Presentation layer primitives for the layered multimedia data model

The Layered Multimedia Data Model (LMDM) adds structure to the problem of specifying multimedia compositions by dividing the task into smaller, more manageable pieces. This paper outlines the basic constructs of the third LMDM layer, the Data Presentation Layer (DPL). The DPL allows specification of multimedia presentations, which describe the audio and visual display of temporally linked data objects specified at the lower layers. The strengths of the DPL, include: reusability of presentation templates, a general model of media synchronization, acknowledging and limiting system dependencies, and generalization of a traditional animation model.