[Cloud Browser APIs] Kick-off of a new Task Force

Dear Web & TV Interest Group members,

we would like to kick-off a discussion on a potential new Task Force looking into Cloud browsers and their impact on the current specifications in the context of Web & TV.
We also would like to encourage those of you who might have interest in this topic to join this discussion and take part in a definition of Scenarios and Use Cases for Cloud browser APIs.

Outline:
Over the last decade Web browsers have reached desktop, mobile and also TV domains.
Beside connected TVs, more and more new STB deployments all over the world make use of Web browser technology as their core runtime environment for portals and applications.
However, there are a lot of new coming low-end devices like HDMI-Dongles and lightweight STBs that would never be able to execute the Web browser locally.
Indeed, also millions of legacy devices already do not have enough hardware capacity to support Web browser technologies.

Cloud Browser concept:
The Cloud browser is an enabler of a so-called Cloud-based TV User Interface (UI) that shifts a TV browser runtime environment into the Cloud.
Therefore, execution of the UI resides in the cloud.
The UI is then streamed down to the STB using a video stream.
This technology enables "deploy once - use everywhere" UI concept and helps to solve device fragmentation, client browser versioning and HTML5 EME integration issues.
The HTML5 EME integration issue refers to a silo approach on a DRM market, where each Web browser vendor embeds its own DRM system.
Therefore, Over-the-Top TV providers are forced to support Multi DRM infrastructure on their Back End.
Moreover, the Cloud browser UI drives deployment costs down and solves problems with low-end devices that do not have enough horse power to run a browser.
Additionally, the Cloud UI also tackles the legacy market.

Problem Statement:
In the last decade, after the Browser has become a runtime environment for STB middleware, a lot of work has been done by standardization bodies on the definition of device APIs.
These APIs were required to enable the local browser to talk to the local resources of the STBs
In the mobile domain the major work has been completed by W3C, whereas in the TV domain by the HbbTV and OIPF.
Analog to this, new emerged Cloud browser Runtime Environments (RTEs) require the definition of APIs that would enable communication between the Cloud browser and the client.
This is currently a gap on the way to endow Cloud UI architectures with a rich future perspective.

The major Use Cases for the Cloud browser APIs are as follows (but are not limited to):
- Cloud application signaling for Hybrid TV environments (only the topics that do not directly deal with Hybrid TV, but rather are required browser extensions related to this topic if applicable)
- Tuner/ EPG (can be also extended with PVR, Volume Control, Remote Control, etc.)
- Multi-device
- Ad-insertion (tentative --> IAB initiative)
- MSE/EME
(Please find detailed Use Case description in the table below)

Primary tasks of the Task Force:
- Definition of Scenarios and Use Cases
- Definition of missing interfaces for Cloud RTE adaptation
- Interface definition
- Align the definition of existing gaps with the work of the TVAPI CG

Expected results:
- Cloud Browser API definition/ description
- Demonstrate where this TF addresses the limit of current standards

Everybody is invited to the discussion and collaboration.

Initial interface description (to be seen as a basis for further discussions):

Use Case

Interface

Use Case Description

Cloud application signaling for Hybrid TV environments - Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) for Cloud browser RTEs

Cloud based HbbTV

In European Hybrid TV Standard HbbTV the signaling of applications is terminated by special libraries and HbbTV-enabled browser on the client.
This HbbTV-enabled browser is also responsible for the execution of HbbTV applications.
Therefore, the browser runtime environment for UI does directly affect HbbTV.
To enable the local HbbTV functionality in a Cloud browser RTE new interfaces HbbTV-to-cloud and cloud-to-device are required.


Tuner and EPG for Cloud browser RTEs

Cloud based Tuner/ EPG

the APIs for the tuner and EPG functionality have been defined in the DVB standard.
All current implementation of tuner and EPG APIs on the STB market are based on the DVB specifications.
Respecting the Cloud browser RTEs, the delivery concept of media and EPG data changes.
The corresponding Cloud Tuner and Cloud EPG APIs are required.


Multi-device for Cloud browser RTEs

Cloud based Multi-device


Two major technologies that enable such a multi-device interaction are cast and companion device technologies.
Assuming that most of these technologies are executed locally, to enable them in Cloud browser RTEs a certain adaptation is required.
The Cloud based Multi-device interactions and the corresponding cloud multi-device APIs are required.


Ad-Insertion for Cloud Browser RTEs


Cloud based Ad-Insertion

Both server- and client side advertisement-insertion techniques are possible and standardized already.
For cloud based ad-insertion server-side techniques are preferred.
Moreover, end users should not able to tamper with the inserted ads.
Furthermore, the advertisement industry should be enabled to personalize, analyze and collect statistics about played out ads.
New Cloud APIs are required to enable all the different features of Ad-Insertion for Cloud Browser RTEs.


Media Source Extensions (MSE) / Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) for Cloud Browser RTEs

Cloud based MSE/EME


The integration of DRM hooks into browser environments resulted in a huge disruption on how DRM works.
This disrupts a classical DRM approach.
Indeed, Over-the-Top TV Provider all over the world are already implementing MSE/EME technologies.
For the embedded Domain, namely Set-Top-Box and Connected TVs, no final decisions have been made.
Taking into account a current MSE/EME technology ubiquity, it is very likely to happen that MSE/EME will also reach STB and Connected TV domains.
Owing to the local execution of current MSE/EME interfaces, they must be extended/adopted for execution within the Cloud browser.




Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Viele Grüße / Best Regards
Alexandra Mikityuk & Oliver Friedrich


DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
T-Labs (Research & Innovation)
Alexandra Mikityuk
Winterfeldtstr. 21, 10781 Berlin
+491715669475 (Mobile)
E-Mail: alexandra.mikityuk@telekom.de
www.telekom.com<http://www.telekom.com/>

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
T-Labs (Research & Innovation)
Dr. Oliver Friedrich
Senior Expert New Media
Winterfeldtstr. 21, 10781 Berlin<x-apple-data-detectors://1/2>
+4915117491449<tel:+4915117491449> (Mobile)
E-Mail: oliver.friedrich@telekom.de<mailto:oliver.friedrich@telekom.de>
www.telekom.com<http://www.telekom.com/>


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