Interactive Video Application Server is a streaming media virtual marketplace where IMS streaming service providers, media content providers, advertisement providers media content aggregators co-operate seamlessly in providing IMS users with a rich set of diverse but integrated, highly personalized streaming services. IVAS combinational services as a revenue boostNowdays leading IT experts clam that combinational IMS services are crucial for future business models of telecom operators. Mobilfuture believes that IVAS solution enables telecom operators "to build partnerships with the best of the online world". IVAS perfectly fits into rapidly changing revenue sources of telecom operators which has been presented in an artcle "Web 2.0 the Rescue?" (in Telecommunications Magazine, November 1. 2006) and in a video interview " The Impact of Web 2.0 on Telcos" In general, IVAS enables effective cooperation of telecom operators and online service providers in order to provide "‘mashups’ or ‘remixes’, which create new services and sources of content from components of existing ones." IVAS "combinational services" - among others - support "an enhanced ‘video experience’ — combining streamed video, a merchandising portal and a user comment portal — to build a video service that combines discussion of content with the opportunity to stream videos to multiple devices." Taking a look at IVAS solution it can be clearly seen that we have developed our platform knowing that "it is most likely that a single application will not be enough, and that the consumer will instead be seeking a ‘killer bundle’ of applications that best fit their lifestyle and preferences.". We also keep in mind that "The key attribute of this strategy is flexibility: to offer new services quickly; to partner with third-party content and service providers; and to modify or withdraw services from the market with minimal investment." We also believe that IVAS "enhances online applications with telco ‘foundation services’ — such as VoIP or conferencing — to create new hybrid applications; and second, by contributing the operator’s depth of customer knowledge, which will help target services according to more sophisticated customer segmentation." For operators, IVAS is "an opportunity to use the integration of third-party providers to transform their economic model. In addition to deriving revenues primarily from charging consumers for access, operators will also be able to use their partnerships to share in the revenues of third-party service providers." IVAS "combinational services" enables "present operators with the means to make the move from being the bit-pipe to being an integral part of the service for which the end-user is willing to pay a premium. Indeed, by owning crucial customer contact points such as authentication and payment management, the operator can position itself as the consumers’ trusted gateway to the online world." For both telecom operators and 3rd party service/content providers IVAS can be an important part of such "gateway to the online world" of Web 2.0.
What is IVAS? IVAS is a solution, which enables interactive and personalized video services for users of standard SIP terminals, including fixed and mobile IMS mobile phones and videophones. Apart from supporting basic media services (including those based on SIP-RTSP integration) IVAS offers unique service personalization features oriented precisely on aggregation of media content provided by multiple media servers operated by multiple content providers. Therefore, IVAS not only fully covers the scope of possible services offered by other solutions (like HP OpenCall) but also is the only solution, which enables effective personalization of RTSP-based streaming access to aggregated media content.
MoFu IVAS (Mobilfuture Interactive Video Application Server) is a streaming media virtual marketplace where IMS streaming service providers, media content providers, advertisement providers media content aggregators co-operate seamlessly in providing IMS users with a rich set of diverse but integrated, highly personalized streaming services.
IVAS can be seen as a streaming media mash-up. Typically a mash-up is a web application (hybrid) in which two or more sets of data are combined over the Internet to create a new entity. The IVAS streaming media mash-up technology would enable new services that would enhance current possibilities of providers such as Google (You Tube) for mobile customers.
In more technical terms, IVAS is a solution enabling interactive and personalized video services for users of standard SIP terminals, including fixed and mobile IMS mobile phones and videophones. From a market point of view one of the most attractive features of IVAS is probably personalized media content aggregation, which provides the key value of “IVAS Personalized media anytime” service.
From architecture point of view the scope of IVAS includes both application execution infrastructure and a Service Delivery Platform (SDP).
Key IVAS servicesWhat services can be offered by an IVAS-operator?
Current IVAS specification includes several highly innovation services. These services can be configured out of 15 use cases, and can be delivered in an integrated way from a configurable system. This has clear advantage over single application. Personalized media anytime (Personal media assistant) Aggregated (i.e. gathered from servers of multiple content providers) and personalized content (personalized news, personalized music, etc.) is provided in both push and pull modes. A user may be called by IVAS (push mode) when a new media item (classified as potentially interesting to the user according to the user’s profile record) is offered live or on demand by one of RTSP servers (operated by content providers) registered at the IVAS. Alternatively, the user may configure his/her service-usage preference profile in a way guaranteeing that he/she will not be disturbed by an incoming call before some specified daytime. In such case, or if a user does not answer or cancels an incoming call (without accepting it), IVAS checks the user profile for data referring to recording function settings. If the user had requested PVR (Personal Video Recorder) function and the content provider does not already offer a stored equivalent for the live program, IVAS makes the live-broadcasted content being recorded. The recorded item is available to the user as soon as the recording session is completed, and is offered in both push and pull modes.
A unique feature of IVAS is personalized aggregation of content provided by multiple providers. Support for RTSP simplifies deployment of interaction between IVAS and media servers and, in result, simplifies access to content located on multiple servers of content providers. HP OpenCall is the only product on the market that is potentially capable to integrate SIP services and RTSP applications; however, only IVAS can provide the user with a unique feature of personalized aggregation of content provided by multiple providers.
In addition to audiovisual content available using RTSP, IVAS can be potentially used as a server for an interactive satellite photomap browsing application (such feature has not been implemented yet). The stream transmitted and presented to the user may be generated in real time by a specialized IVAS application. IVAS may dynamically download and transform these satellite photos into an RTP stream so the final result can be similar to Google Earth application. However, no additional software has to be installed on a terminal as the application can be fully realized by IVAS.
Customer is an end user of SIP terminal. Service can be offered in 3 classes: “Gold”, “Silver” and “Bronze” (see Service charging options for Value chain description). Personalized advertisementsShort (a few seconds-long) video advertisement is provided with free personalized content; advertisement is typically presented to the user before showing the main content. Alternatively the advertisement may have a form of text scrolled from right side to the left at the bottom of the screen.
Customer is a company, which pays the IVAS operator for presenting advertisements to the user.
Personalized advertisements service can also be realized by an IMS operator (operating IVAS) in order to promote two-party or multi-party IMS video calls. A special option that is free of charge may be provided to a user, which accepts viewing a few seconds long advertisement before the call. Then the user can enjoy first few minutes of the call, which are free of charge. After some time-out period the free call can be continued after viewing another advertisement or may become charged at a non-free rate. Advertisements can be personalized if the user has provided some information for his/her IVAS profile before making a call. Next calls to the same number can be made easier to the user if he/she allows the IVAS server to manage dynamically the user's personal address book.
There are at least 2 options of technical realization of the service:
- In the first option IVAS serves as a SIP-RTSP/SIP-SIP that switches between providing an advertisement (SIP-RTSP) and connecting 2 or more SIP sessions together (SIP-SIP). This option allows the IVAS operator to be a company independent from IMS operator.
- In the second option IVAS operator is at the same time an IMS operator. In result of possible deeper integration between IMS network and IVAS, IVAS can not only serve as a SIP-RTSP/SIP-SIP that switches between providing an advertisement (SIP-RTSP) and connecting 2 or more SIP sessions together (SIP-SIP), but can also effectively redirect SIP calls enabling a simple 2-party SIP call to be realized without an IVAS as a relay.
Dual-access videoblogDual IMS-RTSP access: IMS access (realized by IVAS), free RTSP access (via Internet) without IMS support (realized by RTSP server, not by IVAS).
There are several videoblog solutions available on the market that may be deployed by service providers in order to provide content upload function to users of mobile terminals. While most of these solutions are not oriented on full integration with IMS infrastructure (i.e. they are based on MMS or email service rather than SIP-based IMS service), there is at least one product currently available on the market, which potentially can serve as a basis of SIP-based IMS service (BLStream Blogia platform). Mobilfuture IVAS solution is (apart from BLStream Blogia) an alternative option that is fully oriented on needs of an IMS service provider. The main advantage of such approach is ability of reusing all features of an existing IMS infrastructure (including security and accounting functions) for providing a new videoblog service. In addition, in case of blog media recording based on a SIP-based streaming session, all a user has to do is to call a video blog server/gateway. As compared to BLStream Blogia, Mobilfuture IVAS offers not only a single videoblog application, but is an integrated solution that enables many IMS-based personalized streaming services. Dual-access videomailCustomer is an end user of SIP terminal who has media recording rights. He/she may be charged for all service sessions including those initiated by other users (in such case other users viewing content stored in the box are not charged at all). TelemarketingThe user has the ability to buy goods during watching the advertisement, by simply pressing buttons on his cell phones. This service gives online shops new channel to users. User does not need to visit www online shop - he may add items to cart during watching the commercials instantly and go to online shop only once to finalize the transaction. It is much more convenient for a user.
This service has to be established in cooperation with an online store.
In push mode the teleshopping company pays for the whole connection time
In pull mode the teleshopping company pays for playing commercials with enabled telemarketing option.
To MoFu’s knowledge there is no IMS product on the market that is capable of realizing similar scenario. Questionnaires in pull modeThe goal of this service is to collect feedback from a user during a video session. It is done in a way, which is acceptable, i.e., which does not bother him/her too much. In its simplest scenario “instant voting” may look like the following:
After watching news, user is asked to answer a question referring to a material he/she has already been watching. He/she gives an answer by pressing a key of his/her terminal that corresponds to one of the possible answers.
This service is dedicated to companies, which want to know more about user preferences. IVAS platform gives them an ability to gather such information in a way that is easy, simple and convenient for the user. The service can be used to rank a delivered content or to gather user profile information. The company that wants to know the user preferences pays for the information and participates in costs of the whole session.
From IVAS operator’s point of view value chain of this service is similar to this of “Personalized advertisements” service.
To knowledge of MoFu there is no solution, which gives the ability to watch TV materials and interact with user during one session. Questionnaires in push modeThe service is similar to “Questionnaire in pull mode” service. However, in case of “Questionnaire filled down in push mode” a call is initiated by IVAS.
This service can be used in bronze charging mode - user does not pay for media services, but instead in order to use a service he/she requests he/she has to fill a virtual questionnaire (if he/she cannot do it immediately, he/she may be reminded later by IVAS).
Customer (for example a company requesting statistic information) is charged by IVAS operator for each filled questionnaire.
This service probably may be realized by HP OpenCall platform but this platform does not offer personalization features that can be provided by IVAS.
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