Objective
The goal of this project is the extension of the capabilities of DVB-MHP and the provision of the right generic tool set, which expands the quality, and usability of interactive services. This will make the GMF for iTV a generic platform of choice for broadcasters and application developers and by increasing the commercial relevance it will accelerate the development and deployment of interactive services that run on the next generation consumer TV Set-Top Boxes and PCs according to the MHP-Standard across heterogeneous transport networks. The project in particular develops efficient content analysis algorithms and synchronisation schemes to enable object-based interactivity to the user of the video content. It will utilise and further develop MPEG algorithms for personalisation object interactivity. Advanced human machine interface schemes will be addressed covering navigation space and personalisation.
Objectives:
The overall objective of this proposal is to enhance the technological perspectives of the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) standard by providing a GMFfor iTV. It accelerates the uptake of DVB-MHP and provides an end-to-end platform for interactive services on heterogeneous multimedia devices (STB and PC). The platform will enable the content and service provider to create, manage and distribute linearly composed, pre-recorded video streams in conjunction with non-linear data and allow interactivity at the end device on object or key-frame level of the content. GMF for iTV enhances the quality and usability of interactive services making it a generic platform of choice for both broadcasters and application developers.
Work description:
GMF for iTV investigates and implements advanced video content analysis algorithms on moving objects and so makes them usable for later interaction at the end device. GMF for iTV will create authoring tools, which enable the content composer to link video content with interactive overlays such as XML, clips or MPEG-4 objects. It implements a synchronisation mechanism at the DVB multiplexer site, which maintains the necessary timing among the actual content, the additional media for interactivity and its Meta data. The latter is used as linkage information between the content and the interactive overlay and also contains data to be used by the personalisation process. The DVB-MHP API is modified in such a way that objects based interactivity at the end device is made possible. Advanced human machine interface schemes are implemented which will address the concern of usability and personalisation at the receivers' side. Field trials are conducted which include content of two different domains (documentary of a certain subject and fashion television) of two international content producers with digital broadcast air time in Germany and France.
Milestones:
As the Framework affects all components of an interactive digital video broadcast system the implementation is completed in three steps:
M1 Completion of Requirements and Specification;
M2 Completion of the GMF prototype;
M3 Completion of the GMF Version 0.9;
M4 Completion of the GMF version 1.0.
Funding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
3810-106 Aveiro
Portugal
Participants (9)
50858 Koeln
UB3 1HH Hayes, Middlesex
2200 Brasov
08022 Barcelona
06560 Valbonne
Muenchen
8010 Graz
1800-129 Olivais - Lisboa
46120 Herzliya Pituach
