Network Working Group                                         T. Schierl
Request for Comments: 5583                                Fraunhofer HHI
Category: Standards Track                                      S. Wenger
                                                            Independent
                                                              July 2009


               Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in
                the Session Description Protocol (SDP)

Abstract

  This memo defines semantics that allow for signaling the decoding
  dependency of different media descriptions with the same media type
  in the Session Description Protocol (SDP).  This is required, for
  example, if media data is separated and transported in different
  network streams as a result of the use of a layered or multiple
  descriptive media coding process.

  A new grouping type "DDP" -- decoding dependency -- is defined, to be
  used in conjunction with RFC 3388 entitled "Grouping of Media Lines
  in the Session Description Protocol".  In addition, an attribute is
  specified describing the relationship of the media streams in a "DDP"
  group indicated by media identification attribute(s) and media format
  description(s).

Status of This Memo

  This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
  Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
  improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
  Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
  and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

  Copyright (c) 2009 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
  document authors.  All rights reserved.

  This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
  Provisions Relating to IETF Documents in effect on the date of
  publication of this document (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info).
  Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
  and restrictions with respect to this document.

  This document may contain material from IETF Documents or IETF
  Contributions published or made publicly available before November
  10, 2008.  The person(s) controlling the copyright in some of this



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  material may not have granted the IETF Trust the right to allow
  modifications of such material outside the IETF Standards Process.
  Without obtaining an adequate license from the person(s) controlling
  the copyright in such materials, this document may not be modified
  outside the IETF Standards Process, and derivative works of it may
  not be created outside the IETF Standards Process, except to format
  it for publication as an RFC or to translate it into languages other
  than English.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction ....................................................3
  2. Terminology .....................................................4
  3. Definitions .....................................................4
  4. Motivation, Use Cases, and Architecture .........................5
     4.1. Motivation .................................................5
     4.2. Use Cases ..................................................7
  5. Signaling Media Dependencies ....................................7
     5.1. Design Principles ..........................................7
     5.2. Semantics ..................................................8
          5.2.1. SDP Grouping Semantics for Decoding Dependency ......8
          5.2.2. "depend" Attribute for Dependency Signaling
                 per Media-Stream ....................................8
  6. Usage of New Semantics in SDP ..................................10
     6.1. Usage with the SDP Offer/Answer Model .....................10
     6.2. Declarative usage .........................................12
     6.3. Usage with AVP and SAVP RTP Profiles ......................12
     6.4. Usage with Capability Negotiation .........................12
     6.5. Examples ..................................................12
  7. Security Considerations ........................................15
  8. IANA Considerations ............................................15
  9. Informative Note on "The SDP (Session Description Protocol)
     Grouping Framework" ............................................16
  10. References ....................................................16
     10.1. Normative References .....................................16
     10.2. Informative References ...................................17
  Appendix A.  Acknowledgements .....................................18














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1.  Introduction

  An SDP session description may contain one or more media
  descriptions, each identifying a single media stream.  A media
  description is identified by one "m=" line.  Today, if more than one
  "m=" lines exist indicating the same media type, a receiver cannot
  identify a specific relationship between those media.

  A Multiple Description Coding (MDC) or layered Media Bitstream
  contains, by definition, one or more Media Partitions that are
  conveyed in their own media stream.  The cases we are interested in
  are layered and MDC Bitstreams with two or more Media Partitions.
  Carrying more than one Media Partition in its own session is one of
  the key use cases for employing layered or MDC-coded media.  Senders,
  network elements, or receivers can suppress
  sending/forwarding/subscribing/decoding individual Media Partitions
  and still preserve perhaps suboptimal, but still useful, media
  quality.

  One property of all Media Bitstreams relevant to this memo is that
  their Media Partitions have a well-defined usage relationship.  For
  example, in layered coding, "higher" Media Partitions are useless
  without "lower" ones.  In MDC coding, Media Partitions are
  complementary -- the more Media Partitions one receives, the better a
  reproduced quality may be.  This document defines an SDP extension to
  indicate such a decoding dependency.

  The trigger for the present memo has been the standardization process
  of the RTP payload format for the Scalable Video Coding (SVC)
  extension to ITU-T Rec. H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC [AVT-RTP-SVC].  When
  drafting [AVT-RTP-SVC], it was observed that the aforementioned lack
  in signaling support is one that is not specific to SVC, but applies
  to all layered or MDC codecs.  Therefore, this memo presents a
  generic solution.  Likely, the second technology utilizing the
  mechanisms of this memo will be Multi-View video coding.  In Multi-
  View Coding (MVC) [AVT-RTP-MVC], layered dependencies between views
  are used to increase the coding efficiency, and, therefore, the
  properties of MVC with respect to the SDP signaling are comparable to
  those of SVC.

  The mechanisms defined herein are media transport protocol dependent,
  and applicable only in conjunction with the use of RTP [RFC3550].

  The SDP grouping of Media Lines of different media types is out of
  scope of this memo.






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2.  Terminology

  The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
  "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
  document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14, RFC 2119
  [RFC2119].

3.  Definitions

  Media stream:
  As per [RFC4566].

  Media Bitstream:
  A valid, decodable stream, containing all Media Partitions generated
  by the encoder.  A Media Bitstream normally conforms to a media
  coding standard.

  Media Partition:
  A subset of a Media Bitstream intended for independent
  transportation.  An integer number of Media Partitions forms a Media
  Bitstream.  In layered coding, a Media Partition represents one or
  more layers that are handled as a unit.  In MDC coding, a Media
  Partition represents one or more descriptions that are handled as a
  unit.

  Decoding dependency:
  The class of relationships Media Partitions have to each other.  At
  present, this memo defines two decoding dependencies: layered coding
  and Multiple Description Coding.

  Layered coding dependency:
  Each Media Partition is only useful (i.e., can be decoded) when all
  of the Media Partitions it depends on are available.  The
  dependencies between the Media Partitions therefore create a directed
  graph.  Note: normally, in layered coding, the more Media Partitions
  are employed (following the rule above), the better a reproduced
  quality is possible.

  Multiple Description Coding (MDC) dependency:
  N of M Media Partitions are required to form a Media Bitstream, but
  there is no hierarchy between these Media Partitions.  Most MDC
  schemes aim at an increase of reproduced media quality when more
  media partitions are decoded.  Some MDC schemes require more than one
  Media Partition to form an Operation Point.

  Operation Point:
  In layered coding, a subset of a layered Media Bitstream that
  includes all Media Partitions required for reconstruction at a



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  certain point of quality, error resilience, or another property, and
  that does not include any other Media Partitions.  In MDC coding, a
  subset of an MDC Media Bitstream that is compliant with the MDC
  coding standard in question.

4.  Motivation, Use Cases, and Architecture

4.1.  Motivation

  This memo is concerned with two types of decoding dependencies:
  layered and multi-description.  The transport of layered and Multiple
  Description Coding share as key motivators the desire for media
  adaptation to network conditions, i.e., related to bandwidth, error
  rates, connectivity of endpoints in multicast or broadcast scenarios,
  and the like.

  o Layered decoding dependency:

     In layered coding, the partitions of a Media Bitstream are known
     as media layers or simply layers.  One or more layers may be
     transported in different media streams in the sense of [RFC4566].
     A classic use case is known as receiver-driven layered multicast,
     in which a receiver selects a combination of media streams in
     response to quality or bit-rate requirements.

     Back in the mid 1990s, the then-available layered media formats
     and codecs envisioned primarily (or even exclusively) a one-
     dimensional hierarchy of layers.  That is, each so-called
     enhancement layer referred to exactly one layer "below".  The
     single exception has been the base layer, which is self-contained.
     Therefore, the identification of one enhancement layer fully
     specifies the Operation Point of a layered coding scheme,
     including knowledge about all the other layers that need to be
     decoded.

     SDP [RFC4566] contains rudimentary support for exactly this use
     case and media formats, in that it allows for signaling a range of
     transport addresses in a certain media description.  By
     definition, a higher transport address identifies a higher layer
     in the one-dimensional hierarchy.  A receiver needs only to decode
     data conveyed over this transport address and lower transport
     addresses to decode this Operation Point.

     Newer media formats depart from this simple one-dimensional
     hierarchy, in that highly complex (at least tree-shaped)
     dependency hierarchies can be implemented.  Compelling use cases
     for these complex hierarchies have been identified by industry.
     Support for it is therefore desirable.  However, SDP, in its



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     current form, does not allow for the signaling of these complex
     relationships.  Therefore, receivers cannot make an informed
     decision on which layers to subscribe (in case of layered
     multicast).

     Layered decoding dependencies may also exist in a Multi-View
     Coding environment.  Views may be coded using inter-view
     dependencies to increase coding efficiency.  This results in Media
     Bitstreams, that logically may be separated into Media Partitions
     representing different views of the reconstructed video signal.
     These Media Partitions cannot be decoded independently, and,
     therefore, other Media Partitions are required for reconstruction.
     To express this relationship, the signaling needs to express the
     dependencies of the views, which in turn are Media Partitions in
     the sense of this document.

  o Multiple descriptive decoding dependency:

     In the most basic form of MDC, each Media Partition forms an
     independent representation of the media.  That is, decoding of any
     of the Media Partitions yields useful reproduced media data.  When
     more than one Media Partition is available, then a decoder can
     process them jointly, and the resulting media quality increases.
     The highest reproduced quality is available if all original Media
     Partitions are available for decoding.

     More complex forms of Multiple Description Coding can also be
     envisioned, i.e., where, as a minimum, N-out-of-M total Media
     Partitions need to be available to allow meaningful decoding.

     MDC has not yet been embraced heavily by the media standardization
     community, though it is the subject of a lot of academic research.
     As an example, we refer to [MDC].

     In this memo, we cover MDC because we a) envision that MDC media
     formats will come into practical use within the lifetime of this
     memo, and b) the solution for its signaling is very similar to the
     one of layered coding.

  o Other decoding dependency relationships:

     At the time of writing, no decoding dependency relationships
     beyond the two mentioned above have been identified that would
     warrant standardization.  However, the mechanisms of this memo
     could be extended by introducing new codepoints for new decoding
     dependency types.  If such an extension becomes necessary, as
     formally required in Section 5.2.2, the new decoding dependency
     type MUST be documented in an IETF Standards-Track document.



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4.2.  Use Cases

  o Receiver-driven layered multicast:

     This technology is discussed in [RFC3550] and references therein.
     We refrain from elaborating further; the subject is well known and
     understood.

  o Multiple end-to-end transmission with different properties:

     Assume a unicast and point-to-point topology, wherein one endpoint
     sends media to another.  Assume further that different forms of
     media transmission are available.  The difference may lie in the
     cost of the transmission (free, charged), in the available
     protection (unprotected/secure), in the quality of service (QoS)
     (guaranteed quality / best effort), or other factors.

     Layered and MDC coding allows matching of the media
     characteristics to the available transmission path(s).  For
     example, in layered coding, it makes sense to convey the base
     layer over high QoS.  Enhancement layers, on the other hand, can
     be conveyed over best effort, as they are "optional" in their
     characteristic -- nice to have, but non-essential for media
     consumption.  In a different scenario, the base layer may be
     offered in a non-encrypted session as a free preview.  An
     encrypted enhancement layer references this base layer and allows
     optimal quality play-back; however, it is only accessible to users
     who have the key, which may have been distributed by a conditional
     access mechanism.

5.  Signaling Media Dependencies

5.1.  Design Principles

  The dependency signaling is only feasible between media descriptions
  described with an "m="-line and with an assigned media identification
  attribute ("mid"), as defined in [RFC3388].  All media descriptions
  grouped according to this specification MUST have the same media
  type.  Other dependencies relations expressed by SDP grouping have to
  be addressed in other specifications.  A media description MUST NOT
  be part of more than one group of the grouping type defined in this
  specification.









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5.2.  Semantics

5.2.1.  SDP Grouping Semantics for Decoding Dependency

  This specification defines a new grouping semantic Decoding
  Dependency "DDP":

  DDP associates a media stream, identified by its mid attribute, with
  a DDP group.  Each media stream MUST be composed of an integer number
  of Media Partitions.  A media stream is identified by a session-
  unique media format description (RTP payload type number) within a
  media description.  In a DDP group, all media streams MUST have the
  same type of decoding dependency (as signaled by the attribute
  defined in Section 5.2.2).  All media streams MUST contain at least
  one Operation Point.  The DDP group type informs a receiver about the
  requirement for handling the media streams of the group according to
  the new media level attribute "depend", as defined in Section 5.2.2.

  When using multiple codecs, e.g., for the Offer/Answer model, the
  media streams MUST have the same dependency structure, regardless of
  which media format description (RTP payload type number) is used.

5.2.2.  "depend" Attribute for Dependency Signaling per Media-Stream

  This memo defines a new media-level attribute, "depend", with the
  following ABNF [RFC5234].  The identification-tag is defined in
  [RFC3388].  In the following ABNF, fmt, token, SP, and CRLF are used
  as defined in [RFC4566].

  <CODE BEGINS>
  Copyright (c) 2009 IETF Trust and the persons identified as authors
  of the code.  All rights reserved.

  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
  are met:

  - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

  - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
    documentation and/or other materials provided with the
    distribution.







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RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


  - Neither the name of Internet Society, IETF or IETF Trust, nor the
    names of specific contributors, may be used to endorse or promote
    products derived from this software without specific prior written
    permission.

  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
  LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
  OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
  SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
  LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
  DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
  THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
  (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
  OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

  depend-attribute =
          "a=depend:" dependent-fmt SP dependency-tag
             *(";" SP dependent-fmt SP dependency-tag) CRLF

  dependency-tag   =
          dependency-type *1( SP identification-tag ":"
          fmt-dependency *("," fmt-dependency ))

  dependency-type  = "lay"
                   / "mdc"
                   / token

  dependent-fmt = fmt

  fmt-dependency = fmt
  <CODE ENDS>

  dependency-tag indicates one or more dependencies of one dependent-
  fmt in the media description.  These dependencies are signaled as
  fmt-dependency values, which indicate fmt values of other media
  descriptions.  These other media descriptions are identified by their
  identification-tag values in the depend-attribute.  There MUST be
  exactly one dependency-tag indicated per dependent-fmt.

  dependent-fmt indicates the media format description, as defined in
  [RFC4566], that depends on one or more media format descriptions in
  the media description indicated by the value of the identification-
  tag within the dependency-tag.

  fmt-dependency indicates the media format description in the media
  description identified by the identification-tag within the
  dependency-tag, on which the dependent-fmt of the dependent media



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  description depends.  In case a list of fmt-dependency values is
  given, any element of the list is sufficient to satisfy the
  dependency, at the choice of the decoding entity.

  The depend-attribute describes the decoding dependency.  The depend-
  attribute MUST be followed by a sequence of dependent-fmt and the
  corresponding dependency-tag fields, which identify all related media
  format descriptions in all related media descriptions of the
  dependent-fmt.  The attribute MAY be used with multicast as well as
  with unicast transport addresses.  The following dependency-type
  values are defined in this memo:

  o lay:  Layered decoding dependency -- identifies the described media
          stream as one or more Media Partitions of a layered Media
          Bitstream.  When "lay" is used, all media streams required
          for decoding the Operation Point MUST be identified by
          identification-tag and fmt-dependency following the "lay"
          string.

  o mdc:  Multi-descriptive decoding dependency -- signals that the
          described media stream is part of a set of a MDC Media
          Bitstream.  By definition, at least N-out-of-M media streams
          of the group need to be available to from an Operation Point.
          The values of N and M depend on the properties of the Media
          Bitstream and are not signaled within this context.  When
          "mdc" is used, all required media streams for the Operation
          Point MUST be identified by identification-tag and fmt-
          dependency following the "mdc" string.

  Further, dependency types MUST be defined in a Standards-Track
  document.

6.  Usage of New Semantics in SDP

6.1.  Usage with the SDP Offer/Answer Model

  The backward compatibility in Offer/Answer is generally handled as
  specified in Section 8.4 of [RFC3388], as summarized below.

  Depending on the implementation, a node that does not understand DDP
  grouping (either does not understand line grouping at all, or just
  does not understand the DDP semantics) SHOULD respond to an offer
  containing DDP grouping either (1) with an answer that ignores the
  grouping attribute or (2) with a refusal to the request (e.g., 488
  Not acceptable here or 606 Not acceptable in SIP).






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  In case (1), if the original sender of the offer still wishes to
  establish communications, it SHOULD generate a new offer with a
  single media stream that represents an Operation Point.  Note: in
  most cases, this will be the base layer of a layered Media Bitstream,
  equally possible are Operation Points containing a set of enhancement
  layers as long as all are part of a single media stream.  In case
  (2), if the sender of the original offer has identified that the
  refusal to the request is caused by the use of DDP grouping, and if
  the sender of the offer still wishes to establish the session, it
  SHOULD retry the request with an offer including only a single media
  stream.

  If the answerer understands the DDP semantics, it is necessary to
  take the "depend" attribute into consideration in the Offer/Answer
  procedure.  The main rule for the "depend" attribute is that the
  offerer decides the number of media streams and the dependency
  between them.  The answerer cannot change the dependency relations.

  For unicast sessions where the answerer receives media, i.e., for
  offers including media streams that have a directionality indicated
  by "sendonly", "sendrecv", or have no directionality indicated, the
  answerer MAY remove media Operation Points.  The answerer MUST use
  the dependency relations provided in the offer when sending media.
  The answerer MAY send according to all of the Operation Points
  present in the offer, even if the answerer has removed some of those
  Operation Points.  Thus, an answerer can limit the number of
  Operation Points being delivered to the answerer while the answerer
  can still send media to the offerer using all of the Operation Points
  indicated in the offer.

  For multicast sessions, the answerer MUST accept all Operation Points
  and their related decoding dependencies or MUST remove non-accepted
  Operation Points completely.  Due to the nature of multicast, the
  receiver can select which Operation Points it actually receives and
  processes.  For multicast sessions that allow the answerer to also
  send data, the answerer MAY send all of the offered Operation Points.

  In any case, if the answerer cannot accept one or more offered
  Operation Points and/or the media stream's dependencies, the answerer
  MAY re-invite with an offer including acceptable Operation Points
  and/or dependencies.

  Note: Applications may limit the possibility of performing a re-
  invite.  The previous offer is also a good hint to the capabilities
  of the other agent.






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6.2.  Declarative usage

  If a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) receiver understands
  signaling according to this memo, it SHALL set up all media streams
  that are required to decode the Operation Point of its choice.

  If an RTSP receiver does not understand the signaling defined within
  this memo, it falls back to normal SDP processing.  Two likely cases
  have to be distinguished: (1) if at least one of the media types
  included in the SDP is within the receiver's capabilities, it selects
  among those candidates according to implementation specific criteria
  for setup, as usual.  (2) If none of the media types included in the
  SDP can be processed, then obviously no setup can occur.

6.3.  Usage with AVP and SAVP RTP Profiles

  The signaling mechanisms defined in this document MUST NOT be used to
  negotiate between using the attribute-value pair (AVP) [RFC3551] and
  SAVP [RFC3711] profile for RTP.  However, both profiles MAY be used
  separately or jointly with the signaling mechanism defined in this
  document.

6.4.  Usage with Capability Negotiation

  This memo does not cover the interaction with Capability Negotiation
  [MMUSIC].  This issue is for further study and will be addressed in a
  different memo.

6.5.  Examples

  a.)  Example for signaling layered decoding dependency:

     The example below shows a session description with three media
     descriptions, all of type video and with layered decoding
     dependency ("lay").  Each of the media descriptions includes two
     possible media format descriptions with different encoding
     parameters as, e.g., "packetization-mode" (not shown in the
     example) for the media subtypes "H264" and "H264-SVC" given by the
     "a=rtpmap:"-line.  The first media description includes two H264
     payload types as media format descriptions, "96" and "97", as
     defined in [RFC3984] and represents the base layer Operation Point
     (identified by "mid:L1").  The two other media descriptions
     (identified by "mid:L2" and "mid:L3") include H264-SVC payload
     types as defined in [AVT-RTP-SVC], which contain enhancements to
     the base layer Operation Point or the first enhancement layer
     Operation Point (media description identified by "mid:L2").





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     The example shows the dependencies of the media format
     descriptions of the different media descriptions indicated by
     "DDP" grouping, "mid", and "depend" attributes.  The "depend"
     attribute is used with the decoding dependency type "lay"
     indicating layered decoding dependency.  For example, the third
     media description ("m=video 40004...")  identified by "mid:L3" has
     different dependencies on the media format descriptions of the two
     other media descriptions: Media format description "100" depends
     on media format description "96" or "97" of the media description
     indentified by "mid:L1".  This is an exclusive-OR, i.e., payload
     type "100" may be used with payload type "96" or with "97", but
     one of the two combinations is required for decoding payload type
     "100".

     For media format description "101", it is different.  This one
     depends on two of the other media descriptions at the same time,
     i.e., it depends on media format description "97" of the media
     description indentified by "mid:L1" and it also depends on media
     format description "99" of the media description indentified by
     "mid:L2".  For decoding media format description "101", both media
     format description "97" and media format description "99" are
     required by definition.





























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RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


        v=0
        o=svcsrv 289083124 289083124 IN IP4 host.example.com
        s=LAYERED VIDEO SIGNALING Seminar
        t=0 0
        c=IN IP4 192.0.2.1/127
        a=group:DDP L1 L2 L3
        m=video 40000 RTP/AVP 96 97
        b=AS:90
        a=framerate:15
        a=rtpmap:96 H264/90000
        a=rtpmap:97 H264/90000
        a=mid:L1
        m=video 40002 RTP/AVP 98 99
        b=AS:64
        a=framerate:15
        a=rtpmap:98 H264-SVC/90000
        a=rtpmap:99 H264-SVC/90000
        a=mid:L2
        a=depend:98 lay L1:96,97; 99 lay L1:97
        m=video 40004 RTP/AVP 100 101
        b=AS:128
        a=framerate:30
        a=rtpmap:100 H264-SVC/90000
        a=rtpmap:101 H264-SVC/90000
        a=mid:L3
        a=depend:100 lay L1:96,97; 101 lay L1:97 L2:99

  b.)  Example for signaling of multi-descriptive decoding dependency:

     The example shows a session description with three media
     descriptions, all of type video and with multi-descriptive
     decoding dependency.  Each of the media descriptions includes one
     media format description.  The example shows the dependencies of
     the media format descriptions of the different media descriptions
     indicated by "DDP" grouping, "mid", and "depend" attributes.  The
     "depend" attribute is used with the decoding dependency type "mdc"
     indicating layered decoding dependency.  For example, media format
     description "104" in the media description ("m=video 40000...")
     with "mid:M1" depends on the two other media descriptions.  It
     depends on media format description "105" of media description
     with "mid:M2", and it also depends on media format description
     "106" of media description with "mid:M3".  In case of the multi-
     descriptive decoding dependency, media format description "105"
     and "106" can be used by definition to enhance the decoding
     process of media format description "104", but they are not
     required for decoding.





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RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


        v=0
        o=mdcsrv 289083124 289083124 IN IP4 host.example.com
        s=MULTI DESCRIPTION VIDEO SIGNALING Seminar
        t=0 0
        c=IN IP4 192.0.2.1/127
        a=group:DDP M1 M2 M3
        m=video 40000 RTP/AVP 104
        a=mid:M1
        a=depend:104 mdc M2:105 M3:106
        m=video 40002 RTP/AVP 105
        a=mid:M2
        a=depend:105 mdc M1:104 M3:106
        m=video 40004 RTP/AVP 106
        a=mid:M3
        a=depend:106 mdc M1:104 M2:105

7.  Security Considerations

  All security implications of SDP apply.

  There may be a risk of manipulation of the dependency signaling of a
  session description by an attacker.  This may mislead a receiver or
  middle box, e.g., a receiver may try to compose a Media Bitstream out
  of several RTP packet streams that does not form an Operation Point,
  although the signaling made it believe it would form a valid
  Operation Point, with potential fatal consequences for the media
  decoding process.  It is recommended that the receiver SHOULD perform
  an integrity check on SDP and follow the security considerations of
  SDP to only trust SDP from trusted sources.

8.  IANA Considerations

  The following contact information shall be used for all registrations
  included here:

  Contact:      Thomas Schierl
                email: [email protected]
                tel: +49-30-31002-227

  The following semantics have been registered by IANA in Semantics for
  the "group" SDP Attribute under SDP Parameters.

  Semantics              Token     Reference
  -------------------    -----     ---------
  Decoding Dependency    DDP       RFC 5583






Schierl & Wenger            Standards Track                    [Page 15]

RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


  The SDP media-level attribute "depend" has been registered by IANA in
  Semantics for "att-field (media level only)".  The registration
  procedure in Section 8.2.4 of [RFC4566] applies.

  SDP Attribute ("att-field (media level only)"):

  Attribute name:     depend
  Long form:          decoding dependency
  Type of name:       att-field
  Type of attribute:  media level only
  Subject to charset: no
  Purpose:            RFC 5583
  Reference:          RFC 5583
  Values:             see this document and registrations below.

  The following semantics have been registered by IANA in Semantics for
  the "depend" SDP Attribute under SDP Parameters:

  Semantics of the "depend" SDP attribute:

  Semantics                                Token     Reference
  ----------------------------             -----     ---------
  Layered decoding dependency              lay       RFC 5583
  Multi-descriptive decoding dependency    mdc       RFC 5583

  New registrations for semantics of the "depend" SDP attribute are
  added by the "Specification Required" policy as defined in [RFC5226].

9.  Informative Note on "The SDP (Session Description Protocol)
   Grouping Framework"

  Currently, there is ongoing work on [RFC3388bis].  In [RFC3388bis],
  the grouping mechanism is extended in a way that a media description
  can be part of more than one group of the same grouping type in the
  same session description.  However, media descriptions grouped by
  this document must be at most part of one group of the type "DDP" in
  the same session description.

10.  References

10.1.  Normative References

  [RFC2119]     Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
                Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.

  [RFC3388]     Camarillo, G., Eriksson, G., Holler, J., and H.
                Schulzrinne, "Grouping of Media Lines in the Session
                Description Protocol (SDP)", RFC 3388, December 2002.



Schierl & Wenger            Standards Track                    [Page 16]

RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


  [RFC3550]     Schulzrinne, H., Casner, S., Frederick, R., and V.
                Jacobson, "RTP: A Transport Protocol for Real-Time
                Applications", STD 64, RFC 3550, July 2003.

  [RFC3551]     Schulzrinne, H. and S. Casner, "RTP Profile for Audio
                and Video Conferences with Minimal Control", STD 65,
                RFC 3551, July 2003.

  [RFC3711]     Baugher, M., McGrew, D., Naslund, M., Carrara, E., and
                K. Norrman, "The Secure Real-time Transport Protocol
                (SRTP)", RFC 3711, March 2004.

  [RFC4566]     Handley, M., Jacobson, V., and C. Perkins, "SDP:
                Session Description Protocol", RFC 4566, July 2006.

  [RFC5226]     Narten, T. and H. Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing
                an IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", BCP 26, RFC
                5226, May 2008.

  [RFC5234]     Crocker, D., Ed., and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for
                Syntax Specifications: ABNF", STD 68, RFC 5234, January
                2008.

10.2.  Informative References

  [AVT-RTP-SVC] Wenger, S., Wang Y.-K., Schierl, T. and A.
                Eleftheriadis, "RTP Payload Format for SVC Video", Work
                in Progress, March 2009.

  [RFC3388bis]  Camarillo, G "The SDP (Session Description Protocol)
                Grouping Framework", Work in Progress, January 2009.

  [MMUSIC]      Andreasen, F., "SDP Capability Negotiation", Work in
                Progress, May 2009.

  [AVT-RTP-MVC] Wang, Y.-K. and T. Schierl, "RTP Payload Format for MVC
                Video", Work in Progress, February 2009.

  [MDC]         Vitali, A., Borneo, A., Fumagalli, M., and R. Rinaldo,
                "Video over IP using Standard-Compatible Multiple
                Description Coding:  an IETF proposal", Packet Video
                Workshop, April 2006, Hangzhou, China.

  [RFC3984]     Wenger, S., Hannuksela, M., Stockhammer, T.,
                Westerlund, M., and D. Singer, "RTP Payload Format for
                H.264 Video", RFC 3984, February 2005.





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RFC 5583       Signaling Media Decoding Dependency in SDP      July 2009


Appendix A.  Acknowledgements

  The author Thomas Schierl of Fraunhofer HHI is sponsored by the
  European Commission under the contract number FP7-ICT-214063, project
  SEA.

  We want to also thank Magnus Westerlund, Joerg Ott, Ali Begen, Dan
  Wing, Helmut Burklin, and Jean-Francois Mule for their valuable and
  constructive comments to this memo.

Authors' Addresses

  Thomas Schierl
  Fraunhofer HHI
  Einsteinufer 37
  D-10587 Berlin
  Germany

  Phone: +49-30-31002-227
  EMail: [email protected]


  Stephan Wenger
  2400 Skyfarm Dr.
  Hillsborough, CA 94010
  USA

  Phone: +1-415-713-5473
  EMail: [email protected]






















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