An abstract animation model for integrating SMIL basic animation elements with multimedia documents

Declarative definition of a multimedia presentation such as provided by the SMIL standard can be considered as the most significant advance in the multimedia integration domain. The work presented here proposes an abstract way to use animations in this domain. That provides flexibility, no redundancy, easiness to maintain and reuse of animations in authoring and presenting multimedia documents. The model defines abstractions of SMIL basic animation elements and then combines them with the intra-media temporal structuration to specify animation effects. The underlying model is Madeus multimedia model that is a flexible model based on the hierarchical structure, interval, region and relative constraints. This model includes a sub-element definition that allows to use the sub-interval element to describe the intra-media temporal structuration. We have experimented with this model in an authoring tool where the author can edit animation scenarios by directly manipulating graphical animation elements through the time line view.