An IPTV Service State API for converging managed and unmanaged IPTV infrastructures

In this paper we present an approach towards an open API for managed and unmanaged IPTV Ecosystems, as standardized in Open IPTV Forum and ETSI TISPAN. Inspired by ETSI TISPAN´s so called IPTV Service State, containing information upon a current user´s service usage data and behavior, the design and implementation of an IPTV Service State API realized inside the FOKUS IPTV Ecosystem will be presented. The goal of this API is to provide a protocol independent mechanism allowing access to an IPTV service provider´s infrastructure and its users. The API enables on the one hand other service enablers to manipulate a single user´s IPTV session, e.g. for targeted ad insertion, as well as various Web oriented client technologies (e.g. Widget oriented systems) to be integrated into standardized infrastructures.