The MPEG-21 Book [Hardcover]

Ian S. Burnett (Editor), Fernando Pereira (Editor), Rik Van de Walle (Editor), Rob Koenen (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0470010118 | ISBN-13: 978-0470010112 | Edition: 1

Understand the MPEG-21 Multimedia Framework, the standard for the creation, delivery and consumption of multimedia.

This text is the comprehensive guide to MPEG-21, the technology that provides an open framework for multimedia applications. Whereas previous MPEG standards defined compression techniques, MPEG-21 offers methods for the search, access, storage and Rights protection of content. The MPEG-21 Book offers a complete introduction to standardisation, before proceeding to discuss the vision behind MPEG-21, what ‘Digital Items’ are, how they are adapted and how their contents can be protected. The book provides coverage of the individual parts of the standard to an advanced level, with chapters dedicated to each of the core technologies. The authors describe not only the present situation, but also emerging developments and the relation of MPEG-21 to the other MPEG standards, giving essential insights into the future of MPEG and its impact on multimedia.

The MPEG-21 Book:

• Provides an accessible explanation of the MPEG-21 standards and specifications.
• Presents a comprehensive overview of the technical issues that MPEG-21 covers, including the foundational Digital Item Declaration, Digital Item Identification, Digital Item Adaptation, and Digital Item Processing.
• Offers in-depth and up-to-date coverage of Rights Expression Language and Rights Data Dictionary.
• Provides first detailed treatments of Event Reporting and IPMP Components.
• Reviews the new MPEG technologies Multimedia Middleware, Multimedia Application Formats (MAFs) and Digital Item Streaming.

The MPEG-21 Book will provide an essential resource to researchers, engineers, Internet designers, systems designers, and content providers, creators and distributors in the entertainment and broadcasting industries. Students in communications technology, media technology and multimedia signal processing will also find it an invaluable guide to this cutting-edge technology.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Understand the MPEG-21 Multimedia Framework, the standard for the creation, delivery and consumption of multimedia.

This text is the comprehensive guide to MPEG-21, the technology that provides an open framework for multimedia applications. Whereas previous MPEG standards defined compression techniques, MPEG-21 offers methods for the search, access, storage and Rights protection of content. The MPEG-21 Book offers a complete introduction to standardisation, before proceeding to discuss the vision behind MPEG-21, what ‘Digital Items’ are, how they are adapted and how their contents can be protected. The book provides coverage of the individual parts of the standard to an advanced level, with chapters dedicated to each of the core technologies. The authors describe not only the present situation, but also emerging developments and the relation of MPEG-21 to the other MPEG standards, giving essential insights into the future of MPEG and its impact on multimedia.

The MPEG-21 Book:

• Provides an accessible explanation of the MPEG-21 standards and specifications.
• Presents a comprehensive overview of the technical issues that MPEG-21 covers, including the foundational Digital Item Declaration, Digital Item Identification, Digital Item Adaptation, and Digital Item Processing.
• Offers in-depth and up-to-date coverage of Rights Expression Language and Rights Data Dictionary.
• Provides first detailed treatments of Event Reporting and IPMP Components.
• Reviews the new MPEG technologies Multimedia Middleware, Multimedia Application Formats (MAFs) and Digital Item Streaming.

The MPEG-21 Book will provide an essential resource to researchers, engineers, Internet designers, systems designers, and content providers, creators and distributors in the entertainment and broadcasting industries. Students in communications technology, media technology and multimedia signal processing will also find it an invaluable guide

Product Details

• Hardcover: 462 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470010118
• ISBN-13: 978-0470010112
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 1.2 x 9.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,507,591 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive explanation of the MPEG-21 standard, May 30, 2006

By 

calvinnme - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The MPEG-21 Book (Hardcover)

MPEG-21 aims at defining an open framework for multimedia delivery and consumption. MPEG-21 is based on two essential concepts: the definition of a fundamental unit of distribution and transaction (the Digital Item, or DI) and the concept of users interacting with DI's. The DI can be considered the "what" of the Multimedia Framework (e.g., a video collection, a music album) and the Users can be considered the "who" of the Multimedia Framework. The goal of MPEG-21 can thus be rephrased to: defining the technology needed to support Users to exchange, access, consume, trade and otherwise manipulate Digital Items in an efficient, transparent and interoperable way.

The first two chapters of this book are an introduction to MPEG in general and then to MPEG-21 specifically. The discussion of MPEG gives a background of the other MPEG standards - MPEG-1,2,4,and 7. This builds a context for the discussion of MPEG-21. Chapter 3 details the DI and the declaration of a DI using the XML schema-based Digital Item Declaration Language. It explains the elements used within the model and the syntax and semantics of their expressions in XML. Chapter 4 details the "protected" DI that can be created using the Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP) Component tools. The chapter details the IPMP metadata that is used to describe the protection mechanism used within a given DI.

With the fundamental unit of transaction, the DI, explained, the next two chapters look at the parts of the standard related to rights. Chapter 5 is a detailed treatment of the MPEG Rights Expression Language (REL). There is an explanation of the creation of licenses using the XML-based REL and there are simple examples to illustrate the usage of the language. Chapter 6 is about the Rights Data Dictionary (RDD), which provides meaning for the metadata-based rights expressions.

Chapters 7 and 8 turn to the subject of data transport and delivery. Chapter 7 shows how DI's can be adapted to user preferences, device characteristics, and natural environments while maintaining effective delivery over a wide variety of networks. Chapter 8 describes a set of XML-based Bitstream Description (BSD) tools that can describe binary streams being delivered. These tools allow a combination of constraints, adaptation, and quality of service measurements to create a custom delivery environment that is suitable for each particular DI under a particular set of circumstances.

Chapter 9 introduces DI processing, in which a DI is made a "smart" item by incorporating Javascript and Java into the DI, thus introducing complex functionality. Chapter 10 is the final technical chapter and deals with event reports. Event reporting is necessary to describe usage of DI's for the purpose of collecting royalties based on usage and distribution. The book ends with a discussion of the future of MPEG-21 in chapter 11.

This book can't help being somewhat academic in style, since MPEG-21 is largely an unimplemented standard at this point. However, where the standards and languages have been pinned down, particularly in the realm of the various XML-based languages and tools, it is very concrete and clear with good examples and figures wherever it is possible. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the details and possibilities of this standard.