AXMEDIS Programme and Publication Tools

AXMEDIS Programme and Publication Tools

AXMEDIS Programme and Publication (P&P) Area is the connection in the AXMEDIS framework between the AXMEDIS Factory and the Distributors. This means that AXMEDIS digital multimedia objects can be delivered to AXMEDIS players using the P&P tools with the correct attributes such as format, size, etc. depending on the distribution channel profile.

The P&P tools are supporting two concepts for the distribution of the AXMEDIS content containing digital multimedia objects (images, doc, txt, video, game, application, file, audio, etc) over various channels (satellite to kiosk, satellite to STB, mobile, PC etc.) to terminals of various specifications. The two concepts are:

• Requesting content or objects On-demand where users can search on their device and the selected object is passed through the P&P Area for distribution, and
• Sending content or objects over specified distribution channels with distribution details such as scheduled delivery date and time, content production/adaptation (if any), etc. specified in a distribution programme (P&P Programme).

The P&P tools include the P&P Editor and the P&P Engine. The P&P Editor provides an interface for a user such as a programme manager to create a P&P Programme. This includes providing functionalities not only for creating, editing and saving programmes, but also where AXMEDIS Objects can be searched and selected to add into a P&P Programme. After selecting the Objects, the user can specify the distribution details including the scheduling information (e.g. start distribution date and time, end distribution date and time) and the distribution channel for each object to be distributed. The state of the art occurs once a P&P Programme has been activated (set for publishing) and delivered to the P&P Engine for distribution. The P&P Engine begins the automated process by checking whether the Object can be delivered as required for a specific channel or terminal. If not, the AXMEDIS Object selected for distribution is automatically adapted using the AXCP factory tool (see section 9.10 AXMEDIS Content Processing). The newly adapted object with the correct attributes for the distribution channel is then retrieved from the AXMEDIS database and delivered to the distribution server(s). In this way the received digital objects are correctly formatted which is a seamless process for the user.

For On-Demand? requests of an object, the same process occurs with no time delay. The engine receives the distribution profile and client profile from the On-Demand? tool and uses this information to transform digital objects (if required) and distribute as soon as the object is available.
In summary, the P&P Area allows the users (distributors, programme managers, etc) to distribute and/or receive AXMEDIS objects with no concerns on the details of the object such as size, compression, format, etc.