IPTV systems
Jun 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Paul Szucs
The Release 1 IPTV Solution specifications are hot off the press. Read on to find out how to employ IPTV services.
Volume 6 — Procedural Application Environment
This specifies the Java-based Procedural Application Environment (PAE) that runs in the AG functional entity.
The PAE is based on DVB's IPTV profile of GEM (Globally Executable Multimedia Home Platform). This is a powerful open Java execution environment that allows multiple applications to run in parallel on the host device. Applications can be user-centric, such as EPG, PVR control or VOD client, or interactive applications associated with particular content, or system services like remote management, audience metering, data access tools and protocol handlers. The GEM platform provides a set of Java APIs that define a common core of TV-specific functionality for various markets. This includes user interface, access to content metadata, media (also TV-specific) decoding and rendering control.
Various deployment options exist for the AG. When deployed in a gateway device with no direct user interaction, this is referred to as headless operation. PAE applications are also able to serve remote user interface elements for the DAE of connected OITFs. When combined with an OITF in a terminal device, the PAE can provide direct interaction via the local user interface.
Volume 7 — Authentication, and content and service protection
Volume 7 specifies the set of tools and methods to protect IPTV services and content, as well as guidelines for user authentication.
Two approaches are specified for content and service protection (CSP): the terminal-centric (CSP-T) and the gateway-centric (CSP-G).
The terminal-centric approach provides the common protected content delivery solution deployed in compliant terminals, thereby offering a huge population of secure sinks for IPTV services delivering protected content. CSP-T is an end-to-end protection system based on Marlin Broadband, defined by the MDC. With CSP-T, the CSP-T client in the OITF interacts directly with the CSP-T server function in the network to acquire protected content.
The gateway-centric approach provides a content protection solution whereby the service provider is able to deploy any preferred protection system, or continue to use its current solution, to deliver protected content to the user. However, the delivery protection is terminated in the CSP Gateway (CSPG) function, and a common local protection solution is used to maintain protection on the content on the final link between the CSPG and the OITF.
Two methods are defined to realize the gateway-centric approach. One is based on DTCP-IP home network link encryption. The other is based on CI+, the recently published enhancement of the DVB Common Interface, which provides a secure channel for the content sourced by the module and for communications between module and host.
The DTCP-IP-based option relies on a common CSPG function in the residential network that terminates the service provider protection solution and sources content streams protected with DTCP-IP link protection to one or more terminals in the home.
The CI+ option relies on the provision of a separate CSPG device in the form of a CI+ CAM module hosted by each OITF device with access to content and services provided by this means. Although originally targeted toward protected broadcast stream reception, the Release 1 Solution foresees that the CI+ host can route protected content received via the IP interface to the CI+ interface and hence the CI+ host acting as CSPG.
As for user authentication, several methods are specified for use by IPTV services, if required. User authentication can be performed by HTTP basic and digest authentication, network-side authentication, Web-based authentication with user-entered credentials within a DAE application, GBA authentication using the ISIM in the IMS Gateway, or SAML Web-based single sign-on authentication.
Release 1 Solution Profiling
The Solution specifications provide multiple options for some features. The Release 1 Profiles specification will complement the Solution specifications by defining the OIPF implementation and deployment profiles. These profiles will specify sets of features from the Solution specifications that enable interoperability within and between some significant implementation profiles of the Release 1 Solution. This work is ongoing at the time of writing.
Paul Szucs is senior manager, technology and standards, for Sony Europe and chair of the IPTV Solution WG of the Open IPTV Forum.
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