A Survey of Digital Television Interactivity Technologies

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 22; no. 17; p. 6542
• Main Authors: da Silva Klehm, Volnei, de Souza Braga, Rodrigo, de Lucena, Vicente Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 30-08-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Broadband; Digital broadcasting; Digital television; digital TV; Innovations; interactive systems; Interactive television; Internet of Things; Java; Middleware; Multimedia; Open standards; Set top boxes; Smartphones; Software; Surveys; Tablet computers; Television broadcasting industry; TV broadcasting; Web applications; Brazil; Japan; United States > US; Europe
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s22176542

This paper presents a survey of the worldwide use of Digital Television interactivity (DTVi) standards. First, we recall some concepts of first-generation interactivity middlewares released in the early 2000s, such as the European MHP (based on Java) and the Japanese BML (based on XML). Then, we cover the new standards (emerging after 2010) that introduced the new Integrated Broadcast Broadband (IBB) model, which combines broadcast signals with a broadband interface and leverages synergies to offer high-quality, flexible, interactive and customized services and applications to viewers. Regarding IBB systems, we also cover the main aspects of their architectures and innovations introduced by this kind of technology, such as support to companion devices, e.g., smartphones, tablets, targeted advertisements, and integration with Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Finally, we show the current adoption of different IBB systems around the world as well as current challenges regarding IBB technologies.