Network Working Group
Request for Comments: 4246
Category: Informational

M. Dolan
TBT
February 2006

International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) URN Definition

Status of This Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

Abstract

The International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) is a standard numbering system for the unique and international identification of audiovisual works. This document is the definition of the formal Uniform Resource Name (URN) Namespace Identifier (NID) for ISAN.

   1. Introduction ....................................................2
   2. URN Namespace Definition Template ...............................2
   3. Formal Syntax ...................................................4
   4. Security Considerations .........................................4
   5. Namespace Considerations ........................................4
   6. Community Considerations ........................................4
   7. IANA Considerations .............................................5
   8. References ......................................................5
      8.1. Normative References .......................................5
      8.2. Informative References .....................................5

1. Introduction

This document is the definition of the formal Uniform Resource Name (URN) Namespace Identifier (NID) for ISAN.

2. URN Namespace Definition Template

The following template is provided in accordance with [RFC3406].

Namespace ID:

      ISAN

Registration Information:

Version:

Date:

11 22

Declared registrant of the namespace:

      Name:    ISAN International Agency
      Address: 26 rue de St Jean, CH-1203 Geneva, Switzerland
      
      Contact: Mr. Patrick Attallah, Managing Director

Declaration of structure:

The identifier structure is as follows:

         URN:ISAN:<ISAN-NSS>

Where ISAN-NSS is conformant to URN syntax requirements defined in [RFC2141] and is further constrained by [ISO15706] and in this document. There are two forms, one with the version extension and one without. The formal BNF is defined in section 2 below. Examples of the two forms are:

         URN:ISAN:0123-1230-3210-2310-1
         
         URN:ISAN:1881-66C7-3420-6541-9-9F3A-0245-U

Relevant ancillary documentation:

ISAN, its syntax, uses and its processes are defined in [ISO15706].

Identifier uniqueness considerations:

Uniqueness is guaranteed by the ISAN International Agency that issues the numbers. Numbers are not re-assigned.

Identifier persistence considerations:

Persistence is guaranteed by ISO Registration Authority processes and contracts with the ISAN International Agency.

Process of identifier assignment:

The details of the assignment process are defined from time to time by the ISAN International Agency. However, in general, any approved entity can request an ISAN number by providing the required metadata information and paying the registration fee. The ISAN International Agency may delegate to regional or market- based Registration Agencies for portions of the registration process.

Process for identifier resolution:

ISAN numbers are resolved by a direct or indirect lookup with the ISAN International Agency. At this writing, a non-commercial, manual system is available online at http://www.isan.org. The resolution procedures may be modified from time to time by the ISAN International Agency.

Rules for Lexical Equivalence:

The ISAN-NSS is unique by the nature of the ISAN International Agency's number management. The ISAN-NSS is case-insensitive. Upper and lower case characters are treated as identical.

Conformance with URN Syntax:

No special considerations. The syntax is fully conformant with [RFC2141].

Validation mechanism:

The check digits provide syntax integrity. Lookup is via online and offline services provided by the ISAN International Agency.

Scope:

Global.

3. Formal Syntax

The following syntax specification uses an augmented Backus-Naur Form (BNF) and elements defined in the URN Syntax [RFC2141]. This syntax here is derived from the syntax definition in [ISO15706], constrained to prohibit the space character as a separator.

      <ISAN-NSS>     ::= <root> <episode> [version]
      
      <root>         ::= 3*(<hexnum> "-")
      
      <episode>      ::= <hexnum> "-" <check>
      
      <version>      ::= 2*("-" <hexnum>) "-" <check>
      
      <hexnum>       ::= 4*(<hex>)
      
      <check>        ::= <upper> | <lower> | <number>

Note that <hex>, <upper>, <lower>, and <number> are defined in [RFC2141].

4. Security Considerations

This document only defines the syntax and resolution authority for the ISAN numbers. Details of the resolution process and the security of the assignment and resolution system processes are defined external to this document by the ISAN International Agency and thus outside the scope of this document.

5. Namespace Considerations

ISAN is an external numbering system managed by an external agency established by ISO. While URN namespaces may exist for which any generic numbering system can be encoded, there is currently no direct encoding for ISAN. An example of such a namespace is the MPEG-21 system.

ISAN numbers are reserved for use in identifying audiovisual works for which there is a moving visual component, or components related to such a work (e.g. subtitling track).

6. Community Considerations

The primary registrants for ISAN numbers are the producers and studios of audiovisual works (movies and television shows). While the system is not constrained to "major" works (any bona fide entity can register any work), the primary benefits of its use come from works that are widely distributed. The users of the ISAN system range from the studios themselves to film and video archives and libraries, rights administrators, program guide services, and audience measurement services. Its potential for use in the Internet community is as an identifier for streaming media.

7. IANA Considerations

This document defines a URN NID registration that is to be entered into the IANA registry of URN NIDs. It specifically requests the NID, "ISAN".

8. References

8.1. Normative References

   [RFC2141]  Moats, R., "URN Syntax", RFC 2141, May 1997.
   
   [ISO15706] ISO 15706, Information and documentation - International
              Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN)

8.2. Informative References

   [RFC3406]  Daigle, L., van Gulik, D., Iannella, R., and P.
              Faltstrom, "Uniform Resource Names (URN) Namespace
              Definition Mechanisms", BCP 66, RFC 3406, October 2002.

Author's Address

Michael Dolan
TBT
PO Box 190
Del Mar, CA 92014 USA

   EMail: md.1@newtbt.com

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