MPEG-4 Systems Version 2
On-going Systems Version 2 activities will complete the set of Systems
Version 1 tools. These activities are : Advanced BIFS (new BIFS nodes and
user interaction), MPEG-J (interfaces for interoperation of MPEG-4 media
with Java), MPEG-4 File Format and IPMP (content protection
management).
1. Advanced BIFS
This activity consists in the evaluation of new BIFS nodes and advanced user interaction. Among these nodes, all the missing VRML nodes can be found (ex : Script node, Proto node, ExternProto, …) as well as the definition of a BIFS return channel (user to server interaction within the MPEG-4 framework) and a new set of audio nodes used to describe acoustic properties of material.
MPEG-J specifies Java API to serve MPEG-4 needs. These API may relate to BIFS (control of BIFS's node behavior), but MPEG-J efforts will be first focussed to terminal model and user interaction.
This format will support exchange/distribution of MPEG-4 content on storage media. It will also allow access to and 'publishing' (parts) of the content in a flexible way. A call for proposal on this format has been issued in the Fribourg meeting. Contributions have been evaluated in San Jose and collaborative work has began.
4. Intellectual Property Management and Protection
The goal of this activity is to specify the architecture, the semantic and the syntax to allow the protection of MPEG-4 content.