Chapter 11

Multimedia Frameworks
Prepared by:
Adeela Bashir

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK
Many multimedia standards have been created to satisfy requirements of
various markets or sectors.
This has resulted in many different open standard and proprietary bit
streams of information for exchange and distribution, each requiring
specialized hardware and software.
Examples:

MPEG-1 --created for disc distribution of audiovisual content

MPEG-2 -- created for digital television
1G, 2G, and 3G-- multimedia-related distribution explicitly for the wireless markets
MP3--compress and exchange digital musical audio over the Internet
MPEG-4 -- standardized audiovisual solutions, where users can interact with the
content

Also, a variety of distribution protocols were developed for Internet-based

distribution or transport over cable networks.

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK
The software processes or hardware devices that create these content bit
streams and the end terminal devices to consume these bit streams are all
different.
This has led to the creation of mature multimedia technologies with
numerous players in the content creation, delivery, and content
consumption chain that provide an array of media information services and
solutions.
For example, the digital television sector has broadcast networks, and
services to view (overview, recording, specific channel viewing, pay-perview, and so on).
Also, the wireless sector has a parallel set of infrastructure elements for
content creation, distribution, and consumption for services such as
telephone music, radio, Short Message Service (SMS), and so on.
Similar services are offered on the Internet.

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK
This can be viewed as a variety of parallel standards and competitive
solutions in an era where different markets and networks are crossing over
in the desire to provide consumers with universal media access.
There is, therefore, a need to develop a common multimedia framework
that would facilitate exchange of media content and consumer services
across all these media sectors.
Some sectors have already been trying to put solutions into place to achieve
this. For instance, wireless users can use their mobile devices to access the
Internet, although with reduced capabilities.
A more efficient standard is needed that is aimed at the integration and
exchange of the different needs of each media sector and its consumers,
resulting in a possible universal enhanced user experience.

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK
The problems that need to be overcome to accomplish the
universal interchange mainly stem from two
requirementsinteroperability and Digital Rights
Management.
Interoperability results in design of a variety of software
and hardware devices to create and consume a
standardized bit stream.
However, the aim of interoperability can violate the
requirement to protect the value of content and the
interests of the digital rights holders.

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED

FRAMEWORK
Each standard might have its own Digital Rights Management
(DRM) process in place, which normally works by encrypting the
content in a certain manner and associating a set of usage rules
designed to control the distribution and use of the content.
Such as iTunes from Apple, Rhapsody from Real Networks,
Vodafone Live, and so on. However, songs purchased using the
Rhapsody service cannot be played on an Apples iPod.
The MPEG-21 standard aims to achieve such universal exchange
by describing any type of content in a standard manner, such
that intermediary parties, devices, and software and hardware
processes will know how to interpret it and, therefore, how to
take action on it.

MPEG-21 OBJECTIVES
MPEG-21 provides an open framework that can enable
multimedia information exchange and consumption among
various players in the content creation, delivery, and
consumption chain.
MPEG-21 achieves this universal exchange using a few key
concepts:
Describing all content in a standardized manner in way that is
scalable via standardized descriptors. Such a description,
termed as Digital Item, is the fundamental unit for exchange.
Allowing a Digital Item to be adapted for interpretation on a
terminal.
Consuming or processing the Digital Item so users can interact
with the terminal to consume the Digital Item.

MPEG-21 OBJECTIVES
The goal of MPEG-21 can be described as formulating a
technological framework needed to support users to
exchange, trade, access, and view Digital Items.
The MPEG-21 standard is organized into different
independent sections that provide mechanisms to
support multimedia description, exchange, and delivery.
The design of all these sections is based around the
central MPEG-21 paradigm of defining the media content
as a Digital Item.

MPEG-21 OBJECTIVES
The MPEG-21 sections mainly include the following:

Digital Item Declaration (DID)The media content is described as a

Digital Item. DID provides a uniform and extensible abstraction for
the content, along with an interoperable schema for declaring
Digital Items.
Digital Item Identification (DII)DII defines the architecture for
identifying uniquely any digital entity, regardless of its media nature,
type, or granular composition.
Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP)It
provides the means to reliably protect and manage content across
networks, sectors, and different devices along the way.
Rights Data Dictionary (RDD)RDD specifies a list of terms that are
used to describe the media owners rights as well as a users access
rights.

MPEG-21 OBJECTIVES
Rights Expression Language (REL)REL consists of an expression
language that makes use of the terms described in the Rights Data

Dictionary. The expressions are machine readable and convey the semantics of
access usage in the media transaction chain.
Digital Item Adaptation (DIA)DIA defines description tools that allow the
multimedia content to be adapted for transparent access and interchange.

Digital Item Processing (DIP)DIP defines mechanisms for

interoperable processing of the media information in Digital Items in a
standardized manner.
File formatThe file format describes a format for storing and
distributing Digital Items.
Each section can be used independently, or in combination with
different sections.
Though the various parts of MPEG-21 have been developed and can be
used independently, optimal results are obtained when used together.

DIGITAL ITEMS
Digital Items can be defined as structured digital objects
that have a standard representation and identification
with the incorporated metadata, which overall represents
the fundamental unit of transaction and distribution
within the MPEG-21 standard.