scope:

This part of ISO/IEC 21000 describes a Rights Data Dictionary which comprises a set of clear, consistent, structured, integrated and uniquely identified Terms (as defined in Clause 5.4) to support the MPEG-21 Rights Expression Language (REL), ISO/IEC 21000-5. Annex A specifies the methodology for and structure of the RDD Dictionary, and specifies how further Terms may be defined under the governance of a Registration Authority, requirements for which are described in Annex C.

Taken together, these specifications and the RDD Dictionary and Database together make up the RDD System. Use of the RDD System will facilitate the accurate exchange and processing of information between interested parties involved in the administration of rights in, and use of, Digital Items, and in particular it is intended to support ISO/IEC 21000-5 (REL). Clause 6 describes how this part of ISO/IEC 21000 relates to ISO/IEC 21000-5.

As well as providing definitions of Terms for use in ISO/IEC 21000-5, the RDD System is designed to support the mapping of Terms from different namespaces. Such mapping will enable the transformation of metadata from the terminology of one namespace (or Authority) into that of another namespace (or Authority). Mapping, to ensure minimum ambiguity or loss of semantic integrity, will be the responsibility of the Registration Authority, requirements for which are specified in Annex C. Provision of automated Term look-up is also a requirement.

The RDD Dictionary is a prescriptive Dictionary, in the sense that it defines a single meaning for a Term represented by a particular RddAuthorized TermName, but it is also inclusive in that it can recognize the prescription of other Headwords and definitions by other Authorities and incorporates them through mappings. The RDD Dictionary also supports the circumstance that the same name may have different meanings under different Authorities. ISO/IEC 21000-6 describes audit provisions so that additions, amendments and deletions to Terms and their attributes can be tracked.

ISO/IEC 21000-6 recognises legal definitions as and only as Terms from other Authorities that can be mapped into the RDD Dictionary. Therefore Terms that are directly authorized by the RDD Registration Authority neither define nor prescribe intellectual property rights or other legal entities.

Organization of the Document

This document contains six Clauses and four Annexes.

Clause 1 contains a Scope statement and three sub-Clauses.

Clause 2 comprises a list of Normative References.

Clause 3 comprises a list of Terms and Definitions. The Terms and Definitions in this Clause are only those required to navigate the text of the Standard. The Terms of the RDD Dictionary are contained in Clause 5.

Clause 4 describes the documentation conventions used in this document.

Clause 5 contains the Standardized Terms of the RDD Dictionary, set out in the following sub-clauses:

Clause 5.1 - Introduction to the Terms in the RDD Dictionary and the ontology which it embodies. An ontology, in this context, is a structured catalog of entities in which meaning, once defined, can be passed on from one term to another by logical rules of association such as inheritance and opposition. The process by which the RDD Dictionary is structured and can be extended is contained in Annex A. Clause

5.2 - A table of the fourteen RELStandardardizedActTypes which provide the semantic content of the corresponding REL Multimedia Extension Rights. Each of these RELStandardizedActTypes is included in the full RDD Dictionary in Clause 5.4 but they are separated out here for ease of reference, as they are normatively referenced in the REL Standard (ISO/IEC 21000-5).

Clause 5.3 - A Figure (Figure 1) in the form of a hierarchical table including the principal ActTypes in the RDD Dictionary ("The RDD Family Tree") showing how meaning is inherited from one to another within the RDD ontology.

Clause 5.4 - A table (Table 2) containing the RDD Dictionary of StandardizedTerms with their Attributes. The RDD Dictionary includes all the Terms that are required to support the REL Multimedia Extension Rights, and also all the Terms that are required to support the process for adding new Terms, as specified in Annex A.

Clause 6 describes how this part of ISO/IEC 21000 relates to ISO/IEC 21000-5.

Annex A (normative) specifies the methodology for and structure of the RDD Dictionary, providing information about the supporting model, how the model is used to introduce Terms to the RDD Dictionary and how those Terms are related. It also shows how further Terms may be defined under the governance of a Registration Authority, requirements for which are described in Annex C.

Annex B (normative) provides Rules and Style Guides for Textual Elements, in support of the methodology of Annex A.

Annex C (normative) describes the requirements for a Registration Authority for the RDD Dictionary.

Annex D (informative) provides examples of how this part of ISO/IEC 21000 can be applied, with illustrative examples of an Action Family, and an exemplary specialization of an ActType mapped from an external dictionary.

Annex E (informative) provides patent statements relating to ISO/IEC 21000-5.

For information about the Terms in the RDD Dictionary and their relationship to ISO/IEC 21000-5, it is necessary to read the six Clauses.

For information about the methodology of the RDD Dictionary and the ontology upon which it is based, it is necessary to read Annexes A and B.

For information about the requirements for the Registration Authority, which will govern the process of extending the dictionary, it is necessary to read Annex C.

For examples of how the RDD Dictionary can be implemented for the development of new Terms and their use in the REL, it is necessary to read Annex D.

Relationship between this part of ISO/IEC 21000 and other parts of the MPEG-21 Framework (Informative)

At present the only specific relationship with other parts of ISO/IEC 21000 is with Part 5, the Rights Expression Language. A description of this relationship is set out in Clause 6.

RDD Term Identifier Prefix

The RDD Term Identifier Prefix will be urn:mpeg:mpeg21:2002:01-RDD-NS. The "01" represents a serial number that may be expected to change consequent upon the maintenance activities of the Registration Authority.