Open Document Architecture Research Articles

MING-I: a distributed interactive multimedia document development mechanism

The next generation of interactive multimedia documents can contain both static media, e.g., text, graph, image, and continuous media, e.g., audio and video, and can provide user interactions in distributed environments. However, the temporal information of multimedia documents cannot be described using traditional document structures, e.g., Open Document Architecture (ODA) and Standard Generalized Mark-up Language (SGML); the continuous transmission of media units also raises some new synchronization problems, which have not been met before, for processing user interactions. Thus, developing a distributed interactive multimedia document system should resolve the issues of document model, presentation control architecture, and control scheme. In this paper, we (i) propose a new multimedia document model that contains the logical structure, the layout structure, and the temporal structure to formally describe multimedia documents, and (ii) point out main interaction-based synchronization problems, and propose a control architecture and a token-based control scheme to solve these interaction-based synchronization problems. Based on the proposed document model, control architecture, and control scheme, a distributed interactive multimedia document development mechanism, which is called MING-I, is developed on SUN workstations.

An ODA‐like Multimedia Document System

A multimedia document is composed of different media objects. ISO's Open Document Architecture (ODA) proposes a standard multimedia document model. However, the current ODA profile only includes static media, e.g. text, geometric graphics and images. Because the future multimedia documents not only include static media but also continuous media, e.g. video and audio, continuous media document parts should be added to have a complete multimedia document model. In this paper, we propose a multimedia document model, which is derived from ODA's concept. The proposed model is based on the object-oriented approach. Objects in the proposed document model are divided into two types : data objects and pseudo objects. Data objects are data structures of a document ; pseudo objects are used to manage data objects. Based on the proposed model, a multimedia document authoring and presenting system (MMDS) is also developed on SUN SPARC workstations using the Solaris 2.X operating system

Secure document interchange: a secure user agent

During the past few years there has been considerable interest in security in an open systems environment. One has addressed security at different levels: framework, lower layers, generic upper layers and secure applications such as message services, network management, etc. On the other hand, there have been several systems for defining compound and multimedia documents one of which has a particularly rich structure: the Open Document Architecture (ODA) amongst the many extensions to the ODA standard is one for security. This paper discusses such the problems and successes in implementing security for ODA documents. In this paper the requirements of security on document interchange and an outline of the security addendum to the ODA standard are described first. Secondly, an implementation of a secure document user agent is described. Finally, problems in the addendum, especially compatibility with the X.509 Authentication Framework, and implementation problems, particularly problems in the integration with an existing non-secure document editor, are pointed out, and solutions to the problems are proposed.

ODA implementation for multimedia teleservices

The open document architecture (ODA) provides a format for document interchange within open systems which is independent of any particular communication service. Within the BERKOM teleservices, ODA is used as a component of multimedia mail messages as well as a base for joint editing. The paper begins with after a brief introduction of the teleservices. The main part of the paper describes the architecture of an ODA editor which can be used in conjunction with these teleservices. Although the base editor provides full ODA functionality, it can be automatically restricted to subsets by means of document application profiles. Finally, an overview is given of future editor developments.

HyperODA - Going beyond traditional document structures

Several extensions to the ODA Standard ( Open Document Architecture (ODA) and Interchange Format, [14,3]) are currently jointly developed by ISO/IEC and TSS (the Telecommunication Standardization Section of the ITU, previously known as CCITT). In addition to the interchange of documents as already provided by the existing version of ODA, these extensions will allow for decentralized processing of documents. Furthermore, the conceptual model of a document is enhanced by mechanisms to describe non-linear structures and temporal relationships which are needed for new content types such as audio. This paper deseribes the set of extensions commonly known as HyperODA. In addition, the relation to other hypermedia standards, namely HyTime [12] and MHEG [13], is discussed.

The ODA standard 1993 and future extensions

The ODA Standard (Open Document Architecture (ODA) and Interchange Format) which was first published in 1989 will be republished this year. This article describes the changes between the 1989 and 1993 version of the standard and outlines the future extensions which are currently under development. In addition, the current situation in respect to implementations of the standard is discussed briefly.

The Open Document Architecture (ODA) and its HyperODA extensions

The Open Document Architecture (ODA) and its HyperODA extensions

Synchronizing the presentation of multimedia objects

The presentation of multimedia objects requires simultaneous and/or sequential presentation of several representation types (text, graphics, images, audio and video sequences). Therefore the presentation has to be structured and the temporal relations of different actions have to be described. The temporal relations are realized by applying synchronization mechanisms. In this paper a general synchronization model for the description of presentation sequences of multimedia objects is introduced. This model is visualized by Petri nets and examples are presented; it is also applied to the Open Document Architecture (ODA) standard, and ODA extensions are proposed to integrate temporal relationships into ODA.

The Open Document Architecture: From stan-dardization to the market

The Open Document Architecture (ODA) was developed in the mid-1980s by several standardization bodies. It is now a stable set of international standards for the interchange of compound documents consisting of text, image, and graphic content. Since 1985 the standardization process has been accompanied by European industrial cooperation projects in order to get early experience with the standard and to develop technologies implementing the standard. IBM's European Networking Center has participated in the projects and has prototyped enhancements to OfficeVision™ platforms to allow the interchange of ODA documents between OfficeVision applications and applications running on other vendor platforms. In this paper, the ODA technology is described, experiences of interworking in heterogeneous environments are given, and the role of cooperating with project partners is outlined.

Synchronizing the presentation of multimedia objects-ODA extensions-

The presentation of Multimedia Objects requires simultaneous and/or sequential presentation of several representation types (text, graphics, images, audio and video sequences). Therefore the presentation has to he structured and the temporal relations of different actions have to be described. The temporal relations are realized by applying synchronization mechanisms. In this paper a general synchronization model for the description of presentation sequences of Multimedia Objects is introduced. This model is applied to the Open Document Architecture (ODA) Standard and ODA Extensions are defined to integrate temporal relationships into ODA.

Conversion between ODA level 2 and RFT: DCA—experiences with a prototype

One of the main aims of the Open Document Architecture (ODA) is to support the interchange of documents in open systems. In this paper the authors describe their experiences regarding the implementation of a prototype conversion between IBM's Revisable Form Text Document Content Architecture (RFT: DCA) and ODA DAP Q112. Besides an overview of the specific implementation, some general experiences on the use of ODA as an intermediate architecture in a heterogeneous environment are described.