MPEG-21: Goals and Achievements
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University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Engineering and Information Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive) Sciences October 2003 MPEG-21: goals and achievements I. Burnett University of Wollongong, [email protected] R. Van de Walle Ghent University, Belgium K. Hill Rightscom, London, UK J. Bormans Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center, Belgium F. Pereira Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers Part of the Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons Recommended Citation Burnett, I.; Van de Walle, R.; Hill, K.; Bormans, J.; and Pereira, F.: MPEG-21: goals and achievements 2003. https://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/46 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] MPEG-21: goals and achievements Abstract MPEG-21 is an open standards-based framework for multimedia delivery and consumption. It aims to enable the use of multimedia resources across a wide range of networks and devices. We discuss MPEG-21's parts, achievements, ongoing activities, and opportunities for new technologies. Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics Publication Details This article was originally published as: Burnett, I, Van de Walle, R, Hill, K et al, MPEG-21 Goals and Achievements, IEEE Multimedia, Oct-Dec 2003, 10(4), 60-70. Copyright IEEE 2003. This journal article is available at Research Online: https://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/46 Feature Article delivery and consumption by all the players in the delivery and consumption chain. MPEG-21: MPEG-21 context MPEG-21 is the newest of a series of standards being produced by the Moving Picture Experts Group (see http://mpeg.telecomitalialab.com), Goals and more formally known as ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG11. MPEG has a long history of producing multimedia standards: MPEG-1 (1993), MPEG-2 (1996), MPEG-4 (1999), and MPEG-7 (2001). Achievements MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 resulted in many suc- cessful commercial products and services, such as video-CD, DVD, digital television, digital audio broadcasting (DAB), and MP3 (MPEG-1/-2 audio Ian Burnett layer 3). University of Wollongong, Australia More recently, MPEG-41 standardized audio– visual coding solutions that address the needs of Rik Van de Walle communication, interactive and broadcasting Ghent University, Belgium services, and many combinations of these mod- els. At the heart of MPEG-4 technology is an Keith Hill object-based representation approach in which a Rightscom, London scene is modeled as a composition of both nat- ural and synthetic objects with which a user may Jan Bormans interact. Through this new coding approach, Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center, Belgium MPEG-4 creates new opportunities for users to play with, create, reuse, access, and consume Fernando Pereira audio–visual content. MPEG-4 is currently used Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal on the Internet (such as Quicktime 6) and is being adopted in several other communications contexts. he appetite for content consumption Building on MPEG-4’s object-based vision, the MPEG-21 is an open and easier access to information con- MPEG-72 standard concentrates on the descrip- standards-based tinues to increase rapidly. Access tion of multimedia content. It enables quick and framework for devices are also evolving so that we efficient searching, identification, processing, multimedia delivery haveT a wide choice of terminal and network and filtering of multimedia material. This lets and consumption. It capabilities. The result is that people, both in users (both humans and machines) use and inter- aims to enable the their personal and professional lives, are increas- act with non-text-based multimedia content use of multimedia ingly creators as well as consumers of digital directly and efficiently. resources across a media. They thus demand solutions that deliver Together, the MPEG-1, -2, -4, and -7 standards wide range of accessible and advanced multimedia creation and provide a complete, powerful, and successful set networks and consumption on many platforms. These new of tools for multimedia representation. Other devices. In this content providers and the traditional media multimedia-related standards (and proprietary article, we discuss sources share a core set of concerns: management solutions) exist, such as JPEG and JPEG 2000. MPEG-21’s parts, of content, repurposing content based on user However, widespread deployment of multimedia achievements, preferences and device capabilities, protection of applications requires more than this loose col- ongoing activities, rights, protection from unauthorized access/ lection of standards. The problem is that overall and opportunities modification, protection of privacy of providers multimedia consumption and commerce remain for new and consumers, and so on. The MPEG-21 nontransparent and aren’t happening on a large technologies. Multimedia Framework initiative aims to meet scale. In late 1999 and early 2000, MPEG exam- these challenges by enabling the use of multime- ined several questions: Do all existing dia resources across a wide range of networks and multimedia-related standard specifications fit devices. In this article, we discuss MPEG-21, an together? Does anybody know how they fit open standards-based framework for multimedia together? Do we have specifications for all the 60 1070-986X/03/$17.00 © 2003 IEEE Published by the IEEE Computer Society necessary technical elements for multimedia Interoperability is the driving force behind all transactions? Which standard activities are most multimedia standards. It’s a necessary require- relevant? Who is making the “glue” that will let ment for any application that requires guaranteed these standards fit together? communication between two or more parties. Many high-quality multimedia standards are From a more philosophical view, interoperability being created to meet the needs of different com- expresses the user’s dream of easily exchanging munities. However, the result is an array of stan- any type of information without technical barri- dards offering parallel or competitive solutions. ers. To achieve this goal, we must standardize both In contrast to this a transparent multimedia the content structure and a minimum set of com- world requires the creation of a single, big picture munication processes. The key to effective stan- view of multimedia. dardization is to create a minimum standard that Currently, multimedia technology provides normatively defines a minimal (but complete) set the different players in the value and delivery of tools that will guarantee interoperability. Such chain with an excess of information and services. minimum specifications provide space and a foun- However, no complete solutions exist that let dif- dation for competitive, proprietary, and alternate ferent communities—content, financial, com- developments (which wouldn’t be normative) of munication, and computer and consumer tools that don’t need standardization to obtain electronics and their customers (each with their interoperability. This enables the incorporation of own models, rules, procedures, interests, and technical advances—lengthening the lifetime of content formats)—interact efficiently using this the standard—as well as stimulating technical and complex infrastructure. Developing a common product competition. A standard also has impor- multimedia framework would facilitate coopera- tant economic implications because it allows the tion between sectors and support a more efficient sharing of investment costs and the acceleration implementation and integration of the different of application deployment. A further advantage is needs of each community, resulting in an that an open standard reduces consumer reliance enhanced user experience.3 on sole proprietary solutions; this is essential if we One problem, however, is that in the desire to want truly transparent multimedia usage and con- achieve interoperability, the framework may vio- sumption to be a reality. late the requirement to protect the value of the MPEG has been proactive in identifying cur- content and the rights of the rights holders. From rent multimedia initiatives and inviting collabo- the alternate view, digital rights management ration in the context of MPEG-21. Examples of (DRM) systems—which protect those rights—can envisaged collaborations are the Open eBook prevent interoperability if they use nonstan- Forum, International Telecommunications dardized protection mechanisms. Realizing an Union, Open Mobile Alliance, and so on. The open multimedia infrastructure thus requires an aim of this process is to maximize interoperabil- integrated and suitably normative DRM system. ity, minimize the overlap between concurrent Thus, MPEG-21 seeks to create the big picture activities, and share common technologies. of multimedia standards. It aims to guarantee To ensure that the standardization of a big interoperability by focusing on how the elements picture encompassed both technological and user of a multimedia application infrastructure should demands, MPEG established a formal develop- relate, integrate, and interact. Finally, where ment process as follows: open standards for elements are missing, MPEG is creating new MPEG-21 parts to fill the gaps. 1. Define a framework supporting the MPEG-21 vision statement. October–December 2003 MPEG-21 objectives A key assumption of MPEG-21 is that every 2. Identify the multimedia framework’s critical human is