Network Working Group                                           M. Dolan
Request for Comments: 4246                                           TBT
Category: Informational                                    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

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).

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.

Table of Contents

   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: 1

      Date: 2004 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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