A reference architecture supporting hypervideo content for ITV and the internet domain

Today, people are well-accustomed to broadcasted information as provided by TV, as well as the interactive Webbased retrieval and use of electronic multimedia information. Evolution in technology has also led to the crossintegration of formerly completely separate transmission channels. The Internet, wired and wireless telecommunication, TV and even satellite transmission have become areas of convergence. This is the setting for new types of media to become applicable for a broader public base. Although the components are well-known, the composition of video content transmission with interaction and communication facilities shapes new ways of interacting with information and people. Media as Interactive TV, Interactive Video or collaborative Hypervideo present challenges to content design and the design of usable applications. In this article, we elaborate on a generic view of these new media based on the key concepts of combining video content, interactivity and support for communities. One side of the discussion displays the potential of hypervideo applications, while the other derives their basic functional building blocks. As a core part of this work, a reference architecture for hypervideo systems is derived from the generic hypervideo concept. Finally, the theoretical groundwork is supported by a specific implementation example of the reference architecture for the area of TV-based Web content.