The standard reference model in the AIMI and TEXPLAN systems

In this article, we describe the presentation components of two systems created at The MITRE Corporation: An Intelligent Multimedia Interface (AIMI) and the Textual Explanation PLANner (TEXPLAN) system. We then describe and analyze these two systems using the Standard Reference Model (SRM) for Intelligent Multimedia Presentation Systems (IMMPS) [M. Bordegoni, G. Faconti, S. Feiner, M. Maybury, T. Rist, S. Ruggieri, P. Trahanias, M. Wilson, A standard reference model for intelligent multimedia presentation systems, Computer Standards and Interfaces, 18 (6,7) 477–496].     

Case studies in intelligent multimedia presentation design systems in terms of the standard reference model: the IMMPS project, the PreGen system, and the StrMP system

This paper contributes to a Standard Reference Model (RM) for intelligent multimedia presentation systems. In the past few years, we have developed several intelligent presentation systems at the Multimedia Information NEtwork (MINE) Lab at Tamkang University. We describe these systems in terms of architecture and function of components. The first system, Intelligent MultiMedia Presentation System (IMMPS), allows a presentation designer to construct knowledge rules reflecting the background of individual audiences. Therefore, the generated presentation is able to learn from the audiences, which results in different presentation for each individual. The second system (PreGen) uses inference rules for the automatic generation of multimedia presentations. An ICON programming technique is also used in the PreGen project. Another system for designing structured multimedia presentations using data flow/control flow diagrams is also discussed. In order to run multimedia presentations generated by different systems, we are developing a multimedia abstract machine, which is a time Petri net based software simulator for running multimedia assembly instructions.     

Modelling and Verification of PREMO Synchronisable Objects

The PREMO standard, Presentation Environment for Multimedia Objects, is a major new standard under development within ISO/IEC. It addresses the creation of, presentation of, and interaction with all forms of information using single or multiple media. In this paper we give a formal LOTOS specification, amenable to automatic verification, of the PREMO synchronisable object, which is one of the central parts of the standard. Various design options are investigated by a combination of constraint oriented specification and model checking. This shows the usefulness of formal specification and automatic verification during the design phase of an international standard. Received April 1997 / Accepted in revised form July 1998     

Using constraint propagation in MAGPIE: a multi-agent approach

Multimodal presentation planning must solve the constraints imposed by the structure of the discourse. In this paper, we discuss a multi-agent implementation of the design and realization layers of the Standard Reference Model (SRM) for Intelligent Multimedia Presentation Systems (IMMPS), where design constraints for multimodal presentations are distributed over a number of agents. Thus, a constraint propagation mechanism is required so that the distributed constraints can be satisfied cooperatively by these agents.     

A standard model for multimedia synchronization: PREMO synchronization objects

This paper describes an event-based synchronization mechanism, which is at the core of the inter-media synchronization in the upcoming standard for multimedia presentation, PREMO. The synchronization mechanism of PREMO is a powerful tool, based on a small number of concepts, and on cooperation among active objects, and represents a synthesis of various synchronization models described in the literature. This model can serve as a basis for the implementation of complex synchronization patterns in multimedia presentations, both purely event-based, as well as time-based.     

Intelligent multimedia layout: A reference architecture for the constraint-based spatial layout of multimedia presentations

With increases in the complexity and dynamics of multimedia information communicated by current applications, there arises a corresponding need towards a standard technology for intelligent multimedia interfaces. In this article, we address those components of an intelligent multimedia presentation system (IMMPS) which deal with the design and the realization of spatial layout. We treat multimedia layout as a multidimensional constraint problem and propose a reference architecture for a general-purpose intelligent multimedia layout manager (IMMLM) that is based on a dedicated constraint solver kernel.     

PREMO:多媒体同步的标准模型

本文描述了PREMO的基于事件的同步机制,该机制是多媒体表现标准中媒体间同步的核心,是以活动对象间互操作为基础的。分析表明,PREMO的这种同步机制综合了其它各种同步模型,是多媒体表现中实现复杂同步模式的强大工具。     

WIP and PPP: a comparison of two multimedia presentation systems in terms of the standard reference model

In this paper, the Standard Reference Model for IMMPS is used for analysing the architectural design of two multimedia presentation systems which have been built at DFKI over the past 10 years. We first present the systems as described by the authors and then compare them in terms of the reference model.     

A Multimedia Presentation Toolkit for the World Wide Web

This paper describes the design and implementation of MPRES, a Multimedia Presentation Toolkit for the WWW. The WWW has seen phenomenal growth over the last couple of years. It has become a vast repository of multimedia information that is accessible to virtually anyone having a browser. MPRES is a multimedia presentation system that allows a user to compose and render a presentation consisting of objects referenced by their URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). It uses the concept of dynamic documents to render on a WWW browser, a sequence of multimedia scenarios, having objects of types such as audio, image, plaintext, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document and animation. MPRES Author, the authoring subsystem, allows the user to interactively test and compose such a presentation, using the Netscape Navigator to collect multimedia resources from the WWW. A presentation database stores the presentations and provides a convenient frontend for accessing them. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons,Ltd.     

Describing the MMI demonstrators with the IMMPS reference model

The architecture of the MMI demonstrators is presented, firstly as described by the authors and then in terms of the Reference Model for Intelligent Multimedia Presentation Systems (IMMPS). The analysis shows that the presentation pipeline of the MMI² architecture can be readily described in terms of the Reference Model, without either significant parts of the Reference Model being unused, or parts of the architecture remaining undescribed. The Reference Model would have to be extended to accommodate the input components of the MMI² architecture, but these are explicitly outside its scope. The exercise has shown some minor limitations in the coordination and layout control in the MMI² architecture which were not evident before.     

Adaptation in IMMPS as a decision making process

Intelligent Multimedia Presentation Systems (IMMPS) are characterised by their capability to dynamically adapt at run-time, based on the state of several aspects of user-computer interaction, such as the user profile, task and information characteristics, etc. In this paper, we treat adaptation as a decision making process, and propose the employment of established techniques from the domain of Decision Making to assist this process. It is argued that, following this approach, the adaptation process can be easily modified, customised and re-used in different application domains and for different user interaction requirements. The designer is enabled to incorporate different design strategies, which can be dynamically and automatically modified, according to the run-time requirements of the system. The application of the proposed approach is exemplified in the media/modalities allocation process.     

Programming Paradigms in an Object-Oriented Multimedia Standard

Of the various programming paradigms in use today, object-orientation is probably the most successful in terms of industrial take-up and application, particularly in the field of multimedia. It is therefore unsurprising that this technology has been adopted by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC24 as the foundation for a forthcoming International Standard for Multimedia, called PREMO. Two important design aims of PREMO are that it be distributable, and that it provides a set of media-related services that can be extended in a disciplined way to support the needs of future applications and problem domains. While key aspects of the object-oriented paradigm provide a sound technical basis for achieving these aims, the need to balance extensibility and a high-level programming interface against the realities of efficiency and ease of implementation in a distributed setting meant that the task of synthesising a Standard from existing practice was non-trivial. Indeed, in order to meet the design aims of PREMO is was found necessary to augment the basic object infrastructure with facilities and ideas drawn from other programming paradigms, in particular concepts from constraint management and data flow. This paper describes the important trade-offs that have affected the development of PREMO and explains how these are addressed through the use of specific programming paradigms.     

Integrating the Amsterdam hypermedia model with the standard reference model for intelligent multimedia presentation systems

The standard reference model (SRM) for intelligent multimedia presentation systems describes a framework for the automatic generation of multimedia presentations. This framework, however, lacks an explicit document model of the presentation being generated. The Amsterdam hypermedia model (AHM) describes the document features of a hypermedia presentation explicitly. We take the AHM and use it as a basis for describing in detail the stages of generating a hypermedia presentation within the SRM framework, which we summarise in a table. By doing so, the responsibilities of the individual SRM layers become more apparent.     

An analysis of COMET and MAGIC using the standard reference model for intelligent multimedia presentation systems

We provide an overview of two multimedia generation systems developed at Columbia University, COMET and MAGIC, and analyze them using the standard reference model for intelligent multimedia presentation systems. COMET (Coordinated Multimedia Explanation Testbed) emphasizes the coordinated generation of text and 3D graphics in a military maintenance and repair documentation domain. It features support for automated determination of what information to present, assignment of information to appropriate media and generation of textual cross-references to the structure and content of generated graphics, including the automated redesign of graphics to make possible better cross-references. MAGIC (Multimedia Abstract Generation for Intensive Care) generates presentations that use temporal media, including speech and animation, to explain the status of hospital patients. It extends the media coordination approach used in COMET to include a multi-stage negotiation process that solves temporal constraints imposed by individual media generators to determine when and for how long actions should occur in each medium.     

多媒体同步模型研究

多媒体同步模型主要研究多媒体系统中各种媒体对象之间时态关系的规范问题。本文综述了国内外关于多媒体同步模型的研究现状，包括时间线模型、层次模型及参考点模型，并指出了进一步的研究方向。     

Describing the MIPS multimedia presentation system with the IMMPS reference model

The MIPS system retrieves information from a set of distributed heterogeneous information sources as a result of a single query, and generates an integrated hypermedia presentation of the answer. The retrieval and presentation processes in the MIPS architecture are described firstly using the structure of the original authors, and then in the terminology and structure of the IMMPS reference model. The reference model was developed to address the intelligent generation of multimedia presentations, but it can also be used to describe systems where the presentation structure is generated automatically but where the content is retrieved rather than generated. The mapping from the generation to retrieval processes within the IMMPS reference model is considered.     

Integrating Computer Animation and Multimedia

Multimedia provides an immensely powerful tool for the dissemination of both information and entertainment. Current multimedia presentations consist of synchronised excepts of media (such as sound, video & text) which are coordinated by an author to ensure a clear narrative is presented to the audience. However, each of the segments of the presentation consist of previously recorded footage, only the timing and synchronisation are dynamically constructed. The next logical advance for such systems is therefore to include the capability of generating material ‘on-the-fly’ in response to the actions of the audience. This paper describes a mechanism for using computer animation to generate this interactive material. Unlike previous animation techniques the approach presented here is suitable for use in constructing a storyline which the author can control, but the user can influence. In order to allow such techniques to be used we also present a multimedia authoring & playback system which incorporates interactive animation with existing media.