An Architecture for TV Content Distributed Search and Retrieval Using the MPEG Query Format (MPQF)

Traditional broadcasting of TV contents begins to coexist with new models of user aware content delivery. The definition of interoperable interfaces for precise content search and retrieval between the different involved parties is a requirement for the deployment of the new audiovisual distribution services. This paper presents the design of an architecture based on the MPEG Query Format (MPQF) for providing the necessary interoperability to deploy distributed audiovisual content search and retrieval networks between content producers, distributors, aggregators and consumer devices. A service-oriented architecture based on Web Services technology is defined. This paper also presents how the architecture can be applied to a real scenario, the XAC (Xarxa IP Audiovisual de Catalunya, Audiovisual IP Network of Catalonia). As far as we know, this is the first paper to apply MPQF to TV Content Distributed Search and Retrieval.