The basic concepts for ISO/IEC's Image Interchange Format (IIF)

This paper describes the basic concepts for the Image Interchange Format (IIF) for the first International Image Processing and Interchange Standard (IPI), which is under elaboration by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC24 (International Standards Organization/International Electronics Commission, Joint Technical Committee, Computer Graphics)—i.e., “information processing”/“computer graphics”—committee work. Starting with a discussion of existing image formats and current image interchange practices, this study outlines the need for a new approach to a general image interchange format. A requirements list and corresponding design goals for the IIF are presented. Finally, the relation to the other parts of the IPI standard are described. The authors are coworkers and contributors to the relevant committees within the ISO/IEC and the DIN German Institute for Standardization (DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung).