Antti Rantalahti

Nokia Corporation

 

Aplix Corporation		Beatnik, Inc.		France Telecom
Insignia Solutions		Mitsubishi Electric Corp.		Motorola
Netdecisions Holdings United		Nokia Corporation		NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Openwave Systems Inc.		Philips Electronics UK Ltd		Siemens AG ICM MP TI
Smart Fusion		Sun Microsystems, Inc.		Symbian Ltd
Texas Instruments Inc.		Vodafone Group PLC		Yamaha Corporation
Zucotto Wireless

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Original Java Specification Request (JSR)

Identification | Request | Contributions
Original Summary: The proposed JSR specifies a Multimedia API for J2ME^TM. This small-footprint API allows easy and simple access and control of basic audio and multimedia resources but also addresses scalability and support of more sophisticated features.

Section 1. Identification

Submitting Member: Nokia

Name of Contact Person: Jyrki Yli-Nokari

E-Mail Address: jyrki.yli-nokari@nokia.com

Telephone Number: +358 400 834 437

Fax Number: +358 10 505 8216

Specification Lead: Jyri Huopaniemi

E-Mail Address: jyri.huopaniemi@nokia.com

Telephone Number: +358 7180 37309

Fax Number: +358 7180 37133

Initial Expert Group Membership:

• Nokia
• Sun
• Beatnik


The above companies are endorsing this JSR and have agreed to collaborate in the Expert Group.

Section 2: Request

2.1 Please describe the proposed Specification:

The proposed Multimedia API specification provides a high-level interface to sound and multimedia capabilities of a device running J2ME. The target is to enable versatile multimedia functionality in J2ME applications. The specification willl address the scalability of a Multimedia API for various devices. To focus the effort, care will be given to ensure that this API will support basic sound functionality on constrained memory devices, with the possibility of additional functionality supported by more capable devices.

2.2 What is the target Java platform? (i.e., desktop, server, personal, embedded, card, etc.)

The Multimedia API is targeted for the J2ME ^TMplatform. The main emphasis is on CLDC, but the API design aims also at supporting CDC devices. The Multimedia API is proposed to be an optional API to be used together with several J2ME profiles.

2.3 What need of the Java community will be addressed by the proposed specification?

The specification brings scalable sound and multimedia support capabilities to J2ME.

2.4 Why isn't this need met by existing specifications?

There is no generic sound or multimedia support in J2ME at the moment that would be suitable for CLDC or CDC range of devices.

2.5 Please give a short description of the underlying technology or technologies:

The API is targeted to fulfill the needs for the control and simple manipulation of sound and multimedia for applications in mobile devices, with scalability to other J2ME devices. Mobile devices may feature a great variety of multimedia capabilities. Some of the target devices may only be able to produce single monophonic sounds while others may feature both sampled, synthetic audio and other media types. The API should also be able to support the control of time-based multimedia formats. This causes special consideration for the API design. The main requirements for the API are:

• Enable the use of the basic sound generation routines with simple controls.
• Do not provide too much hard coded functionality that is obsolete on the basic devices.
• Provide methods to access more sophisticated audio features if they exist.
• Address media synchronization issues
• Be able to extend support to other media types
• Maintain low footprint

These requirements are fulfilled by a design where the API provides direct support for basic features such as simple generation and playback of sound, and playback of multimedia. A control interface is proposed to enable the management and control of different multimedia formats and extended functionalities. This design enables the supported features to vary according to the platform and the corresponding implementation of the Multimedia API.

2.6 Is there a proposed package name for the API Specification? (i.e., javapi.something, org.something, etc.)

javax.microedition.media

2.7 Does the proposed specification have any dependencies on specific operating systems, CPUs, or I/O devices that you know of?

No.

2.8 Are there any security issues that cannot be addressed by the current security model?

No.

2.9 Are there any internationalization or localization issues?

No.

2.10 Are there any existing specifications that might be rendered obsolete, deprecated, or in need of revision as a result of this work?

This JSR shall be synchronized with the JSR for MIDP_NG.

2.11 Please describe the anticipated schedule for the development of this specification.

The specification is targeted to be ready during Q4 / 2001.

Section 3: Contributions

3.1 Please list any existing documents, specifications, or implementations that describe the technology. Please include links to the documents if they are publicly available.

JavaSound for J2SE (http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/sound/) and the Java Media Framework (http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/jmf/) can be viewed as starting points. However, the J2ME Multimedia API will be significantly smaller in footprint and less general in functionality, primarily targeting in devices with limited memory size and processing capabilities.

3.2 Explanation of how these items might be used as a starting point for the work.

N/A