An architecture for hypermedia systems using MHEG standard objects interchange

Issue title: Hypermedia and Hypertext Standards

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Soares, Luiz Fernando G.^a | Casanova, Marco Antonio^b | Colcher, Sérgio^{a; b}

Affiliations: [a] Computer Science Department, Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, R. Marquês de São Vicente, 225, 22453 Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. E-mails: lfgs@inf.puc-rio.br, casanova@vnet.ibm.com, colcher@inf.puc-rio.br | [b] Rio Scientific Center, IBM Brazil, Av. Presidente Vargas, 824/844, 20071 Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil

Abstract: Most hypermedia systems have been developed as a unique and self-contained application preventing information interchange and code reusability between applications. To address this problem, a generic layered architecture for hypermedia systems with four major interfaces is first introduced. The architecture adequately uses the MHEG proposal to provide the desired independence between hypermedia applications' conceptual models and storage strategies for hypermedia objects. Then, some design problems of the topmost layer, using as example the nested context hypermedia model, are discussed. Finally, motivated by the fact that a distributed environment may be necessary to meet the real time requirements of hypermedia applications, some issues concerning the design of a distributed system based on the proposed architecture are briefly addressed.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-1993-13208

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 131-139, 1993