ESG/EPG (3) - ESG Layers Overview

ESG Layers Overview

1). Electronic Service Guide (ESG) - ESG layers

http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddh56dhg_2316mzsbh87

§ The first layer of the ESG is the data model, which is defined in the form of an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schema.

§ The second layer of the ESG is the instantiation of the data model of the first layer to describe the services available in a specific DVB-IPDC network. The result of this operation is the creation of a number of fragments.

§ ESG XML Fragment: ESG Fragment of an XML instance which is an instantiation of a datatype

§ The third layer is an optional encoding of the fragments: they can be compressed with either GZIP36 or BiM.37

§ The fourth layer encapsulates the fragments in containers (objects that can be delivered by network protocol); in particular, private data that existed only as links in the previous layers (image files, video extracts) is incorporated into the containers.

§ The fifth and last layer corresponds to the delivery of the containers using the FLUTE protocol.

2). Function between ESG layers

ESG layers in specification covers the description of the data model, the instance, the representation, the encapsulation and the transport:

§ Instantiation: Described by the ESG Instance based on the data model using XML Schema.

§ Fragmentation: Partitioning the ESG Instance into ESG XML Fragments.

§ Encapsulation: Encapsulated ESG XML fragments (ESG metadata) into ESG containers

§ Transport: Transported by FLUTE to enable the optimal delivery of containers as files.

3). ESG data model

§ ESG consists of two essential types of information: user attraction information and acquisition information.

§ User attraction information describes services and their contents while the acquisition information contains information for service acquisition.

§ To define a set of data structures, which can be instantiated to describe available services.

§ The ESG data model is defined based on XML Schema and it is aimed at being consistent across all implementations of a system to ensure interoperability.

4). ESG Instance of the ESG Data Model

§ Instantiation: Described by the ESG Instance based on the data model using XML Schema.

§ is a consistent set of ESG data describing the available IP Datacast services.

§ ESG XML Fragment: ESG Fragment of an XML instance which is an instantiation of a datatype

5). ESG Representation

§ Fragmentation: Partitioning the ESG Instance into ESG XML Fragments.

§ support fragmentation of the ESG Instance into ESG XML Fragments and

§ allow an efficient representation of the ESG XML Fragments which minimizes the size of the metadata delivered to users.

§ The partitioning of the ESG Instance into fragments for transportation is supported to enable separately updating parts of ESG data and for performance optimization

§ ESG Representation: ESG Fragments may be represented in three ways.

• Firstly, ESG Fragments may be uncompressed,
• secondly, ESG Fragments may be compressed with GZIP (RFC 1952), and
• thirdly, ESG Fragments may be compressed with BiM specified in ISO/IEC 15938-1 as adopted by DVB-GBS

6). Encapsulation of ESG Fragments into ESG containers

§ Encapsulation: Encapsulated ESG XML fragments (ESG metadata) into ESG containers

§ ESG container: structure to group ESG data into one transport object for delivery purposes aim at supporting the processing and transmission of ESG information in units of considerable size.

§ The processing of ESG Fragments is supported by providing fragment management information which identifies already received fragments, updated fragments and new fragments.

7). ESG Transport

§ Transport: Transported by FLUTE to enable the optimal delivery of containers as files.

§ Transport is achieved by the use of FLUTE sessions

ESG/EPG (2) - Protocol Used

Protocol Used

§ Each button pressed on the user's remote control is translated into the appropriate video protocol commands by the Set Top Box.

§ These protocols are typically Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) for multicast, and Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) for VoD/nPVR.

§ These video protocol command messages are processed by the service provider's network differently according to type (multicast or unicast).

§ A whole ESG is delivered over DVB-H bearer utilizing one or several IP streams and using FLUTE protocol.

§ The ESG can be pulled by ESG Discovery Portal via 3G networks. It should also integrate the function of broadcasting ESG using the FLUTE IP carousel via DVB-H network.

§ The interactive delivery methods can also be utilizing HTTP protocol

§ The fifth and last layer of ESG layers corresponds to the delivery of the ESG containers using the FLUTE protocol.

§ In order to support efficient delivery and processing of individual fragments, ESG fragments are encapsulated into ESG containers before being transported over a FLUTE session.

§ Transported by FLUTE is to enable the optimal delivery of containers as files

§ ESG Transport is achieved by the use of FLUTE sessions

§ In both modes the single stream mode and the multiple stream mode ESG Containers are transported as files in Transport Objects in FLUTE sessions.

§ ESG is delivered via FLUTE/ALC on this CBMS-3 reference point between service application (ESG Server) and Terminal.

§ The purpose of file delivery via FLUTE is to deliver content in files. A file contains any type of data (e.g. Audio/Video file, Binary data, Still images, Text, ESG metadata).

§ While using FLUTE as the transport protocol for the ESG, it is mandatory to signal ESG Container ID and Version changes in the FDT.

§ The ESG Bootstrap Descriptors are transported on ALC/LCT as specified in TS 102 472 for FLUTE sessions.

§ An ESG Container is delivered as a file within a FLUTE session.

§ Transport Protocol - ESG Retrieval over Interactive Channel; ESG Query Requests and ESG Query Responses shall be transmitted by HTTP over TCP/IP.

§ File Delivery using HTTP: Files of a file delivery session may be made accessible via the interactive channel using HTTP. The retrieval procedure is defined according to the file repair procedure request/response mechanism. The URL of the HTTP server that delivers the file is indicated in the ESG by the HTTPAccessServerURL.

§ In time synchronization of FLUTE Session for streaming service, the terminal should use the Sender Reports sent in the RTCP streams of the streaming service to establish the time synchronization (NTP timestamp) and to schedule the update of the session with the new SDP file.

§ General ESG signalling can also support different Service Purchase and Protection (SPP) systems where SPP streams are using SDP.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddh56dhg_229gnpgjr32

§ The ESG is able to describe services delivered over unicast bearer using 3GPP PSS.

§ And 3GPP PSS describes how terminals can initiate and control a unicast streaming session. A PSS session can be initiated using one of the following:

• An RTSP URL
• An SDP file (either inlined in the ESG or retrieved using e.g. HTTP)

§ In the ESG, the associated delivery procedure description instance is clearly identified using a URI, to enable cross-referencing of in and out-of-band configuration files.

• ESG prior to the content delivery session along with the session description (out-of-band of that session).
• in-band within the content delivery session.

Electronic Service Guide (ESG) – PSI/SI Information

§ http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddh56dhg_1733wv4htpg

§ The ESG provides the user with information about the available services.

§ Service discovery in DVB-T networks is based purely on the PSI/SI information carried in the transport stream.

§ DVB-H networks also rely on the PSI/SI information with IP specific extensions, but in addition, the Electronic Service Guide (ESG) is introduced for service and content discovery.

§ It can know where to find the ESG data in the stream thanks to the PSI/SI tables.

§ Available channels and services are found by using the Program Map Table (PMT) and the Program Association Table (PAT), where the services are mapped.

§ The Event Information Table (EIT) in DVB-SI can be utilized to supply program related information. Basic information includes title, start time, duration and synopsis etc.

ESG/EPG (1) - ESG Overview

ESG Overview

1). Electronic Service Guide (ESG) - Overview

§ An electronic program guide (EPG) or interactive program guide (IPG) or electronic service guide (ESG) is a digital guide to scheduled broadcast television or radio programs, typically displayed on-screen with functions allowing a viewer to navigate, select, and discover content by time, title, channel, genre, etc. by use of their remote control, a keyboard, or other input devices such as a phone keypad.

§ Electronic Service Guide (ESG) is very similar to the EPG service provided by many digital-TVs.

§ Migration from EPG to ESG: The term Electronic Service Guide (ESG) is attributed to the Mobile TV world, whose features are quite similar to its antecedent EPG

2). Electronic Service Guide (ESG) – Service Discovery

§ Electronic service guide (ESG) is a service discovery tool for both user and client applications on the mobile terminal.

§ The ESG enables the user of a mobile TV–capable device to automatically discover all the service platforms and services available in the usage area.

§ This allows the user to select the services in which she or he is interested thanks to an ESG browsing application on her or his terminal.

§ The on-screen information may be delivered by a dedicated channel or assembled by the receiving equipment from information sent by each program channel.

3). ESG with PDC, DVR, PVR, PPV, VOD, etc.

§ By navigating through an EPG on a receiving device, users can see more information about the current program and future programs.

§ In conjunction with Program Delivery Control (PDC), content can also be scheduled for future recording by a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Personal Video Recorder (PVR).

§ When EPGs are connected to personal video recorder (PVR), they enable a viewer to plan his or her viewing and record broadcast programs to a hard disk for later viewing.

§ Typical elements of an EPG comprise a graphical user interface (GUI) which enable the display of program titles, descriptive information such as a synopsis, actors, directors, year of production, and so on, the channel name and the programs on offer from sub-channels such as Pay-Per-View (PPV) and Video-On-Demand (VOD) services, program start times, genres and other descriptive metadata.

§ An EPG allows the viewer to browse program summaries, search by genre or channel, immediate access to the selected program, reminders, and parental control functions.

§ If the device is capable of it, an EPG can enable one-touch recording of programs, as some DirecTV IRDs can do with a VCR using an attached infraredemitter (which emulates a remote control)

§ It is possible that network operator, service operator, terminal manufacturers and content aggregators could all have their own ESG.

4). Data / Information in ESG / EPG

The information provided by ESG is categorized in two types:

• user attraction information and
• content acquisition information.

§ In developing EPG software, manufacturers must include functions to address the growing volumes of increasingly complex data associated with programming.

§ This complex data includes program descriptions, schedules, ratings, user configuration information such as favourite channel lists, and multimedia content.

§ Available services are displayed to the user with short descriptions.

§ The user can also acquire more detailed information about the services of interest.

§ The terminal device also needs information for launching the service.

§ Hence, the necessary details for service acquisition, and the technical description of the service content for displaying it properly are provided in the ESG.

§ To meet this need, some set-top box software designs incorporate a "database layer" that utilizes either proprietary functions or a commercial, off-the-shelf embedded database for sorting, storing and retrieving programming data.

§ For broadcasting on-line services in DVB networks, there exists also the TV-Anytime concept, which introduced an XML-based data model for describing the content of services and other useful metadata.

§ The ESG data model is partly based on the TV-Anytime model.

5). Subscriber browsing the ESG/EPG with the 3 different following views:

§ The bouquet view (what’s on air now): a table of channels included in the bouquet with, for each channel, the current program title. Depending on the terminal capabilities and screen size, the table can also present a picture associated to the program and the schedule.

§ The channel view: a table of programs with the start time scheduling.

§ The program view: a specific layout including the channel logo, the program title, the program picture and a description.

§ The latest revolution in EPGs is a personalized EPG which uses semantics to be able to advise one or multiple viewers what to watch based on their interests. An EPG can be completely personal.

§ EPGs are typically sent within the broadcast transport stream or alongside it in a special data channel.

6). Two major ESG standards: DVB IPDC (IP Datacast) and OMA BCAST.

6.1). DVB IPDC ESG is defined by one of the DVB specifications for IP datacasting published as formal ETSI standards called “IP Datacast over DVB-H: Electronic Service Guide”.

§ DVB IPDC is also known as DVB CBMS.

§ This is the purpose of the electronic service guide (ESG) defined in ETSI TS 102 471, and TS 102 592 for ESG Implementation Guidelines

§ The document elucidates the data model, the representation format, the encapsulation and the transport of the ESG of DVB-H.

§ Basic ESG operations in DVB IPDC standard are comprised of three parts: ESG bootstrap, ESG acquisition and ESG update.

The available IPDC services in different ESG layers are

§ Described by the ESG Instance based on the data model using XML Schema.

§ Partitioning the ESG Instance into ESG XML Fragments.

§ Encapsulated ESG XML fragments (ESG metadata) into ESG containers

§ Transported by FLUTE to enable the optimal delivery of containers as files.

6.2). OMA BCAST is an open global specification for mobile TV and can be adapted to any IP-based mobile content delivery technology.

§ ESG is called as Service Guide in OMA BCAST.

§ The standard is initiated by a standards body called Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), who is focusing on developing open standards for the mobile phone industry.

§ A variety of features were specified in OMA BCAST 1.0 including ESG, file and delivery, service and content protection using the smart card or DRM profiles, terminal and service provisioning, interactivity and notifications.

§ Meanwhile, OMA BCAST is designed to support broadcast technologies such as DVB-H, 3GPP MBMS, 3GPP2 BCMCS and mobile unicast streaming systems as well.