IMS cores, and access the IPTV Application Servers
available in those cores. The desired IPTV channels are requested
from the IPTV AS and delivered from IPTV media servers to the
DVB-H platform, and transmitted over DVB-H to the UE. With
this prototype it is shown how broadcast services can be selected
flexibly based on different selection criteria, e.g. geographical
location, event, or number of audience.
Basic scenarios of the connection between DVB-H platform
and IMS core are described. More advanced use scenarios, e.g.
using user equipment with both connected IMS client and DVB-
H receiver for accessing mobile TV services from multiple
access networks, are also considered but left for incoming
prototype extensions in sub-section C. The prototype
implementation of a hybrid IMS IPTV service platform is
illustrated in Fig. 3.
 Figure 3. Prototype service platform implementation of hybrid IMS based IPTV using DVB-H
The prototype consists of two discrete software systems,
DVB-H LITE platform and Open IMS Core [9]. In addition to
those existing software systems, an extension for DVB-H LITE is
implemented, to enable connection with Open IMS Core.
DVB-H LITE is a DVB-H head-end system conforming to
ETSI DVB and OMA BCAST standards and has been developed
in the University of Turku. It is targeted for R&D purposes and
the promotion of novel mobile broadcast services utilizing DVB-
H. It is designed to enable integration with multi-network
environment, i.e. to integrate with cellular and wireless local area
networks.
DVB-H LITE primarily consists of DVB-H specific parts,
namely ESG LITE, FLUTE LITE and IPE LITE (see Fig. 3).
ESG LITE is an OMA BCAST compliant Service Guide
generator, enabling creation of Service Guides for mobile TV and
filecasting services, along with support for OMA BCAST
Interactivity features (see [8]). FLUTE LITE is an IETF RFC
3926 compliant FLUTE protocol transmitter. IPE LITE is an IP
Encapsulator combined with time slicer and MPEG2 TS
multiplexer. In addition to DVB-H specific parts, DVB-H LITE
contains a web user interface for control and configuration of the
system. An RTSP client is included for launching audio/video
stream, either from a local media server controlled by RTSP (e.g.
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Darwin Streaming Server) or an external IPTV video server
(MCF&MDF).
The Fraunhofer FOKUS Open IMS Core is an open source
implementation of IMS related CSCFs (Call Session Control
Functions) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server). In addition, the
UCT Advanced IPTV with the Darwin Streaming Server is used
as an IPTV AS in the prototype implementation (see Fig. 3, IMS
Core) for SCF and MF functionalities.
The following IPTV services can be provided over hybrid
IMS based IPTV systems with DVB-H integration:
• IPTV broadcast/multicast services like live BC services
(live TV)
• IPTV unicast services like delivery of Content on
Demand services
• IPTV download services (e.g. Push CoD)
• IPTV notification based services (e..g content
recommendations)
B. Early prototype for with merging DVB-H with IMS client
This subsection presents our early implementation (from the
backend point of view the User Agent is implemented in
conjunction with DVB-H transmitter), supposing a “dummy”
DVB-H receiver with no other connectivity rrequired (e.g. no C. Target prototype implementation n – hybrid IMS based IPTV
need for IMS client in mobile terminals). solution
The flow of the registering of the DVB--H platform and In the future, the goal is to also prototype an implementation
requesting an IPTV stream is illustrated in Fig. 4. The IMS User of a scenario (Fig.5) where the user equipment is capable of both
Agent is controlled via the web user interface oof DVB-H LITE. DVB-H and IMS User Agent (a scenario that we contributed
The IMS UA has its own SIP identity, and itt is instructed to towards ETSI TISPAN in TISPAN N02(10)0022r1 [10] and that
connect to a specific IMS core, and request a specific IPTV was published in TR 182 030 [4])). This scenario enables also
stream. First, the IMS UA registers to the IMS coore using the two other kinds of hybrid IMS based IPTV I services than just plain
layer authorization process. When the UA is successfully mobile TV service, like access to broadcast
b data services, which
registered, it sends an INVITE to request the ppredefined IPTV may be related to mobile TV co ontent or totally independent
channel, which is identified by a SIP identity (cchannel ID as SIP content. This kind of services may beb implemented by integrating
URI). interactivity features described in OMA
O BCAST and IMS based
IPTV features.

Figure 5. High level architecture for hybrid

d IMS based IPTV services using UE
with IMS User Agent and DVB-H supportt (Source: [4], Authors contribution
TISPAN02(10)0022r1 [10])

Initially, the UE attaches to a mobile

m radio access network
(e.g. like UMTS or LTE) and registers to the IMS based NGN
using SIP and SDP [11]. Then UE can c discover its IPTV service
provider via SDF (using SIP or op ptionally HTTP). Afterwards,
the UE receives information abou ut proper SSF to contact for
IPTV service selection.
1) The UE performs service discov very and service selection to
receive all necessary informatio on about services using Xa
interface (e.g. content identifiers, metadata, EPG, etc.). The
service selection information can n be fully personalized based
on the user profile with additio onal information like content
Figure 4. Sequence diagram of the launch process of hybriid IPTV service using
the DVB-H IMS User Agent
recommendations or content bookmarks.
b The delivery of
service selection information caan be based on DVB IPTV
The CSCF responds by delivering the RTSP UR RL of the desired [12] (DVB SD&S or DVB BC CG) or using OMA BCAST
IPTV channel. The UA forwards the RTSP URL to the RTSP service guide (OMA BCAST BC CG and DVB-H ESG).
client in DVB-H LITE, which requests the RTPP video and audio 2) The UE requests IPTV service or selected content via Gm
streams. The unicast RTP streams are handed over to IPE LITE, interface of core IMS and the SIP S initiation request [11] is
which converts the RTP streams to DVB-H com mpatible multicast forwarded to the IPTV applicaation server (SIP AS called
streams, and encapsulates the traffic for DVB-H broadcasting. SCF) over ISC. The user requesst is authorized via IMS core
The prototype was tested with DVB-H Nokia N996 phone. (checking with user profile) and resources for the service are
reserved using the existing NGN N subsystem RACS (Resource

80
 and Admission Control Subsystem). After successful
initiation the UE and MCF are informed.
3) The SCF is responsible for service control and service logic
execution for personalized IPTV service and also forward
content requests to MCF.
4) The content control is performed directly between UE and
MCF using Xc interfaces by RTSP (for multicast services can
be used also IGMP or MLD).
5) The SCF and MCF also decide based on the UE and network
capabilities, which delivery has to be used for selected
content:
a) Primarily TISPAN services deliver over IP access network
(using RTP and/or MPEG2-TS).
b) Alternatively in hybrid scenarios the delivery over some
existing digital broadcasting technology is selected (e.g.
DVB-H, DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-C, OMA BCAST).
IV. FUTURE TOPICS
The following topics have been identified and should be
addressed by future work actions:
• Handling of converged EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
data in hybrid services. The hybrid service scenario
enables new possibilities for discovery and acquisition of
services. The first task is to design how EPG data is
acquired from the IPTV server and inserted into DVB-H
ESG (Electronic Service Guide). This task is a
straightforward acquisition of data and a translation from
one XML format to another. The second more
complicated task is to extend the actual ESG discovery
process from the one described in the DVB-H and OMA
BCAST standards. For example, DVB-H mobile TV
services can be advertised using SIP messages, e.g. by
notifying User Agents using an event package message
containing ESG data about available services. The
notification can be based on for example presence
information of the User Agent, like location based
information.
• Pay TV services and service purchasing in hybrid service
scenario. The current DVB-H deployments implement the
OMA BCAST service purchase specification, which
describes different possibilities for service and content
encryption, and service purchasing based on OMA DRM.
In the near future, DVB-H deployments will also include
smartcard based service purchasing. Future work will
include integration of the technologies currently available
for DVB-H and those designed for IMS based IPTV, to
provide an interoperable service consumption
environment.
• Extending hybrid IPTV service platform also for other
DVB systems like DVB-T, DVB-S or DVB-C.
• IMS based IPTV roaming and service mobility cross
service provider domains as described in [4] and
elaborated in Netlab project [13].
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V. CONCLUSIONS
In this paper, a novel model is discussed, which is based on
the Netlab project result published in ETSI TR 182 030. The
benefits of such a model are pointed out, and a prototype
implementation is described. The prototype is mainly for mobile
TV services, based on the integration of DVB-H and IMS IPTV
technologies. The results allow a greater flexibility in the service
management and service delivery for the end user. As elaborated
in sec. IV, this work helps to improve the Quality of Experience
(QoE) for user centric services from the end user point-of-view.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work has been partially supported by EUREKA
CELTIC NetLab Project [13] and ngnlab.eu [14]. The paper
contains parts contributed in TISPAN02(10)0022r1 [10] by the
authors towards ETSI TR 182 030 [4].
REFERENCES
[1] ETSI RTS 182 027 (V3.5.1), Technical Specification, TISPAN; IPTV
Architecture; IPTV functions supported by the IMS subsystem, 2011
[2] ETSI TS 183 063 (V3.5.2), Technical Specification ,TISPAN; IMS based
IPTV Stage 3 Specification, 2011
[3] Mikoczy, E., Sivchenko, D., Xu, B., Moreno, J., “IPTV services over IMS
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[8] Open Mobile Alliance: Mobile Broadcast Services V1.0 – OMA BCAST,
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[13] NetLab: Use Cases for Interconnected Testbeds and Living Labs,
http://www.celtic-nitiative.org/Projects/NETLAB/default.asp
[14] NGNlab – NGN laboratory at Slovak University of Technology in
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