Rich Media UI Framework

According to N9895, the MPEG User Interface (UI) Framework is a framework with the following properties:

• The use of a description language capable of designing Rich User Interfaces (including graphics, audio, video, animations, etc.);
• The possibility to personalize user interfaces based on user information and across devices;
• The possibility to exchange UI between devices;
• The possibility to aggregate UI from several devices.
  

The scope of the MPEG UI framework can be clustered into a widget representation and widget package formats as depicted in the figure above. Thus, the requirements (N10231) can are organized in a similar way.

The Widget Packaging Formats

• shall provide means to identify a widget representation and its associated resources
• shall provide means to point to an optional simplified representation
  
• shall provide means to carry widgets, associated resources and simplified representations using existing delivery mechanisms (such as MPEG-2 TS, MP4, RTP)
• shall allow delivery of the widget and its associated resources independent of each other
• shall allow delivery of the widget and its simplified representation independent of each other
• shall support definition of metadata associated to any widget

The Widget Representation Formats

• shall allow for a declarative description (binary or not) of rich media widgets
• shall support external communications (input and output)
  
• shall allow push and pull data delivery model between External Communication Entities and Widgets
  
• shall provide a way to access one or more external communication entities
  
• shall support dynamic access to external communication entities
• shall be delivery protocol independent
• shall allow for relationships between a widget and its simplified representation
  
• shall allow for identification of Widget characteristics
• shall allow for identification of dynamic and/or adaptable Widget characteristics
  
• shall provide the ability for Widgets to store and retrieve user data
• shall provide the ability for Widgets to query the environment (i.e. user, terminal and network characteristics) and to be notified of changes in this environment
• shall define a set of Widget states defined in a Widget Life Cycle, with methods for communicating changes of state, and with associated required behaviour for the Widget
• shall allow for specification of security constraints in storage of user data and communications with external entities
  

Call for Proposals
The call for proposals (N10232) provides all relevant information in case you'd like to submit a proposal that fits the above requirements. The deadline of the calls, deadlines and evaluation of answers are as follows:

• Final call for proposals: 2008/10/17
• Submission Deadline: 2009/04/15 (23:59h GMT)
• Evaluation of answers: 2009/04/18 – 2009/04/24 (during the 88th MPEG meeting (http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/meetings.htm) and the week end before: proponents are strongly advised to present their proposals in person).
  

Preliminary development plan for the MPEG UI framework:

• Working Draft: April, 2009
• Committee Draft: July, 2009
• Final Committee Draft: October, 2009
• Final Draft International Standard: April, 2010
  

Interested parties are kindly asked to respond. The submissions both by MPEG and non MPEG members shall be received by the 15th of April, 2009 23.59 hours GMT, by Joern Osterman, chair of the MPEG Requirements Group, (ostermann_AT_tnt_DOT_uni-hannover_DOT_de).

Further details about the submission procedure can be found in N10232. I'll post the links to the requirements document and CfP as soon as it becomes available on the MPEG Web site.