WP 2 : Unique Semantic Entity

The Unique Semantic Entity (USE) is the metadata wrapper for audiovisual content. It conveys the audiovisual content (essence) and its metadata into the Open Semantic Bus. The USE is transmitted at every stage of the Open Semantic Bus described in the WP4:

  • At the production stage, the USE is loaded by the ingest engine to deliver the editorial requirement of the producer
  • At he DAM/MAM stage, the USE acts as a layer that eases access to the content and gives a semantic view of the content
  • On the front end portal, the USE enables a rich and cartographic view of the content

As a matter of fact, the USE is a framework that can match different elements:

  • the content itself
  • the user in charge of a specific action on the Open Semantic Bus (a role)
  • an appropriate interface to access the content
  • the relevant graphical rendering of the content

Audiovisual eXchange Indexing and Structuring

Functional Description

The USE specifies an Autonomous Asset Entity as defined by the AXIS Framework.

One of the objectives of the USE is to enable hyper-television: allowing personalization of the rendition context depending on the “situation” and the role of the final user.

The USE will be specified to wrap audiovisual content. It allows exchange, indexing and structuring activity through the Open Semantic Bus.

The USE format will be specified to:

  • preserve the separation between logical and physical view of the content
  • preserve the separation between data and support
  • preserve the separation between format and data

The USE will allow generation of Dissemination Information Package (DIP) so that the content can move into the Open Semantic Bus.

Technical project

This part consists in:

  • Define the MediaMap audiovisual ontology required to describe each role (each user in charge of a specific task in the system), each process and each editorial recommendations
  • Extract from the MediaMap ontology the USE as an AXIS Profile.

This requires specifying the state of the art norms and open technologies standards in relation with media rendering, structuring, transportation, management and storage.


Figure 1 Structure of the USE

 

Role, Skill, Topographic view and process

The USE aims to extend the AXIS Framework to take into account the correlation between, on the one hand the role and skill of the user, and in the other hand the topographic view of the data and the project process that goes with the editorial recommendation.

Functional Description

Additional entities will be defined to extend the original AXIS Framework. The objective is to implement the Unique Semantic Entity so that editorial intentions will be preserved, carried on and restored at all levels of the OSB with:

  • An editorial assistance, embodied in a process guidance for the production of collaborative audiovisual contents and their indexes
  • A topographic view of the data for the navigation in the content created or to be created.

The USE is designed to convey the topographic view of data which means the appropriate representation of the content according to the skill and the role of the contributor.

Since the AXIS framework is limited to provide orthogonalities between logical and physical representation, format and substance, data and carrier, the USE will add to this framework two more correlations:

  • between role/skill and the rendering of content as a topographic view of data
  • between role/skill and the guidance to be followed to achieve the contribution on the OSB

The objective is to ensure that a contributor:

  • with a specific role will be provided the appropriate view of the content
  • with a specific skill will be only provided interface and functionalities that he is able to cope with

Technical project

This part of WP2 will consist in:

  • Define the main role of each class of users on the Open Semantic Bus and its appropriate rendering parameters. Four main roles will be defined (content producer, content administrator, viewer and translator)
  • Define graphical interfaces that take in account, for each role, the skill of the contributor. Thus, producer, administrator, viewer and translator will be specialized into professional, amateur and semi-pro interfaces.

XUL, the W3C standard XML-Based User interface Language, will be the language selected to complete the AXIS Framework with RESOURCES, INTERFACE and ROLE entities.

 

The transportation of the USE in Open Semantic Bus

The USE rolls out in the Open Semantic Bus so that any link of the Open Semantic Bus can access the content, modify or add content. The USE conveys semantic, structural and management elements of the audiovisual project.


Figure 2 Mechanism of the Unique Semantic Entity


Functional Description

This part of the work deals with structuring the USE to provide a unique access to the content, no matter the starting place of the request and the profile of the client. The USE will convey an anchor to ensure the interoperability between any roles of the Open Semantic Bus.

Technical project

This part of the WP consists in:

  • build a state of the art for metadata transportation
  • Implement the package entity of the AXIS Framework so that it can allow interoperability of the Open Semantic Bus

This mechanism is described in the OAIS recommendation and partially implemented in the MEMORIES project that aims at implementing the AXIS Framework as an implementation of the OAIS recommendation.