Dreampark has several times replaced some of the major middleware suppliers on the market. In all cases, the reason behind changing middleware platform was based on the fact that the middleware platform (and the midddleware vendor) was not flexible enough to provide the solutions required by the operator in order to adapt to changing market demands. All IPTV operators will sooner or later face such changing demands, for example when teaming up with new content providers. A flexible middleware platform and a responsive middleware vendor is crucial for success!

 

Multilayer Flexibility

The flexibility of the Dreamgallery™ platform could be divided into the following layers:

• Flexibility through administration
• Flexibility through operator developed applications
• Flexibility through predefined client objects
• Flexibility through customer unique development

The Portal Generator gives the operator tremendous freedom to structure portal content and adapt look and feel. It is even possible to create new portal nodes out of existing ones. The Portal Generator is also the tool used to structure any custom "client object" into the portal or to push such objects to Set Top Boxes (STBs).

 

Flexibility through Operator Developed Applications

The Dreamgallery™ middleware is built in standard HTML code, opening up the possibility for operators to develop their own applications using HTML. The Portal Generator can easily be used to map any stand alone application into the portal structure.

 

Flexibility through Predefined Client Objects

Developing stand alone applications represents a fast and flexible way for an operator to launch new applications. However, the drawback is that the end user navigation might become non-consistent and that the speedy navigation of the Dreamgallery™ TV Portal cannot be utilized to its full potential.

 

 

A better alternative for flexible applications development is to utilize the Dreamgallery™ object model, where small JavaScript objects are used to dynamically provide fully integrated user interfaces on the client.

There are two types of client JavaScript objects available:

• Dynamic Display Objects (DDOs) are small JavaScript objects pulled down to the STB when the end user moves to an icon attached to a DDO. The DDO concept opens up tremendous possibilities for user initiated interactivity integrated into the TV Portal. TV Guide listings, VOD archive search navigations, settings, account management, etcetera, are all features implemented in Dreamgallery™ by using the DDO concept.

• Dreamlets are small JavaScript objects pushed to one or several STBs using a multicast server. A Dreamlet will execute immediately when it is received by the STB, and may present the user interface for applications like voting and caller ID.

The Portal Generator can act as a proxy, enabling client objects to communicate directly with any external application (which, hence, can be developed independently of Dreamgallery™).

 

Flexibility through Customer Unique Development

Dreamgallery™ was built to make adaptations as easy and harmless as possible. The development procedure used for building the product allows Dreampark to handle a vast number of customer unique product adaptations at the same time as revision handling and quality assurance can be kept at highest level.

Since standard HTML code is used on the client side, there will be no need for rebooting STBs after a Dreamgallery™ upgrade. New applications can be downloaded to the STB "on the fly". Dreamgallery™ can even replace itself with another application completely in runtime.