IEC TR 61998:1999

Model and framework for standardization in multimedia equipment and systems

Focuses on the areas of IEC responsibility and items based on general discussions of modelling for multimedia equipment and systems. In general, multimedia technology covers: system interface, user interface, interchange and distribution, measurements and management, as well as multimedia data and contents.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 12-Oct-1999
• ICS: 33.160.60 - Multimedia systems and teleconferencing equipment
• Technical Committee: TC 100 - Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment
• Drafting Committee: PT 61998 - TC 100/PT 61998
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Start Date: 19-Nov-2015
• Completion Date: 13-Feb-2026

Relations

• Revised: IEC TR 61998:2015 - Model and framework for standardization in multimedia equipment and systems
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC TR 61998:1999 - "Model and framework for standardization in multimedia equipment and systems" is a technical report published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC/TC100). It provides a structured model and guidance for standardization activities in multimedia technology. Rather than prescribing technical specifications, this informative report maps the scope of multimedia standardization, clarifies responsibilities within IEC, and offers modeling frameworks to align new work items with existing standards.

Key scope areas covered include:

• System interface (inter-system, intra-system, LAN, homebus)
• User interface (pictograms, gestures)
• Interchange and distribution (formats, protocols, abstract services)
• Measurements and management (colour management, data distribution, security)
• Multimedia data and contents (authoring, manipulation)

Key Topics

IEC TR 61998 organizes multimedia standardization around a generic model and multiple specific models. Important technical topics covered or referenced include:

• Physical and logical connectivity and information transfer media
• Transferred data structures and multimedia data modelling
• Usability and “easy operation” considerations for user-system interaction
• Security aspects for multimedia distribution and management
• Specific models for data creation, equipment structure, distribution/management and open-system interconnection (mapping to OSI-like layers such as application, presentation, file, storage, physical)
• Framework guidance for identifying new work items and aligning them with IEC/TC100 strategy

The report also contains annexes addressing practical domains: digital TV broadcasting, Internet broadcasting, cable TV, display interfaces, picture coding, video game content and equipment, and existing standardization activities.

Applications and Who Uses It

IEC TR 61998 is intended as a guideline and planning tool for:

• Standards developers and technical committees (IEC/TC100 and national committees) planning multimedia standards
• Product and system architects designing multimedia equipment or services who need to understand interface, data and management models
• Manufacturers and system integrators aligning product features with standardization roadmaps
• Broadcasters, content providers and service operators evaluating interoperability and distribution models
• Test labs and certification bodies that map conformance scopes to layered models

Use cases include scoping new standardization projects, harmonizing multimedia protocols across devices, and ensuring coherent interfaces between content creation, distribution and playback systems.

Related Standards

IEC TR 61998 references and aligns with existing standards and specifications, e.g.:

• ISO/IEC 7498-1 (OSI Basic Reference Model)
• ISO/IEC 14542 (multimedia and hypermedia model/framework)
• ISO/IEC 9316-2, ISO/IEC 11585
• IEEE 1394:1995 and DAVIC specifications

As an informative technical report, IEC TR 61998:1999 is a strategic resource for multimedia standardization rather than a prescriptive standard.

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL IEC
REPORT
TR 61998
First edition
1999-10
Model and framework for standardization
in multimedia equipment and systems
Structure et modèle de normalisation
des appareils et systèmes multimédia
Reference number
IEC/TR 61998:1999(E)
Numbering
As from 1 January 1997 all IEC publications are issued with a designation in the
60000 series.
Consolidated publications
Consolidated versions of some IEC publications including amendments are
available. For example, edition numbers 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 refer, respectively, to the
base publication, the base publication incorporating amendment 1 and the base
publication incorporating amendments 1 and 2.
Validity of this publication
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC,
thus ensuring that the content reflects current technology.
Information relating to the date of the reconfirmation of the publication is available
in the IEC catalogue.
Information on the subjects under consideration and work in progress undertaken
by the technical committee which has prepared this publication, as well as the list
of publications issued, is to be found at the following IEC sources:
• IEC web site*
•
Catalogue of IEC publications
Published yearly with regular updates
(On-line catalogue)*
• IEC Bulletin
Available both at the IEC web site* and as a printed periodical
Terminology, graphical and letter symbols
For general terminology, readers are referred to IEC 60050: International
Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV).
For graphical symbols, and letter symbols and signs approved by the IEC for
general use, readers are referred to publications IEC 60027: Letter symbols to be
used in electrical technology, IEC 60417: Graphical symbols for use on equipment.
Index, survey and compilation of the single sheets and IEC 60617: Graphical symbols
for diagrams.
* See web site address on title page.

TECHNICAL IEC
REPORT
TR 61998
First edition
1999-10
Model and framework for standardization
in multimedia equipment and systems
Structure et modèle de normalisation
des appareils et systèmes multimédia
 IEC 1999  Copyright - all rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from the publisher.
International Electrotechnical Commission 3, rue de Varembé Geneva, Switzerland
Telefax: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] IEC web site http://www.iec.ch
Commission Electrotechnique Internationale
PRICE CODE
XB
International Electrotechnical Commission
For price, see current catalogue

– 2 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
CONTENTS
Page
FOREWORD . 5
INTRODUCTION .6
Clause
1 Scope . 7
2 Reference documents . 8
3 Definitions. 8
4 Generic model.8
4.1 Physical and logical connectivity. 9
4.1.1 Information transfer media. 10
4.1.2 Transferred data structure . 12
4.2 Easy operation . 13
4.3 Security . 14
5 Specific models. 15
5.1 Multimedia data structure . 15
5.2 Data creation . 16
5.3 Equipment structure . 18
5.4 User-system interface . 19
5.5 Distribution and management . 19
5.6 Open-system interconnection via ISM. 20
5.6.1 Specific layers. 20
5.6.2 Application layer. 22
5.6.3 Presentation layer . 22
5.6.4 File layer . 23
5.6.5 Volume layer . 23
5.6.6 Logical storage layer . 23
5.6.7 Physical storage layer . 24
5.6.8 Physical layer . 24
5.7 Security . 25
5.8 Information appliance. 25
5.9 Application specific modelling. 26
6 Frameworks . 26
6.1 TC 100 frameworks. 26
6.2 Examples of new work items . 27
Annex A Digital TV broadcasting. 29
A.1 Technical overview . 29
A.2 Existing standardization. 29
A.3 User requirements. 30
A.3.1 Broadcaster and contents provider . 30
A.3.2 End-user . 30
A.4 Examples of items needed for standardization for tomorrow. 30

TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 3 –
Page
Annex B Internet broadcasting. 31
B.1 Trends in Internet broadcasting . 31
B.1.1 Definition . 31
B.1.2 Broadcasting formats . 31
B.1.3 Typical set-up for Internet broadcasting. 31
B.2 Actual broadcasting technology. 33
B.3 Regulation.34
B.4 Outlook . 34
B.4.1 Increase in network speed. 34
B.4.2 Improvement in compression technology, standardization
of telecommunication protocols . 35
B.4.3 Popularization in PCs and information appliances. 35
Annex C Cable TV. 36
C.1 Standardization of digital broadcasting systems crossing many kinds of media. 36
Annex D Display interface. 37
D.1 Two types of display systems. 37
D.2 Status of standardization . 38
D.3 User requirements and subjects. 40
D.4 Recommendation . 40
Annex E Picture coding . 41
E.1 Digital image coding . 41
E.2 Application .42
E.3 User requirements. 42
E.4 Study issues of core image coding. 43
Annex F Video game contents . 44
F.1 Games machine market. 44
F.2 Relation to games software . 44
F.3 Distribution of games software. 44
F.4 Developing environment . 44
F.5 Standardization activities . 45
F.6 User requirements. 45
F.7 Future work . 45
F.8 Potential issues for game systems. 45
Annex G Video games equipment . 46
G.1 Current status . 46
G.2 Standardization status . 46
G.3 Application deployment. 46
G.4 User requirements. 46
G.5 Optimum situation . 46
G.5.1 Software . 46
G.5.2 Hardware . 47

– 4 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
Page
G.6 Benefits and problems . 47
G.6.1 Benefits . 47
G.6.2 Problems . 47
Annex H Existing standardization activity on multimedia technology . 48
Annex I Abbreviations used in multimedia terminology . 53
Bibliography . 65

TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 5 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MODEL AND FRAMEWORK FOR STANDARDIZATION
IN MULTIMEDIA EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
FOREWORD
1) The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of the IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, the IEC publishes International Standards. Their preparation is
entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with may
participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. The IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two
organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of the IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an
international consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation
from all interested National Committees.
3) The documents produced have the form of recommendations for international use and are published in the form
of standards, technical specifications, technical reports or guides and they are accepted by the National
Committees in that sense.
4) In order to promote international unification, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC International
Standards transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional standards. Any
divergence between the IEC Standard and the corresponding national or regional standard shall be clearly
indicated in the latter.
5) The IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with one of its standards.
6) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this technical report may be the subject of
patent rights. The IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. However, a
technical committee may propose the publication of a technical report when it has collected
data of a different kind from that which is normally published as an International Standard, for
example "state of the art".
Technical reports do not necessarily have to be reviewed until the data they provide are
considered to be no longer valid or useful by the maintenance team.
IEC 61998, which is a technical report, has been prepared by IEC technical committee 100:
Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment.
The text of this technical report is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
100/90/CDV 100/101/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this technical report can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
This document which is purely informative is not to be regarded as an International Standard.
A bilingual version of this technical report may be issued at a later date.

– 6 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
INTRODUCTION
Multimedia technology covers a wide range of technical areas and involves a number of
technical elements. Most of the technical elements for multimedia are now being developed
and updated. IEC standardization activities on multimedia technology should, therefore, be
carried out with enough discussions and clarification on the
• position and relationship of the technology to be standardized among the collection of
related technologies,
• scope and framework/guideline of the standardization,
• appropriate standardization organization having the responsibility,
• schedule of the standardization,
• relationship between new work items and the existing standards on multimedia or single-
medium technology.
These discussions should be based on appropriate multimedia technology models in order to
create a framework for multimedia standardization. This technical report is a reflection of those
discussions in IEC/TC100 and is expected to contribute as a guideline for IEC standardization
experts and National Committees interested in multimedia equipment and systems, and is also
expected to contribute to strategic discussions in IEC/TC100 Advisory Group on Strategy.

TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 7 –
MODEL AND FRAMEWORK FOR STANDARDIZATION
IN MULTIMEDIA EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
1 Scope
This technical report provides models and frameworks for the standardization of multimedia
technology, being undertaken or to be undertaken by the IEC.
In general, multimedia technology covers
a) system interface:
• inter-system connection
• intra-system connection
• homebus interface
• LAN interface
• etc.
b) user interface:
• pictogram
• gesture
• etc.
c) interchange and distribution:
• interchange format
• protocol
• abstract service
• etc.
d) measurements and management:
• colour management
• data distribution management
• security
• etc.
e) multimedia data and contents:
• authoring
• manipulation
• etc.
This technical report focuses on the areas of IEC responsibility and items based on general
discussions of modelling for multimedia equipment and systems.

– 8 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
2 Reference documents
ISO/IEC 7498-1, Information technology – Open Systems Interconnection – Basic Reference
Model – Part 1: The Basic Model
ISO/IEC 9316-2, Information technology – Small Computer System Interface – 2(SCSI2) –
1)
Part 2: Common Access Method (CAM) – Transport and SCSI interface module
ISO/IEC 11585, Operational model for document description and processing languages
ISO/IEC 14542, Information technology – Multimedia and hypermedia: Model and framework
IEEE 1394:1995, IEEE standard for a high-performance serial bus (description)
DAVIC 1.0 specification, Part 2: System reference models and scenarios
3 Definitions
For the purpose of this technical report, the following definitions apply.
3.1
originator
entity, system or device that provides information or service, or container which includes
information or service
3.2
recipient
entity, system, operator or device that receives information or service, or container which
includes information or service
3.3
multimedia technology
a systematic coordination of different single-medium technologies
NOTE Multimedia indicates an integration of any information that can be represented, stored, transmitted and
processed digitally, including text, graphics, still and moving images, audio, video, animation data and sound.
Abbreviations of multimedia technology are explained in annex J.
4 Generic model
The generic model clarifies multimedia technology and its boundaries.
Standardization is, in general, required to obtain the following:
• physical and logical connectivity,
• easy operation,
• safety and security,
• easy implementation, and
• environmental safeguards.
________
1)
To be published.
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 9 –
The major purposes of multimedia standardization are:
• physical and logical connectivity
Multimedia data interchange and distribution are based on reliable and wide-band
communication media such as ISDN and interchangeable storage media such as CD-ROM.
Protocols, formats, interfaces, and other data structures of the media are required to be
standardized. The features of multimedia data, in particular, make those standards more
complicated than in the case of a single medium.
• easy operation
Multimedia systems contain a number of basic single-medium parts, each of which requires
appropriate interaction with users or other systems. In order to realise feasible and human-
recognizable operation for the multimedia systems, simplified and standardized user-
system interfaces are essential.
• safety and security
Multimedia equipment and systems form or will form a basic and important infrastructure of
national and international activity. Some multimedia data are required to be highly secured.
Some systems are required to be strongly protected and besides their operation should be
comfortable and safe for operators whose sense organs need to access concurrently to
their corresponding media; visible, audible, and other sensible media. Safe and secured
environments should be implemented by being based on some guideline and standards.
All the subjects to be standardized for the purpose can be modelled by the relationship
between an originator and a recipient.
Originator Recipient
Relationship
IEC  1393/99
Figure 1 – Generic model
Each multimedia technology for the relationship should be discussed along with appropriate
axes defined to describe corresponding features of the relationship.
4.1 Physical and logical connectivity
When considering physical and logical connectivity, an originator is positioned to be an entity,
system or device which provides information, and a recipient is positioned to be an entity,
system or device which receives the information. They are reconnected with each other by a
relationship: information transfer. The information transfer can be carried out by different types
of information transfer media. Another aspect of the information transfer is a structure of data
to be transferred by the medium.

– 10 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
Information
Information
recipient
originator
Information
transfer
Information transfer media
(see 4.1.1)
Transferred data structure
(see 4.1.2) IEC  1394/99
Figure 2 – Model of physical and logical connectivity
4.1.1 Information transfer media
4.1.1.1 Inter-system model
The physical media for information transfer between systems are classified into
• Broadcasting media
Broadcasting media support simultaneous information transfer to a number of recipients.
Existing commercial examples of the wireless broadcasting media are BS, CS and
terrestrial. As far as low-level protocols are concerned, CSMA (carrier sense multiple
access) media like Ethernet are broadcasting media.
• Intercommunication media
Telecommunication media support information transfer between two or more systems at a
time. Existing commercial examples of telecommunication media are PSTN (public
switched telephone network), CSDN (circuit switched data network) and PSDN (packet
switched data network). Their areas of information transfer differentiates the media, for
example, between
• local area network,
• metropolitan area network, and
• wide area network.
• Interchangeable storage media
Interchangeable storage media (ISM), for example optical disks or magnetic tapes, facilitate
data transfer by allowing the physical movement of the ISM from system to system. Large
amounts of data transfer can inexpensively and quickly be realized by using
interchangeable storage media.
IC card, SmartMedia, Flash memory card and some PC cards are classified as ISM.
They associate open systems as described in figure 3.

TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 11 –
Open
Open
system
system
Inter-system information
transfer media:
- broadcasting media
e.g., CS, BS, Terrestrial
- intercommunication media
e.g., PSTN, ISDN
- interchangeable storage media
e.g., DVD, CD-ROM
IEC  1395/99
Figure 3 – Inter-system model
4.1.1.2 Inter-device (intra-system) model
Mechanisms for information interchange between devices or subsystems within a larger system
are referred to as interfaces. Examples of the interfaces are:
• computer interface such as SCSI (small computer small interface, ISO/IEC 9316-2) and
IEEE 1394 (high-speed serial interface),
• display unit interface,
• keyboard interface, and
• consumer equipment interface employed, for instance, between a television receiver and its
remote control unit.
Devices or subsystems interact as shown in figure 4.
Device
Device
(e.g., computer)
Intra-system information
transfer media, e.g., SCSI, IEEE 1394,
display unit interface IEC  1396/99
Figure 4 – Inter-device (intra-system) model
4.1.1.3 Boundary model
Some information transfer media can be used both between systems and between
devices/subsystems. Examples are:
• fibre channel,
• infra-red communication, and
• IEEE 1394.
– 12 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
4.1.2 Transferred data structure
4.1.2.1 Data structure in inter-system/intercommunication media
Transferred data structures employed in inter-system/intercommunication environments may
be represented by the OSI layered model which was standardized by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 21.
The data structure consists of seven layered protocols, each of which is treated as
corresponding peer-to-peer entities within communicating open systems.
The top layer entities for application protocols provide services to their application itself within
an open system. Application data which are outside the scope of the OSI model can be
considered from the following points of view.
• Contents
A major feature of multimedia systems is that multiple types of content data are supported
by the systems.
• Structure
Multiple types of content data are integrated into a structure which is appropriate for the
application. An instance of multimedia data structure modelling is shown in 5.1.
• Creation
The structured application data are sometimes created step by step. The data from each
step can be transferred between corresponding applications. Instances of modelling of
multimedia data creation are shown in 5.2.
Application
Application
Application data
Structure
Content
Creation
(including presentation)
Open
Open
system
system
Peer-to-peer protocols
OSI model
IEC  1397/99
Figure 5 – Data structure in inter-system/intercommunication media
including OSI data structure and application data

TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 13 –
4.1.2.2 Data structure in inter-system/interchangeable storage media
Transferred data structure employed in an inter-system/interchangeable storage media (ISM)
environment can be represented similarly to the data in inter-system/telecommunication.
ISM are physically moved between systems to transfer the data on the storage media. To allow
open data transfer, the data formats on the media should be standardized as relationships
between systems. Logical structures such as volume and file are defined on physical structures
such as track and sector to configure a layered structure.
Application data on file structure should be treated in the same manner as those on inter-
system/telecommunication media.
Open
Open
system
system
Peer-to-peer formats:
- logical format
- physical format
IEC  1398/99
Figure 6 – Data structure in inter-system/interchangeable storage media
Some detailed discussions of data structure modelling for open system interconnection via ISM
are shown in 5.6.
4.1.2.3 Data structure in an inter-device model
Data structure in an inter-device model is also modelled in a layered manner. As far as a
display unit interface is concerned, for example, the type and dimensions of the connector and
cable should be considered in its physical layer. Interface signals should be classified into the
following levels:
• composite/component,
• colour model,
• frame/field, and
• pixel structure.
4.2 Easy operation
Multimedia user-system interfaces are described as a relationship between a multimedia
system and an operator. Under this relationship, a system can provide information and services
to an operator and vice versa.
The relationship can be implemented with several information types corresponding to sensing
organs, such as
• visual,
• auditory,
• tactile,
• olfactory, and
• acceleration-sensing.
– 14 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
The information and services between system and operator can be classified into several
layers:
• semantics,
• state/learning,
• primitive action.
Considering those aspects of multimedia user-system interfaces, they can be described by the
generic model in figure 7.
Operator
System
Information and
service transfer
Information types
e.g., visual
Information and service
structure:
- semantics
- state/learning
- primitive action IEC  1399/99
Figure 7 – Generic model for user-system interfaces
4.3 Security
All aspects of security can be treated as protection against some interrupts intervening
between originator and recipient in the generic model. Due to the protection,
• confidentiality,
• integrity, and
• availability
are satisfied in the information transfer between them.
Security mechanisms, for example encryption, authentication, access control, should be
considered from the point of view of both the media and data structure for the information
transfer.
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 15 –
Interrupt
Information
Information
recipient
originator
Information
transfer
Media
Data structure IEC  1400/99
Figure 8 – Generic model for security
5 Specific models
Parts of the generic model discussed in clause 4 can be described from different points of view
to configure different specific models. In this clause, typical specific models are shown to
clarify the technology to be standardized, in particular, by IEC/TC 100.
5.1 Multimedia data structure
Modelling of the application data structure described in 4.1.2.1 and 4.1.2.2 is discussed in
detail in this subclause.
Multimedia information consists of a number of information containers which include several
types of contents. In addition, multimedia information sometimes includes hyper-links for
flexible access to specified objects. These structures are described by structure models.
An example of a structure model is the Dexter model, which consists of three layers:
• run-time layer,
• storage layer, and
• within-component layer.
The storage layer specifies a structure of components associated with each other.
A component means an abstraction of an entity, which is called a node in some hypertext
networks. The component is treated as a generic container of contents. Some content types
could be character stream, geometric graphics, raster graphics, animation, etc.

– 16 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
Figure 9 shows some functionality of typical existing multimedia/hypermedia standards
classified by the Dexter model.
Dexter model HyTime MHET HTML
1. Run-time layer Object modifier, and event MHEG run-time object None
projector
2. Presentation Modifier scope, projector Channel rendering None
specification scope and linkterm elementary action
3. Storage layer
3.1 Atomic element Event MHEG composite object HTML document
3.2 Link Link and clink MHEG link/action object Anchor
4. Anchoring Addressing and query Position spec. timestone, URL/index
etc.
5. Within-component layer Object Component object Text, graphics, etc.
IEC  1401/99
Figure 9 – Listing of functionalities of existing multimedia/hypermedia standards
compared with the Dexter model
Some objects of IEC applications classified in run-time layer and within-component layer
could be subjects for standardization by IEC/TC 100.
5.2 Data creation
A modelling of application data creation in 4.1.2.1 and 4.1.2.2 is discussed in detail in this
subclause.
A data creation model describes the creation processes of multimedia/hypermedia data. A data
interchange of each processing step is required and therefore standardization has to be
performed for the data structure and format employed in each step.
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 18 has developed an operational model for electronic document creation,
which is illustrated in figure 10a. It could be applied to the creation of other multimedia title
data as shown in figure 10b.
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 17 –
Creative production
(planning, CG, composing)
Editing and data entry
Logical document Post production
Formatting
(1) material processing,
digitize and modify,
Specification
compression
(2) scenario editing
Formatting
voice sync.,
link editing
Formatted document
Rendering
Media production
Format conversion
Media stamping
(a) Document data creation (b) Multimedia title creation
IEC  1402/99
Figure 10 – Models of data creation
The rendering of documents and all the technology of multimedia title creation could be
within the scope of IEC/TC 100.

– 18 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
Focusing upon font data creation in a multimedia environment leads to a model of font and
multimedia document creation shown in figure 11. The properties without an asterisk in the
figure may be required for standardization in the near future.
Coded character string
Font-related information
Character/glyph mapping
Glyph specification
Device specific glyph
Style specification
Description/metric property*
Device specific typeface
(typeface specification)
Shape representation property*
Formatting
(including time-variant information)
Approximation Hinting property*
Glyph/font substitution
Rasterization Gray-scaling information
Pixel shape/alignment information
Bit-map presentation
IEC  1403/99
NOTE  Properties marked with an asterisk are standardized by ISO/IEC 9541.
Figure 11 – Model of font and multimedia document creation
The gray-scale information and pixel shape/alignment information for multimedia system
should be reviewed within IEC/TC 100.
5.3 Equipment structure
The logical and physical structures of multimedia/hypermedia systems or equipment are
described using system models.
Multimedia systems and equipment contain functional blocks and interchange multimedia data
through a communication system or an ISM (interchangeable storage medium) distribution
system as shown in figure 12. They have interfaces which may be subjects for future
standardization.
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 19 –
Inter-system User-system
interfaces
interfaces
Other User
Input
systems
Input Input
Devic
devices devices
es
Equipment
Outpu
Output Output
t
devices devices
Device
Intra-system
interfaces IEC  1404/99
Figure 12 – An example of system model
IEC has been standardizing the key technology of equipment and devices. IEC/TC 100 is
responsible for standardizing the aspects of the physical issues of inter-system and intra-
system interfaces and some user-system interfaces.
5.4 User-system interface
Multimedia systems can provide us with complicated information in easily perceptible forms for
our sensing/recognition capabilities and can possibly be treated with desirable operability.
Users of multimedia systems, therefore, expect sophisticated user-system interfaces to be
easy to use.
User-system interfaces should be modelled by hierarchical subsystems which include a
physical sensing layer up to a logical semantic recognition layer.
Each subsystem for an IEC specific application should be the subject of IEC/TC 100
standardization.
5.5 Distribution and management
A multimedia digitized environment has emphazised requirements for appropriate management
of data distribution, since the technology makes it possible to
a) duplicate the data without distortion,
b) modify the data to create alternatives, and
c) account for actual use of proprietary data.

– 20 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
The data distribution model should clarify that
• multimedia/hypermedia data in every step of data creation can be interchanged,
• the data or portion of the data should be uniquely identified, and
• interchanged data should be an object for appropriate charging.
Those requirements should be supported by cryptographic technology which consists of
• privacy,
• authentication,
• digital signatures, and
• non-repudiation.
An example of the distribution and management model is shown in figure 13.
Identification of Data or portion of
the subject data
||
Identification of a data user |
||
Identification of data owner
|
Negotiation of charging/condition
|
Providing multimedia/hypermedia data
|
Account and pay
IEC  1405/99
Figure 13 – Distribution and management model
Cryptographic technology for IEC/TC 100 specific applications should be standardized by
IEC/TC 100 in close collaboration with related standardization organizations such as
JTC 1/SC 27 (see 5.7).
5.6 Open-system interconnection via ISM
5.6.1 Specific layers
The general structure of the layered architecture of open system interconnection via ISM
provides architectural concepts, from which the model for information interchange by ISM has
been derived, making specific choices for the layers and their contents.
The model contains seven layers:
a) the application layer (layer 7);
b) the presentation layer (layer 6);
c) the file layer (layer 5);
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 21 –
d) the volume layer (layer 4);
e) the logical storage layer (layer 3);
f) the physical storage layer (layer 2); and
g) the physical layer (layer 1).
These layers are illustrated in figure 14.
Open system Open system
Peer formats
Application
Presentation
File
Volume
Logical storage
Physical storage
Physical
Physical movement of ISM
IEC  1406/99
Figure 14 – Seven-layer reference model and peer formats
The highest is the application layer, and it consists of the application-entities that cooperate in
the information interchange between open systems. The lower layers provide the services
through which the application-entities cooperate.
Layers 1 to 6, together with the physical media (ISM), provide a step-by-step enhancement of
information interchange services. The boundary between two layers identifies a stage in this
enhancement of services at which a service standard is defined, while the functioning of the
layers is governed by format standards.
NOTE In most of the existing standards for information interchange by ISM, services have been specified as
requirements for systems.
Not all open systems provide the initial source or final destination of information. When a
certain type of ISM is not distributed among all open systems directly, some open systems act
only as open systems for medium conversion, passing upper-layer data to other open systems.
The functions and formats which support the forwarding of data are then provided in the lower
layers. This is illustrated in figure 15.
As for the ISM whose major applications are consumer electronics, all the layers should be
standardized by the IEC, in particular, IEC/TC 100.

– 22 – TR 61998  IEC:1999(E)
Technical issues for each layer are shown in 5.6.2 to 5.6.8.
Open system
Open system for medium Open system
conversion
Application
Presentation
File
Volume
Logical storage
Physical storage
Physical
Physical movement of ISM Physical movement of ISM
IEC  1407/99
Figure 15 – Information interchange involving open systems for medium conversion
5.6.2 Application layer
The application layer contains all functions which imply information interchange between open
systems and which are not already performed by the lower layers. These include functions
performed by programmes as well as functions performed by human beings.
In particular, application-entities maintain, as part of the pre-knowledge necessary for
information interchange (or have access to, via use of a directory facility), information on the
use of activity by the peer entities with which they may need to cooperate.
An application-entity can be structured internally into application-layer objects representing
groups of functions. Use of one grouping of functions may depend on the use of some other
functions, and the active functions may vary during the lifetime of the application-association.
5.6.3 Presentation layer
The presentation layer performs the following functions to help accomplish the presentation
services:
a) representation of the abstract syntax chosen by the application-entities in the transfer
syntax including format and special purpose transformations (e.g. data compression);
b) restoration of previous syntaxes on the occurrence of certain events;
c) use of file services.
TR 61998  IEC:1999(E) – 23 –
Application-entities agree on the abstract syntaxes to be used for their information interchange.
It is necessary that these abstract syntaxes are represented in appropriate transfer syntaxes
for communication to take place.
NOTE Within a real open system, data defined in terms of an abstract syntax is represented within the local
system environment by a local concrete syntax. A transformation may be necessary between the local concrete
syntax and the transfer syntax. Thus, in information interchange between real open systems, there are three
concrete syntax versions of the data: the concrete syntax used by the originating application-entity, the concrete
syntax used by the receiving application-entity, and the concrete syntax used between the presentation-entities (the
transfer syntax). It is clearly possible that any or all these syntaxes are identical. The local concrete syntaxes are
not visible within the open system environment.
The fact that there is or is no actual transformation of concrete syntax has no impact on the
presentation-format. There is not one single predetermined transfer syntax.
5.6.4 File layer
The file layer has the following functions.
a) Area management in the logical volume space
The file entity manages the unallocated area in the logical volume space provided by
volume services.
b) Read and write of records in a file
The file entity reads/writes records in a file. It controls user data by the information of RCW
(record control word).
c) Processing for initialization
The file entity requests the volume layer to provide the logical volume space, where files
are configured.
5.6.5 Volume layer
The volume layer has the following functions.
a) Management of the volume spaces provided by the logical storage services
The volume entity manages the volume spaces provided by the logical storage services,
particularly the partitions and the spaces which are not contained in the partitions.
b) Identification of the volume spaces provided by the logical storage services
By using a volume identifier, the volume entity uniquely identifies the volume space
provided by the logical storage services.
c) Management of multiple volume space
The volume entity provides file entities with a logical volume space, which is a set of the
partitions in the volume spaces provided by the logical storage services.
d) Boot
The volume entity has the functionality to boot a system. This function cannot be provided
to upper layers.
5.6.6 Logical storage layer
The logical storage layer has the following functions.
a) Logical to physica
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