ISO/IEC 29341-14-12:2011

Information technology - UPnP Device Architecture - Part 14-12: Audio Video Device Control Protocol - Level 3 - Audio Video Content Directory Service

ISO/IEC 29341-14-12:2011(E) describes a service template which is compliant with the UPnP Device Architecture version 1.0. It defines a service type referred to herein as ContentDirectory service. The purpose of the ContentDirectory service is to allow the server device provide a uniform mechanism for UI devices to browse the content on the server and to obtain detailed information about object individual content. The ContentDirectory service additionally provides a lookup/storage service that allows clients to locate (and possibly store) individual objects (for example, songs, movies, pictures, etc) that the (server) device is capable of providing.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 11-Sep-2011
• ICS: 31.040 - Resistors
• ICS: 31.060 - Capacitors
• ICS: 35.200 - Interface and interconnection equipment
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1 - Information technology
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 06-Sep-2011
• Completion Date: 30-Nov-2011

Overview - ISO/IEC 29341-14-12:2011 (UPnP Audio/Video ContentDirectory Service)

ISO/IEC 29341-14-12:2011 defines the ContentDirectory service template for the UPnP Device Architecture (v1.0). It standardizes how a UPnP server device exposes audio/video content so UI devices and client applications can browse, search, and retrieve detailed metadata about individual media objects (songs, movies, pictures, playlists, bookmarks, etc.). The document specifies data types, XML schemas (including DIDL-Lite usage), state variables, actions, eventing, and the theory of operation required to implement a Level 3 Audio/Video Content Directory Service (AV-CDS).

Key technical topics and requirements

• Service model and state variables: Definitions such as SystemUpdateID, ContainerUpdateIDs, LastChange and feature lists that track content and changes on the server.
• Object model: Concepts like object, item, container, reference, and hierarchical organization used to represent media libraries.
• Metadata and XML formats: Use of DIDL-Lite and defined property sets (Dublin Core subset, UPnP AV properties) for consistent metadata encoding.
• Core actions and APIs: Standardized operations for content management and discovery, including Browse(), Search(), CreateObject(), DestroyObject(), UpdateObject(), MoveObject(), ImportResource(), ExportResource(), and CreateReference().
• Transfer and resource handling: TransferIDs, progress reporting, import/export and resource binding for moving or adding media resources between devices.
• Search, sort and query capabilities: SearchCriteria, SortCriteria, FreeFormQuery and related capabilities to enable flexible content discovery.
• Eventing and change tracking: Mechanisms for clients to monitor updates, subtree updates, and event notifications to maintain synchronized views.
• Vendor extensions and namespaces: Guidance for vendor-defined actions, state variables and XML namespace management while preserving interoperability.

Practical applications and who uses this standard

• Media server vendors implement the ContentDirectory service to expose local or cloud-hosted libraries to networked clients.
• Application developers and UI designers build control points (client apps, smart TVs, mobile media players) that browse, search and play AV content from UPnP servers.
• System integrators use the standard to ensure cross-vendor interoperability in home media networks, multi-room audio systems, and embedded AV devices.
• Software stacks and middleware incorporate DIDL-Lite parsing, state-variable handling and standardized actions to support robust media discovery and transfer workflows.

Related standards

• UPnP Device Architecture (version 1.0) - the framework this service conforms to.
• ISO/IEC 29341 series - other parts of the UPnP AV / Device Architecture family that define devices, protocols and AV control layers.

For implementers, ISO/IEC 29341-14-12:2011 is essential reading to ensure consistent ContentDirectory, metadata encoding (DIDL-Lite), and API behavior across UPnP AV ecosystems.

Standards Content (Sample)

ISO/IEC 29341-14-12
Edition 1.0 2011-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Information technology – UPnP device architecture –
Part 14-12: Audio, Video Device Control Protocol – Level 3 – Audio Video
Content Directory Service
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, 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
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ISO/IEC 29341-14-12
Edition 1.0 2011-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Information technology – UPnP device architecture –
Part 14-12: Audio, Video Device Control Protocol – Level 3 – Audio Video
Content Directory Service
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
XC
ICS 35.200 ISBN 978-2-88912-658-3

29341-14-12 © ISO/IEC:2011(E)
CONTENTS
1  Overview and Scope . 10
1.1  Introduction . 10
1.2  Notation . 10
1.2.1  Data Types . 11
1.2.2  Strings Embedded in Other Strings . 11
1.2.3  Extended Backus-Naur Form . 11
1.3  Derived Data Types . 12
1.3.1  Comma Separated Value (CSV) Lists . 12
1.4  Management of XML Namespaces in Standardized DCPs . 13
1.4.1  Namespace Prefix Requirements . 16
1.4.2  Namespace Names, Namespace Versioning and Schema Versioning . 17
1.4.3  Namespace Usage Examples . 19
1.5  Vendor-defined Extensions . 19
1.5.1  Vendor-defined Action Names . 19
1.5.2  Vendor-defined State Variable Names . 19
1.5.3  Vendor-defined XML Elements and attributes . 20
1.5.4  Vendor-defined Property Names . 20
1.6  References . 20
2  Service Modeling Definitions . 23
2.1  Service Type . 23
2.2  Key Concepts . 24
2.2.1  On-line and Off-line Network States . 24
2.2.2  object . 24
2.2.3  Object Identity . 25
2.2.4  Object Lifetime . 25
2.2.5  Object Modification . 26
2.2.6  c l ass . 26
2.2.7  item . 26
2.2.8  container . 27
2.2.9  Container Modification . 27
2.2.10  ContentDirectory Tracking Changes Option . 27
2.2.11  ContainerUpdateIDValue Indicator . 28
2.2.12  ContentDirectory Service Object Organization . 29
2.2.13  Hierarchical location . 29
2.2.14  Subtree . 30
2.2.15  Subtree Updates . 30
2.2.16  XML Document . 31
2.2.17  XML Fragment . 31
2.2.18  DIDL-Lite XML Document . 32
2.2.19  CDS View . 34
2.2.20  property . 34
2.2.21  reference, reference item, referenced item . 35
2.2.22  CDS feature . 36
2.2.23  Metadata vs. Foreign Metadata . 36
2.2.24  Embedded XML Documents . 37

XXXX: © IEC:2010 — 2 — 29341-14-12 © ISO/IEC:2011(E)

2.3  State Variables . 37
2.3.1  State Variable Overview . 37
2.3.2  SearchCapabilities . 38
2.3.3  SortCapabilities . 39
2.3.4  SortExtensionCapabilities . 39
2.3.5  SystemUpdateID . 39
2.3.6  ContainerUpdateIDs . 41
2.3.7  ServiceResetToken . 43
2.3.8  LastChange . 44
2.3.9  TransferIDs . 47
2.3.10  FeatureList . 47
2.3.11  A_ARG_TYPE_ObjectID . 48
2.3.12  A_ARG_TYPE_Result . 48
2.3.13  A_ARG_TYPE_SearchCriteria . 48
2.3.14  A_ARG_TYPE_BrowseFlag . 50
2.3.15  A_ARG_TYPE_Filter . 50
2.3.16  A_ARG_TYPE_SortCriteria . 52
2.3.17  A_ARG_TYPE_Index . 53
2.3.18  A_ARG_TYPE_Count . 53
2.3.19  A_ARG_TYPE_UpdateID . 53
2.3.20  A_ARG_TYPE_TransferID . 53
2.3.21  A_ARG_TYPE_TransferStatus . 53
2.3.22  A_ARG_TYPE_TransferLength . 54
2.3.23  A_ARG_TYPE_TransferTotal . 54
2.3.24  A_ARG_TYPE_TagValueList . 54
2.3.25  A_ARG_TYPE_URI . 54
2.3.26  A_ARG_TYPE_CDSView . 54
2.3.27  A_ARG_TYPE_QueryRequest . 54
2.3.28  A_ARG_TYPE_QueryResult . 55
2.3.29  A_ARG_TYPE_FFQCapabilities . 55
2.4  Eventing and Moderation . 57
2.5  Actions . 58
2.5.1  GetSearchCapabilities() . 59
2.5.2  GetSortCapabilities() . 60
2.5.3  GetSortExtensionCapabilities() . 60
2.5.4  GetFeatureList() . 61
2.5.5  GetSystemUpdateID() . 61
2.5.6  GetServiceResetToken() . 62
2.5.7  Browse() . 62
2.5.8  Search() . 64
2.5.9  CreateObject() . 65
2.5.10  DestroyObject() . 69
2.5.11  UpdateObject() . 71
2.5.12  MoveObject() . 76
2.5.13  ImportResource() . 77
2.5.14  ExportResource() . 78
2.5.15  DeleteResource() . 79
2.5.16  StopTransferResource() . 80
2.5.17  GetTransferProgress() . 81

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2.5.18  CreateReference() . 82
2.5.19  FreeFormQuery() . 82
2.5.20  GetFreeFormQueryCapabilities() . 84
2.5.21  Non-Standard Actions Implemented by a UPnP Vendor . 85
2.5.22  Common Error Codes . 85
2.6  Theory of Operation (Informative) . 86
2.6.1  Int r oduction. 86
2.6.2  Generating Object ID Values . 87
2.6.3  Content Setup for Browsing and Searching . 87
2.6.4  Brows i ng. 88
2.6.5  Searching . 93
2.6.6  Browsing, Searching, and References . 97
2.6.7  Object Creation . 98
2.6.8  Object Resource Binding (Importing a Resource) . 99
2.6.9  Exporting ContentDirectory Resources . 101
2.6.10  Playlist Manipulation . 102
2.6.11  Internet Content Representation . 104
2.6.12  Bookmark Manipulation . 104
2.6.13  Processing FreeForm Queries . 116
2.6.14  Foreign Metadata . 119
2.6.15  Monitoring Changes . 121
3  XML Service Description . 129
4  Test . 138
Annex A (normative) Schemas . 139
A.1  DI DL-Lit e . 139
A.2  UPnP Elements . 139
A.3  Dublin Core Subset Elements . 139
A.4  Event Schema . 139
A.5  FeatureList State Variable Schema . 139
Annex B (normative) AV Working Committee Properties . 141
B.1  Base Properties . 145
B.1.1  @id . 146
B.1.2  @parentID . 146
B.1.3  @refID . 146
B.1.4  @restricted . 147
B.1.5  @searchable. 147
B.1.6  @childCount . 147
B.1.7  dc:title . 147
B.1.8  dc:creator . 147
B.1.9  res . 148
B.1.10  upnp:class . 148
B.1.11  upnp:searchClass . 149
B.1.12  upnp:createClass . 150
B.1.13  upnp:writeStatus . 151
B.2  Resource Encoding Characteristics Properties . 151
B.2.1  res . 152
B.3  Contributor-related Properties . 157
B.3.1  upnp:artist . 158

XXXX: © IEC:2010 — 4 — 29341-14-12 © ISO/IEC:2011(E)

B.3.2  upnp:actor . 158
B.3.3  upnp:author . 158
B.3.4  upnp:producer . 159
B.3.5  upnp:director . 159
B.3.6  dc:publisher . 159
B.3.7  dc:contributor . 159
B.4  Affiliation-related Properties . 159
B.4.1  upnp:genre . 160
B.4.2  upnp:album . 160
B.4.3  upnp:playlist . 160
B.5  Associated Resources Properties . 161
B.5.1  upnp:albumArtURI . 161
B.5.2  upnp:artistDiscographyURI . 161
B.5.3  upnp:lyricsURI . 161
B.5.4  dc:relation . 161
B.6  Storage-Related Properties . 161
B.6.1  upnp:storageTotal . 162
B.6.2  upnp:storageUsed . 162
B.6.3  upnp:storageFree . 162
B.6.4  upnp:storageMaxPartition . 162
B.6.5  upnp:storageMedium . 162
B.7  General Description (mainly for UI purposes) Properties . 163
B.7.1  dc:description . 163
B.7.2  upnp:longDescription . 163
B.7.3  upnp:icon . 164
B.7.4  upnp:region . 164
B.7.5  upnp:rights. 164
B.7.6  dc:date . 164
B.7.7  dc:language . 165
B.7.8  upnp:playbackCount . 165
B.7.9  upnp:lastPlaybackTime . 165
B.7.10  upnp:lastPlaybackPosition . 166
B.7.11  upnp:recordedStartDateTime . 166
B.7.12  upnp:recordedDuration . 167
B.7.13  upnp:recordedDayOfWeek . 167
B.7.14  upnp:srsRecordScheduleID . 167
B.7.15  upnp:srsRecordTaskID . 167
B.7.16  upnp:recordable . 168
B.8  Recorded Object-related Properties . 168
B.8.1  upnp:programTitle . 168
B.8.2  upnp:seriesTitle . 169
B.8.3  upnp:programID . 169
B.8.4  upnp:seriesID . 169
B.8.5  upnp:channelID . 170
B.8.6  upnp:episodeCount . 171
B.8.7  upnp:episodeNumber . 171
B.8.8  upnp:programCode . 171
B.8.9  upnp:rating . 172
B.8.10  upnp:episodeType . 172

29341-14-12 XXXX: © IEC© ISO/IEC:2011(E):2010 — 5 —

B.9  User Channel and EPG Related Properties . 173
B.9.1  upnp:channelGroupName . 173
B.9.2  upnp:callSign . 174
B.9.3  upnp:networkAffiliation . 174
B.9.4  upnp:serviceProvider . 174
B.9.5  upnp:price. 174
B.9.6  upnp:payPerView . 175
B.9.7  upnp:epgProviderName . 175
B.9.8  upnp:dateTimeRange . 175
B.10  Radio Broadcast Properties . 176
B.10.1  upnp:radioCallSign . 176
B.10.2  upnp:radioStationID . 176
B.10.3  upnp:radioBand . 176
B.11  Video Broadcast Properties. 176
B.11.1  upnp:channelNr . 177
B.11.2  upnp:channelName . 177
B.11.3  upnp:scheduledStartTime . 177
B.11.4  upnp:scheduledEndTime . 178
B.11.5  upnp:scheduledDuration . 179
B.12  Physical Tuner Status-related Properties . 179
B.12.1  upnp:signalStrength . 179
B.12.2  upnp:signalLocked . 179
B.12.3  upnp:tuned . 180
B.13  Bookmark-related Properties . 180
B.13.1  @neverPlayable . 180
B.13.2  upnp:bookmarkID . 180
B.13.3  upnp:bookmarkedObjectID . 181
B.13.4  upnp:deviceUDN . 181
B.13.5  upnp:stateVariableCollection . 181
B.14  Miscellaneous Properties . 183
B.14.1  upnp:DVDRegionCode . 183
B.14.2  upnp:originalTrackNumber . 183
B.14.3  upnp:toc . 183
B.14.4  upnp:userAnnotation . 183
B.14.5  desc . 183
B.15  Object Tracking Properties . 184
B.15.1  upnp:containerUpdateID . 184
B.15.2  upnp:objectUpdateID . 185
B.15.3  upnp:totalDeletedChildCount . 186
B.15.4  res@updateCount . 186
B.16  Foreign Metadata-related Properties . 186
B.16.1  upnp:foreignMetadata . 187
Annex C (normative) AV Working Committee Class Definitions . 194
C.1  Class Hierarchy . 194
C.1.1  Class name syntax . 195
C.1.2  Class Properties Overview . 196
C.2  object (Base Class) . 200
C.2.1  item:object . 200
C.2.2  container:object . 208

XXXX: © IEC:2010 — 6 — 29341-14-12 © ISO/IEC:2011(E)

Annex D (normative) EBNF Syntax Definitions . 215
D.1  Date&time Syntax . 215
Annex E (normative) CDS features . 216
E.1  Requirements for the EPG feature, Version 1 . 217
E.2  Requirements for the TUNER feature, Version 1 . 218
E.3  Requirements for the BOOKMARK feature, Version 1 . 218
E.4  Requirements for the FOREIGN_METADATA feature, Version 1 . 219
E.5  Requirements for the FFQ feature, Version 1 . 220
Annex F (informative) Example ContentDirectory Hierarchy . 222

Figure 1 — ContentDirectory Service Object Organization. . 29
Figure 2 — Flattened DIDL-Lite hierarchical structure. . 33
Figure 3 — Class hierarchy for the item base class. . 195
Figure 4 — Class hierarchy for the container base class. . 195

Table 1-1 — EBNF Operators . 12
Table 1-2 — CSV Examples . 13
Table 1-3 — Namespace Definitions . 14
Table 1-4 — Schema-related Information . 15
Table 1-5 — Default Namespaces for the AV Specifications . 16
Table 2-1 — Properties in XML . 35
Table 2-2 — State variables . 37
Table 2-3 — SearchCapabilities requirements for supporting Tracking Changes Option . 38
Table 2-4 — Sort Modifiers . 39
Table 2-5 — ContainerUpdateIDs Ex ample . 42
Table 2-6 — ContainerUpdateIDs Ex ample . 42
Table 2-7 — Event moderation . 57
Table 2-8 — Actions . 58
Table 2-9 — Arguments for GetSearchCapabilities() . 59
Table 2-10 — Error Codes for GetSearchCapabilities() . 59
Table 2-11 — Arguments for GetSortCapabilities() . 60
Table 2-12 — Error Codes for GetSortCapabilities() . 60
Table 2-13 — Arguments for GetSortExtensionCapabilities() . 60
Table 2-14 — Error Codes for GetSortExtensionCapabilities() . 60
Table 2-15 — Arguments for GetFeatureList() . 61
Table 2-16 — Error Codes for GetFeatureList() . 61
Table 2-17 — Arguments for GetSystemUpdateID() . 61
Table 2-18 — Error Codes for GetSystemUpdateID() . 61
Table 2-19 — Arguments for GetServiceResetToken() . 62
Table 2-20 — Error Codes for GetServiceResetToken() . 62
Table 2-21 — Arguments for Browse() . 63
Table 2-22 — Error Codes for Browse() . 63
Table 2-23 — Arguments for Search() . 64
Table 2-24 — Error Codes for Search() . 65

29341-14-12 XXXX: © IEC© ISO/IEC:2011(E):2010 — 7 —

Table 2-25 — Arguments for CreateObject() . 69
Table 2-26 — Error codes for CreateObject() . 69
Table 2-27 — Arguments for DestroyObject() . 70
Table 2-28 — Error Codes for DestroyObject() . 71
Table 2-29 — Update examples . 73
Table 2-30 — Arguments for UpdateObject() . 75
Table 2-31 — Error Codes for UpdateObject() . 75
Table 2-32 — Arguments for MoveObject() . 77
Table 2-33 — Error Codes for MoveObject() . 77
Table 2-34 — Arguments for ImportResource() . 78
Table 2-35 — Error Codes for ImportResource() . 78
Table 2-36 — Arguments for ExportResource() . 79
Table 2-37 — Error Codes for ExportResource() . 79
Table 2-38 — Arguments for DeleteResource() . 80
Table 2-39 — Error Codes for DeleteResource() . 80
Table 2-40 — Arguments for StopTransferResource() . 80
Table 2-41 — Error Codes for StopTransferResource() . 81
Table 2-42 — Arguments for GetTransferProgress() . 81
Table 2-43 — Error Codes for GetTransferProgress() . 81
Table 2-44 — Arguments for CreateReference() . 82
Table 2-45 — Error Codes for CreateReference() . 82
Table 2-46 — Arguments for FreeFormQuery() . 83
Table 2-47 — Error Codes for FreeFormQuery() . 84
Table 2-48 — Arguments for GetFreeFormQueryCapabilities() . 84
Table 2-49 — Error Codes for GetFreeFormQueryCapabilities() . 85
Table 2-50 — Common Error Codes . 85
Table B.1 — ContentDirectory Service Properties Overview . 141
Table B.2 — Base Properties Overview . 145
Table B.3 — allowedValueList for the upnp:class Property . 148
Table B.4 — allowedValueList for the upnp:writeStatus Property . 151
Table B.5 — Resource Encoding Characteristics Properties Overview . 151
Table B.6 — allowedValueList for the res@daylightSaving Property . 157
Table B.7 — Contributor-related Properties Overview . 157
Table B.8 — Affiliation-related Properties Overview . 159
Table B.9 — Associated Resources Properties Overview . 161
Table B.10 — Storage-Related Properties Overview . 161
Table B.11 — General Description (mainly for UI purposes) Properties Overview . 163
Table B.12 — allowedValueList for the upnp:recordedDayOfWeek Property . 167
Table B.13 — Recorded Object-related Properties Overview . 168
Table B.14 — User Channel and EPG Related Properties Overview . 173
Table B.15 — Radio Broadcast Properties Overview . 176
Table B.16 — allowedValueList for the upnp:radioBand Property . 176
Table B.17 — Video Broadcast Properties Overview . 176

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Table B.18 — allowedValueList for the upnp:scheduledStartTime@usage Property . 178
Table B.19 — Physical Tuner Status-related Properties Overview . 179
Table B.20 — Bookmark-related Properties Overview . 180
Table B.21 — allowedValueList for the upnp:stateVariableCollection@rcsInstanceType
Property . 182
Table B.22 — Miscellaneous Properties Overview . 183
Table B.23 — Object Tracking Properties Overview . 184
Table B.24 — Foreign Metadata-related Properties Overview . 186
Table C.1 — Class Properties Overview . 196
Table C.2 — object Properties . 200
Table C.3 — item Properties . 201
Table C.4 — imageItem:item Properties . 201
Table C.5 — photo:imageItem Properties . 201
Table C.6 — audioItem:item Properties . 202
Table C.7 — musicTrack:audioItem Properties . 202
Table C.8 — audioBroadcast:audioItem Properties . 202
Table C.9 — audioBook:audioItem Properties . 203
Table C.10 — videoItem:item Properties . 203
Table C.11 — movie:videoItem Properties . 203
Table C.12 — videoBroadcast:videoItem Properties. 204
Table C.13 — musicVideoClip:videoItem Properties. 204
Table C.14 — playlistItem:item Properties . 205
Table C.15 — textItem:item Properties . 205
Table C.16 — bookmarkItem:item Properties . 206
Table C.17 — epgItem:item Properties . 206
Table C.18 — audioProgram:epgItem Properties . 207
Table C.19 — videoProgram:epgItem Properties . 208
Table C.20 — container Properties . 208
Table C.21 — person:container Properties . 208
Table C.22 — musicArtist:person Properties . 209
Table C.23 — playlistContainer:container Properties . 209
Table C.24 — album:container Properties . 209
Table C.25 — musicAlbum:album Properties . 210
Table C.26 — photoAlbum:album Properties . 210
Table C.27 — genre:container Properties . 210
Table C.28 — channelGroup:container Properties . 211
Table C.29 — epgContainer:container Properties .
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