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rfc:rfc2533

Network Working Group G. Klyne Request for Comments: 2533 Content Technologies/5GM Category: Standards Track March 1999

             A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets

Status of this Memo

 This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
 Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
 improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
 Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
 and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

 A number of Internet application protocols have a need to provide
 content negotiation for the resources with which they interact [1].
 A framework for such negotiation is described in [2], part of which
 is a way to describe the range of media features which can be handled
 by the sender, recipient or document transmission format of a
 message.  A format for a vocabulary of individual media features and
 procedures for feature registration are presented in [3].
 This document introduces and describes a syntax that can be used to
 define feature sets which are formed from combinations and relations
 involving individual media features.  Such feature sets are used to
 describe the media feature handling capabilities of message senders,
 recipients and file formats.
 An algorithm for feature set matching is also described here.

Table of Contents

 1. Introduction.............................................3
   1.1 Structure of this document ...........................3
   1.2 Document terminology and conventions .................4
   1.3 Discussion of this document ..........................4
 2. Content feature terminology and definitions..............4
 3. Media feature combinations and capabilities..............5
   3.1 Media features .......................................5
   3.2 Media feature collections and sets ...................5
   3.3 Media feature set descriptions .......................6
   3.4 Media feature combination scenario ...................7

Klyne Standards Track [Page 1] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

      3.4.1 Data resource options............................7
      3.4.2 Recipient capabilities...........................7
      3.4.3 Combined options.................................7
   3.5 Feature set predicates ...............................8
      3.5.1 Comparison with directory search filters.........8
   3.6 Describing preferences ...............................9
   3.7 Combining preferences ...............................10
 4. Feature set representation..............................11
   4.1 Textual representation of predicates ................11
   4.2 Interpretation of feature predicate syntax ..........12
      4.2.1 Filter syntax...................................12
      4.2.2 Feature comparison..............................13
      4.2.3 Feature tags....................................13
      4.2.4 Feature values..................................14
        4.2.4.1 Boolean values                              14
        4.2.4.2 Numeric values                              14
        4.2.4.3 Token values                                15
        4.2.4.4 String values                               15
      4.2.5 Notational conveniences.........................15
   4.3 Feature set definition example ......................16
 5. Matching feature sets...................................16
   5.1 Feature set matching strategy .......................18
   5.2 Formulating the goal predicate ......................19
   5.3 Replace set expressions .............................19
   5.4 Move logical negations inwards ......................20
   5.5 Replace comparisons and logical negations ...........20
   5.6 Conversion to canonical form ........................21
   5.7 Grouping of feature predicates ......................22
   5.8 Merge single-feature constraints ....................22
      5.8.1 Rules for simplifying ordered values............23
      5.8.2 Rules for simplifying unordered values..........23
 6. Other features and issues...............................24
   6.1 Named and auxiliary predicates ......................24
      6.1.1 Defining a named predicate......................24
      6.1.2 Invoking named predicates.......................25
      6.1.3 Auxiliary predicates in a filter................25
      6.1.4 Feature matching with named predicates..........25
      6.1.5 Example.........................................26
   6.2 Unit designations ...................................26
   6.3 Unknown feature value data types ....................27
 7. Examples and additional comments........................27
   7.1 Worked example ......................................27
   7.2 A note on feature tag scoping .......................31
 8. Security Considerations.................................34
 9. Acknowledgements........................................34
 10. References.............................................35
 11. Author's Address.......................................36
 Full Copyright Statement...................................37

Klyne Standards Track [Page 2] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

1. Introduction

 A number of Internet application protocols have a need to provide
 content negotiation for the resources with which they interact [1].
 A framework for such negotiation is described in [2].  A part of this
 framework is a way to describe the range of media features which can
 be handled by the sender, recipient or document transmission format
 of a message.
 Descriptions of media feature capabilities need to be based upon some
 underlying vocabulary of individual media features.  A format for
 such a vocabulary and procedures for registering media features
 within this vocabulary are presented in [3].
 This document defines a syntax that can be used to describe feature
 sets which are formed from combinations and relations involving
 individual media features.  Such feature sets are used to describe
 the media handling capabilities of message senders, recipients and
 file formats.
 An algorithm for feature set matching is also described here.
 The feature set syntax is built upon the principle of using feature
 set predicates as "mathematical relations" which define constraints
 on feature handling capabilities.  This allows that the same form of
 feature set expression can be used to describe sender, receiver and
 file format capabilities.  This has been loosely modelled on the way
 that relational databases use Boolean expresions to describe a set of
 result values, and a syntax that is based upon LDAP search filters.

1.1 Structure of this document

 The main part of this memo addresses the following main areas:
 Section 2 introduces and references some terms which are used with
 special meaning.
 Section 3 introduces the concept of describing media handling
 capabilities as combinations of possible media features, and the idea
 of using Boolean expressions to express such combinations.
 Section 4 contains a description of a syntax for describing feature
 sets based on the previously-introduced idea of Boolean expressions
 used to describe media feature combinations.
 Section 5 describes an algorithm for feature set matching.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 3] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 Section 6 discusses some additional media feature description and
 processing issues that may be viewed as extensions to the core
 framework.
 Section 7 contains a worked example of feature set matching, and some
 additional explanatory comments spurred by issues arising from
 applying this framework to fascimile transmissions.

1.2 Document terminology and conventions

 The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
 "SHOULD", SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
 document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.
    NOTE:  Comments like this provide additional nonessential
    information about the rationale behind this document.  Such
    information is not needed for building a conformant
    implementation, but may help those who wish to understand the
    design in greater depth.

1.3 Discussion of this document

 Discussion of this document should take place on the content
 negotiation and media feature registration mailing list hosted by the
 Internet Mail Consortium (IMC):
 Please send comments regarding this document to:
    ietf-medfree@imc.org
 To subscribe to this list, send a message with the body 'subscribe'
 to "ietf-medfree-request@imc.org".
 To see what has gone on before you subscribed, please see the mailing
 list archive at:
    http://www.imc.org/ietf-medfree/

2. Content feature terminology and definitions

 Feature Collection
    is a collection of different media features and associated values.
    This might be viewed as describing a specific rendering of a
    specific instance of a document or resource by a specific
    recipient.
 Feature Set
    is a set of zero, one or more feature collections.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 4] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    NOTE:  this term is used slightly differently by earlier work on
    Transparent Content Negotiation in HTTP [4].
 Feature set predicate
    A function of an arbitrary feature collection value which returns
    a Boolean result.  A TRUE result is taken to mean that the
    corresponding feature collection belongs to some set of media
    feature handling capabilities defined by this predicate.
 Other terms used in this memo are defined in [2].

3. Media feature combinations and capabilities

3.1 Media features

 This memo assumes that individual media feature values are simple
 atomic values:
    o  Boolean values.
    o  Enumerated values.
    o  Text string values (treated as atomic entities, like enumerated
       value tokens).
    o  Numeric values (Integer or rational).
 These values all have the property that they can be compared for
 equality ('='), and that numeric and ordered enumeration values can
 be compared for less-than and greater-than relationship ('<=', '>=').
 These basic comparison operations are used as the primitive building
 blocks for more comprehensive capability expressions.

3.2 Media feature collections and sets

 Any single media feature value can be thought of as just one
 component of a feature collection that describes some instance of a
 resource (e.g. a printed document, a displayed image, etc.).  Such a
 feature collection consists of a number of media feature tags (each
 per [3]) and associated feature values.
 A feature set is a set containing a number of feature collections.
 Thus, a feature set can describe a number of different data resource
 instances.  These can correspond to different treatments of a single
 data resource (e.g. different resolutions used for printing a given
 document), a number of different data resources subjected to a common
 treatment (e.g. the range of different images that can be rendered on
 a given display), or some combination of these (see examples below).

Klyne Standards Track [Page 5] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 Thus, a description of a feature set can describe the capabilities of
 a data resource or some entity that processes or renders a data
 resource.

3.3 Media feature set descriptions

 A feature set may be unbounded.  For example, in principle, there is
 no limit on the number of different documents that may be output
 using a given printer.  But to be practically useful, a feature set
 description must be finite.
 The general approach to describing feature sets is to start from the
 assumption that anything is possible;  i.e. the feature set contains
 all possible document instances (feature collections).  Then
 constraints are applied that progressively remove document instances
 from this set;  e.g. for a monochrome printer, all document instances
 that use colour are removed, or for a document that must be rendered
 at some minimum resolution, all document instances with lesser
 resolutions are removed from the set.  The mechanism used to remove
 document instances from the set is the mathematical idea of a
 "relation";  i.e. a Boolean function (a "predicate") that takes a
 feature collection parameter and returns a Boolean value that is TRUE
 if the feature collection describes an acceptable document instance,
 or FALSE if it describes one that is excluded.
                   P(C)
     P(C) = TRUE <- : -> P(C) = FALSE
                    :
         +----------:----------+  This box represents some
         |          :          |  set of feature collections (C)
         | Included : Excluded |  that is constrained by the
         |          :          |  predicate P.
         +----------:----------+
                    :
 The result of applying a series of such constraints is a smaller set
 of feature collections that represent some media handling capability.
 Where the individual constraints are represented by predicates that
 each describe some media handling capability, the combined effect of
 these constraints is some subset of the individual constraint
 capabilities that can be represented by a predicate that is the
 logical-AND of the individual constraint predicates.

3.4 Media feature combination scenario

 This section develops some example scenarios, introducing the
 notation that is defined formally in section 4.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 6] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

3.4.1 Data resource options

 The following expression describes a data resource that can be
 displayed either:
 (a)  as a 750x500 pixel image using 15 colours, or
 (b)  at 150dpi on an A4 page.
    (| (& (pix-x=750) (pix-y=500) (color=15) )
       (& (dpi>=150) (papersize=iso-A4) ) )

3.4.2 Recipient capabilities

 The following expression describes a receiving system that has:
 (a)  a screen capable of displaying 640*480 pixels and 16 million
      colours (24 bits per pixel), 800*600 pixels and 64 thousand
      colours (16 bits per pixel) or 1024*768 pixels and 256 colours
      (8 bits per pixel), or
 (b)  a printer capable of rendering 300dpi on A4 paper.
       (| (& (| (& (pix-x<=640)  (pix-y<=480) (color<=16777216) )
                (& (pix-x<=800)  (pix-y<=600) (color<=65535) )
                (& (pix-x<=1024) (pix-y<=768) (color<=256) ) )
             (ua-media=screen) )
          (& (dpi=300)
             (ua-media=stationery) (papersize=iso-A4) ) )
 Note that this expression says nothing about the colour or grey-scale
 capabilities of the printer.  In the scheme presented here, it is
 presumed to be unconstrained in this respect (or, more realistically,
 any such constraints are handled out-of-band by anyone sending to
 this recipient).

3.4.3 Combined options

 The following example describes the range of document representations
 available when the resource described in the first example above is
 sent to the recipient described in the second example.  This is the
 result of combining their capability feature sets:
       (| (& (pix-x=750) (pix-y=500) (color=15) )
          (& (dpi=300) (ua-media=stationery) (papersize=iso-A4) ) )
 The feature set described by this expression is the intersection of
 the sets described by the previous two capability expressions.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 7] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

3.5 Feature set predicates

 There are many ways of representing a predicate.  The ideas in this
 memo were inspired by the programming language Prolog [5], and its
 use of predicates to describe sets of objects.
 For the purpose of media feature descriptions in networked
 application protocols, the format used for LDAP search filters [7,8]
 has been adopted, because it is a good match for the requirements of
 capability identification, and has a very simple structure that is
 easy to parse and process.

3.5.1 Comparison with directory search filters

 Observe that a feature collection is similar to a directory entry, in
 that it consists of a collection of named values.  Further, the
 semantics of the mechanism for selecting feature collections from a
 feature set is in many respects similar to selection of directory
 entries from a directory.
 A feature set predicate used to describe media handling capabilities
 is implicitly applied to some feature collection.  Within the
 predicate, members of the feature collection are identified by their
 feature tags, and are compared with known feature values.  (Compare
 with the way an LDAP search filter is applied to a directory entry,
 whose members are identified by attribute type names, and compared
 with known attribute values.)
 For example, in:
    (& (dpi>=150) (papersize=iso-A4) )
 the tokens 'dpi' and 'papersize' are feature tags, and '150' and '
 iso-A4' are feature values.  (In a corresponding LDAP search filter,
 they would be directory entry attribute types and attribute values.)
 Differences between directory selection (per [7]) and feature set
 selection are:
    o  Directory selection provides substring-, approximate- and
       extensible- matching for attribute values.  Such matching is
       not provided for feature set selection.
    o  Directory selection may be based on the presence of an
       attribute without regard to its value.  Within the semantic
       framework described by this document, Boolean-valued feature
       tests can be used to provide a similar effect.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 8] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    o  Directory selection provides for matching rules that test for
       the presence or absence of a named attribute type.
    o  Directory selection provides for matching rules which are
       dependent upon the declared data type of an attribute value.
    o  Feature selection provides for the association of a quality
       value with a feature predicate as a way of ranking the selected
       value collections.
 Within the semantic framework described by this document, Boolean-
 valued feature tests can be used where presence tests would be used
 in a directory search filter.
 The idea of extensible matching and matching rules dependent upon
 data types are facets of a problem not addressed by this memo, but
 which do not necessarily affect the feature selection syntax.  An
 aspect that might bear on the syntax would be specification of an
 explicit matching rule as part of a selection expression.

3.6 Describing preferences

 A convenient way to describe preferences is by numeric "quality
 values".
 It has been suggested that numeric quality values are potentially
 misleading if used as more than just a way of ranking options.  For
 the purposes of this memo, ranking of options is sufficient.
 Numeric quality values in the range 0 to 1, with up to 3 fractional
 digits, are used to rank feature sets according to preference.
 Higher values are preferred over lower values, and equal values are
 presumed to be equally preferred.  Beyond this, the actual number
 used has no significance defined here.  Arithmetic operations on
 quality values are likely to produce unpredictable results unless
 appropriate semantics have been defined for the context where such
 operations are used.
 In the absence of any explicitly applied quality value, a value of
 "1" is assumed.
 Using the notation defined later, a quality value may be attached to
 any feature set predicate sub-expression:
    (| (& (pix-x=750) (pix-y=500) (color=15) );q=0.8
       (& (dpi>=150) (papersize=iso-A4) )     ;q=0.7 )

Klyne Standards Track [Page 9] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 Section 3.7 below explains that quality values attached to
 sub-expressions are not always useful.
    NOTE:  the syntax for quality values used here taken from
    that defined for HTTP 'Accept:' headers in RFC 2068 [9],
    section 3.9.  However, the use of quality values defined
    here does not go as far as that defined in RFC 2068.

3.7 Combining preferences

 The general problem of describing and combining preferences among
 feature sets is very much more complex than simply describing
 allowable feature sets.  For example, given two feature sets:
    (& (a1);q=0.8 (b1);q=0.7 )
    (& (a2);q=0.5 (b2);q=0.9 )
 where:
    feature a1 is preferred over a2
    feature b2 is preferred over b1
 Which of these feature sets is preferred?  In the absence of
 additional information or assumptions, there is no generally
 satisfactory answer to this.
 The proposed resolution of this issue is simply to say that no rules
 are provided for combining preference information.  Applied to the
 above example, any preference information about (a1) in relation to
 (a2), or (b1) in relation to (b2) is not presumed to convey
 information about preference of (& (a1) (b1) ) in relation to (& (a2)
 (b2) ).
 In practical terms, this restricts the application of preference
 information to top-level predicate clauses.  A top-level clause
 completely defines an allowable feature set;  clauses combined by
 logical-AND operators cannot be top-level clauses (see canonical
 format for feature set predicates, described later).
    NOTE: This memo does not apply specific meaning to quality values
    or rules for combining them.  Application of such meanings and
    rules is not prohibited, but is seen as an area for continuing
    research and experimentation.
    An example of a design that uses extended quality value semantics
    and combining operations is "Transparent Content Negotiation in
    HTTP" [4].  Other work that also extends quality values is the
    content negotiation algorithm in the Apache HTTP server [14].

Klyne Standards Track [Page 10] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

4. Feature set representation

 The foregoing sections have described a framework for defining
 feature sets with predicates applied to feature collections.  This
 section presents a concrete representation for feature set
 predicates.

4.1 Textual representation of predicates

 The text representation of a feature set is based on RFC 2254 "The
 String Representation of LDAP Search Filters" [8], excluding those
 elements not relevant to feature set selection (discussed above), and
 adding elements specific to feature set selection (e.g. options to
 associate quality values with predicates).
 The format of a feature predicate is defined by the production for
 "filter" in the following, using the syntax notation and core rules
 of RFC 2234 [10]:
    filter     =  "(" filtercomp ")" *( ";" parameter )
    parameter  =  "q" "=" qvalue
               /  ext-param "=" ext-value
    qvalue     =  ( "0" [ "." 0*3DIGIT ] )
               /  ( "1" [ "." 0*3("0") ] )
    ext-param  =  ALPHA *( ALPHA / DIGIT / "-" )
    ext-value  =  <parameter value, according to the named parameter>
    filtercomp =  and / or / not / item
    and        =  "&" filterlist
    or         =  "|" filterlist
    not        =  "!" filter
    filterlist =  1*filter
    item       =  simple / set / ext-pred
    set        =  attr "=" "[" setentry *( "," setentry ) "]"
    setentry   =  value "/" range
    range      =  value ".." value
    simple     =  attr filtertype value
    filtertype =  equal / greater / less
    equal      =  "="
    greater    =  ">="
    less       =  "<="
    attr       =  ftag
    value      =  fvalue
    ftag       =  <Feature tag, as defined in RFC 2506 [3]>
    fvalue     =  Boolean / number / token / string
    Boolean    =  "TRUE" / "FALSE"
    number     =  integer / rational
    integer    =  [ "+" / "-" ] 1*DIGIT
    rational   =  [ "+" / "-" ] 1*DIGIT "/" 1*DIGIT

Klyne Standards Track [Page 11] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    token      =  ALPHA *( ALPHA / DIGIT / "-" )
    string     =  DQUOTE *(%x20-21 / %x23-7E) DQUOTE
                  ; quoted string of SP and VCHAR without DQUOTE
    ext-pred   =  <Extension constraint predicate, not defined here>
 (Subject to constraints imposed by the protocol that carries a
 feature predicate, whitespace characters may appear between any pair
 of syntax elements or literals that appear on the right hand side of
 these productions.)
 As described, the syntax permits parameters (including quality
 values) to be attached to any "filter" value in the predicate (not
 just top-level values).  Only top-level quality values are
 recognized.  If no explicit quality value is given, a value of '1.0'
 is applied.
    NOTE:  The flexible approach to quality values and other parameter
    values in this syntax has been adopted for two reasons:  (a) to
    make it easy to combine separately constructed feature predicates,
    and (b) to provide an extensible tagging mechanism for possible
    future use (for example, to incorporate a conceivable requirement
    to explicitly specify a matching rule).

4.2 Interpretation of feature predicate syntax

 A feature set predicate is described by the syntax production for '
 filter'.

4.2.1 Filter syntax

 A 'filter' is defined as either a simple feature comparison ('item',
 see below) or a composite filter ('and', 'or', 'not'), decorated with
 optional parameter values (including "q=qvalue").
 A composite filter is a logical combination of one or more 'filter'
 values:
 (& f1 f2 ... fn )   is the logical-AND of the filter values 'f1',
                     'f2' up to 'fn'.  That is, it is satisfied by
                     any feature collection that satisfies all of
                     the predicates represented by those filters.
 (| f1 f2 ... fn )   is the logical-OR of the filter values 'f1',
                     'f2' up to 'fn'.  That is, it is satisfied by
                     any feature collection that satisfies at least
                     one of the predicates represented by those
                     filters.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 12] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 (! f1 )             is the logical negation of the filter value
                     'f1'.  That is, it is satusfied by any feature
                     collection that does NOT satisfy the predicate
                     represented by 'f1'.

4.2.2 Feature comparison

 A feature comparison is defined by the 'simple' option of the syntax
 production for 'item'. There are three basic forms:
 (ftag=value)        compares the feature named 'ftag' (in some
                     feature collection that is being tested) with
                     the supplied 'value', and matches if they are
                     equal.  This can be used with any type of
                     feaure value (numeric, Boolean, token or
                     string).
 (ftag<=value)       compares the numeric feature named 'ftag' with
                     the supplied 'value', and matches if the
                     feature is less than or equal to 'value'.
 (ftag>=value)       compares the numeric feature named 'ftag' with
                     the supplied 'value', and matches if the
                     feature is greater than or equal to 'value'.
 Less-than and greater-than tests may be performed with feature values
 that are not numeric but, in general, they amount to equality tests
 as there is no ordering relation on non-numeric values defined by
 this specification.  Specific applications may define such ordering
 relations on specific feature tags, but such definitions are beyond
 the scope of (and not required for conformance to) this
 specification.

4.2.3 Feature tags

 Feature tags conform to the syntax given in "Media Feature Tag
 Registration Procedure" [3].  Feature tags used to describe
 capabilities should be registered using the procedures described in
 that memo.  Unregistered feature tags should be allocated in the "URI
 tree", as discussed in the media feature registration procedures memo
 [3].
 If an unrecognized feature tag is encountered in the course of
 feature set predicate processing, it should be still be processed as
 a legitimate feature tag.  The feature set matching rules are
 designed to allow new feature tags to be introduced without affecting
 the validity of existing capability assertions.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 13] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

4.2.4 Feature values

 A feature may have a number, Boolean, token or string value.

4.2.4.1 Boolean values

 A Boolean is simply a token with two predefined values: "TRUE" and
 "FALSE".  (Upper- or lower- case letters may be used in any
 combination.)

4.2.4.2 Numeric values

 A numeric value is either a decimal integer, optionally preceded by a
 "+" or "-" sign, or rational number.
 A rational number is expressed as "n/m", optionally preceded by a "+"
 or "-" sign.  The "n" and "m" are unsigned decimal integers, and the
 value represented by "n/m" is "n" divided by "m".  Thus, the
 following are all valid representations of the number 1.5:
    3/2
    +15/10
    600/400
 Thus, several rational number forms may express the same value.  A
 canonical form of rational number is obtained by finding the highest
 common factor of "n" and "m", and dividing both "n" and "m" by that
 value.
 A simple integer value may be used anywhere in place of a rational
 number.  Thus, we have:
    +5 is equivalent to +5/1 or +50/10, etc.
    -2 is equivalent to -2/1 or -4/2, etc.
 Any sign in a rational number must precede the entire number, so the
 following are not valid rational numbers:
    3/+2, 15/-10      (**NOT VALID**)

4.2.4.3 Token values

 A token value is any sequence of letters, digits and '-' characters
 that conforms to the syntax for 'token' given above.  It is a name
 that stands for some (unspecified) value.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 14] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

4.2.4.4 String values

 A string value is any sequence of characters enclosed in double
 quotes that conform to the syntax for 'string' given above.
 The semantics of string defined by this memo are the same as those
 for a token value.  But a string allows a far greater variety of
 internal formats, and specific applications may choose to interpret
 the content in ways that go beyond those given here.  Where such
 interpretation is possible, the allowed string formats and the
 corresponding interpretations should be indicated in the media
 feature registration (per RFC 2506 [3]).

4.2.5 Notational conveniences

 The 'set' option of the syntax production for 'item' is simply a
 shorthand notation for some common situations that can be expressed
 using 'simple' constructs.  Occurrences of 'set' items can eliminated
 by applying the following identities:
    T = [ E1, E2, ... En ]  -->  (| (T=[E1]) (T=[E2]) ... (T=[En]) )
    (T=[R1..R2])            -->  (& (T>=R1) (T<=R2) )
    (T=[E])                 -->  (T=E)
 Examples:
 The expression:
    ( paper-size=[A4,B4] )
 can be used to express a capability to print documents on either A4
 or B4 sized paper.
 The expression:
    ( width=[4..17/2] )
 might be used to express a capability to print documents that are
 anywhere between 4 and 8.5 inches wide.
 The set construct is designed so that enumerated values and ranges
 can be combined in a single expression, e.g.:
    ( width=[3,4,6..17/2] )

4.3 Feature set definition example

 The following is an example of a feature predicate that describes a
 number of image size and resolution combinations, presuming the
 registration and use of 'Pix-x', 'Pix-y', 'Res-x' and 'Res-y' feature
 tags:
    (| (& (Pix-x=1024)

Klyne Standards Track [Page 15] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

          (Pix-y=768)
          (| (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=150) )
             (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=600) )
             (& (Res-x=600) (Res-y=600) ) ) )
       (& (Pix-x=800)
          (Pix-y=600)
          (| (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=150) )
             (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=600) )
             (& (Res-x=600) (Res-y=600) ) ) ) ;q=0.9
       (& (Pix-x=640)
          (Pix-y=480)
          (| (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=150) )
             (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=300) )
             (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=600) )
             (& (Res-x=600) (Res-y=600) ) ) ) ;q=0.8 )

5. Matching feature sets

 This section presents a procedure for combining feature sets to
 determine the common feature collections to which they refer, if
 there are any.  Making a selection from the possible feature
 collections (based on q-values or otherwise) is not covered here.
 Matching a feature set to some given feature collection is
 essentially very straightforward:  the feature set predicate is
 simply evaluated for the given feature collection, and the result
 (TRUE or FALSE) indicates whether the feature collection matches the
 capabilities, and the associated quality value can be used for
 selecting among alternative feature collections.
 Matching a feature set to some other feature set is less
 straightforward.  Here, the problem is to determine whether or not
 there is at least one feature collection that matches both feature
 sets (e.g. is there an overlap between the feature capabilities of a
 given file format and the feature capabilities of a given recipient?)
 This feature set matching is accomplished by logical manipulation of
 the predicate expressions as described in the following sub-sections.
 For this procedure to work reliably, the predicates must be reduced
 to a canonical form.  The canonical form used here is "disjunctive
 normal form".  A syntax for disjunctive normal form is:

Klyne Standards Track [Page 16] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    filter     =  orlist
    orlist     =  "(" "|" andlist ")" / term
    andlist    =  "(" "&" termlist ")" / term
    termlist   =  1*term
    term       =  "(" "!" simple ")" / simple
 where "simple" is as described previously in section 4.1.  Thus, the
 canonicalized form has at most three levels:  an outermost "(|...)"
 disjunction of "(&...)" conjunctions of possibly negated feature
 value tests.
    NOTE:  The usual canonical form for predicate expressions is
    "clausal form".  Procedures for converting general predicate
    expressions are given in [5] (section 10.2), [11] (section 2.13)
    and [12] (section 5.3.2).
    "Clausal form" for a predicate is similar to "conjunctive normal
    form" for a proposition, being a conjunction (logical AND) of
    disjunctions (logical ORs).  The related form used here, better
    suited to feature set matching, is "disjunctive normal form",
    which is a logical disjunction (OR) of conjunctions (ANDs).  In
    this form, the aim of feature set matching is to show that at
    least one of the disjunctions can be satisfied by some feature
    collection.
    Is this consideration of canonical forms really required?  After
    all, the feature predicates are just Boolean expressions, aren't
    they?  Well, no: a feature predicate is a Boolean expression
    containing primitive feature value tests (comparisons),
    represented by 'item' in the feature predicate syntax.  If these
    tests could all be assumed to be independently TRUE or FALSE, then
    each could be regarded as an atomic proposition, and the whole
    predicate could be dealt with according to the (relatively simple)
    rules of Propositional Calculus.
    But, in general, the same feature tag may appear in more than one
    predicate 'item', so the tests cannot be regarded as independent.
    Indeed, interdependence is needed in any meaningful application of
    feature set matching, and it is important to capture these
    dependencies (e.g. does the set of resolutions that a sender can
    supply overlap the set of resolutions that a recipient can
    handle?).  Thus, we have to deal with elements of the Predicate
    Calculus, with some additional rules for algebraic manipulation.
    A description of both the Propositional and Predicate calculi can
    be found in [12].

Klyne Standards Track [Page 17] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    We aim to show that these additional rules are more unfamiliar
    than complicated.  The construction and use of feature predicates
    actually avoids some of the complexity of dealing with fully-
    generalized Predicate Calculus.

5.1 Feature set matching strategy

 The overall strategy for matching feature sets, expanded below, is:
 1. Formulate the feature set match hypothesis.
 2. Replace "set" expressions with equivalent comparisons.
 3. Move logical negations "inwards", so that they are all applied
    directly to feature comparisons.
 4. Eliminate logical negations, and express all feature comparisons
    in terms of just four comparison operators
 5. Reduce the hypothesis to canonical disjunctive normal form (a
    disjunction of conjunctions).
 6. For each of the conjunctions, attempt to show that it can be
    satisfied by some feature collection.
    6.1  Separate the feature value tests into independent feature
       groups, such that each group contains tests involving just one
       feature tag.  Thus, no predicate in a feature group contains a
       feature tag that also appears in some other group.
    6.2  For each feature group, merge the various constraints to a
       minimum form.  This process either yields a reduced expression
       for the allowable range of feature values, or an expression
       containing the value FALSE, which is an indication that no
       combination of feature values can satisfy the constraints (in
       which case the corresponding conjunction can never be
       satisfied).
 7. If the remaining disjunction contains at least one satisfiable
    conjunction, then the constraints are shown to be satisfiable.
 The final expression obtained by this procedure, if it is non-empty,
 can be used as a statement of the resulting feature set for possible
 further matching operations.  That is, it can be used as a starting
 point for combining with additional feature set constraint predicate
 to determine a feature set that is constrained by the capabilities of
 several entities in a message transfer path.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 18] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    NOTE: as presented, the feature matching process evaluates (and
    stores) all conjunctions of the disjunctive normal form before
    combining feature tag comparisons and eliminating unsatisfiable
    conjunctions.  For low-memory systems an alternative approach is
    possible, in which each normal form conjunction is enumerated and
    evaluated in turn, with only those that are satisfiable being
    retained for further use.

5.2 Formulating the goal predicate

 A formal statement of the problem we need to solve can be given as:
 given two feature set predicates, '(P x)' and '(Q x)', where 'x' is
 some feature collection, we wish to establish the truth or otherwise
 of the proposition:
    EXISTS(x) : (P x) AND (Q x)
 i.e. does there exist a feature collection 'x' that satisfies both
 predicates, 'P' and 'Q'?
 Then, if feature sets to be matched are described by predicates 'P'
 and 'Q', the problem is to determine if there is any feature set
 satisfying the goal predicate:
    (& P Q)
 i.e. to determine whether the set thus described is non-empty.

5.3 Replace set expressions

 Replace all "set" instances in the goal predicate with equivalent
 "simple" forms:
    T = [ E1, E2, ... En ]  -->  (| (T=[E1]) (T=[E2]) ... (T=[En]) )
    (T=[R1..R2])            -->  (& (T>=R1) (T<=R2) )
    (T=[E])                 -->  (T=E)

5.4 Move logical negations inwards

 The goal of this step is to move all logical negations so that they
 are applied directly to feature comparisons.  During the following
 step, these logical negations are replaced by alternative comparison
 operators.
 This is achieved by repeated application of the following
 transformation rules:

Klyne Standards Track [Page 19] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    (! (& A1 A2 ... Am ) )  -->  (| (! A1 ) (! A2 ) ... (! Am ) )
    (! (| A1 A2 ... Am ) )  -->  (& (! A1 ) (! A2 ) ... (! Am ) )
    (! (! A ) )             -->  A
 The first two rules are extended forms of De Morgan's law, and the
 third is elimination of double negatives.

5.5 Replace comparisons and logical negations

 The predicates are derived from the syntax described previously, and
 contain primitive value testing functions '=', '<=', '>='.  The
 primitive tests have a number of well known properties that are
 exploited to reach a useful conclusion; e.g.
    (A = B)  & (B = C)  => (A = C)
    (A <= B) & (B <= C) => (A <= C)
 These rules form a core body of logic statements against which the
 goal predicate can be evaluated.  The form in which these statements
 are expressed is important to realizing an effective predicate
 matching algorithm (i.e. one that doesn't loop or fail to find a
 valid result).  The first step in formulating these rules is to
 simplify the framework of primitive predicates.
 The primitive predicates from which feature set definitions are
 constructed are '=', '<=' and '>='.  Observe that, given any pair of
 feature values, the relationship between them must be exactly one of
 the following:
    (LT a b): 'a' is less than 'b'.
    (EQ a b): 'a' is equal to 'b'.
    (GT a b): 'a' is greater than 'b'.
    (NE a b): 'a' is not equal to 'b', and is not less than
              or greater than 'b'.
 (The final case arises when two values are compared for which no
 ordering relationship is defined, and the values are not equal; e.g.
 two unequal string values.)
 These four cases can be captured by a pair of primitive predicates:
    (LE a b): 'a' is less than or equal to 'b'.
    (GE a b): 'a' is greater than or equal to 'b'.
 The four cases described above are prepresented by the following
 combinations of primitive predicate values:

Klyne Standards Track [Page 20] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    (LE a b)   (GE a b) | relationship
    ----------------------------------
       TRUE      FALSE  | (LT a b)
       TRUE       TRUE  | (EQ a b)
      FALSE       TRUE  | (GT a b)
      FALSE      FALSE  | (NE a b)
 Thus, the original 3 primitive tests can be translated to
 combinations of just LE and GE, reducing the number of additional
 relationships that must be subsequently captured:
    (a <= b)  -->  (LE a b)
    (a >= b)  -->  (GE a b)
    (a = b)   -->  (& (LE a b) (GE a b) )
 Further, logical negations of the original 3 primitive tests can be
 eliminated by the introduction of 'not-greater' and 'not-less'
 primitives
    (NG a b)  ==  (! (GE a b) )
    (NL a b)  ==  (! (LE a b) )
 using the following transformation rules:
    (! (a = b) )   -->  (| (NL a b) (NG a b) )
    (! (a <= b) )  -->  (NL a b)
    (! (a >= b) )  -->  (NG a b)
 Thus, we have rules to transform all comparisons and logical
 negations into combinations of just 4 relational operators.

5.6 Conversion to canonical form

    NOTE: Logical negations have been eliminated in the previous step.
 Expand bracketed disjunctions, and flatten bracketed conjunctions and
 disjunctions:
    (& (| A1 A2 ... Am ) B1 B2 ... Bn )
      -->  (| (& A1 B1 B2 ... Bn )
              (& A2 B1 B2 ... Bn )
               :
              (& Am B1 B2 ... Bn ) )
    (& (& A1 A2 ... Am ) B1 B2 ... Bn )
      -->  (& A1 A2 ... Am B1 B2 ... Bn )
    (| (| A1 A2 ... Am ) B1 B2 ... Bn )
      -->  (| A1 A2 ... Am B1 B2 ... Bn )

Klyne Standards Track [Page 21] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 The result is in "disjunctive normal form", a disjunction of
 conjunctions:
    (| (& S11 S12 ... )
       (& S21 S22 ... )
        :
       (& Sm1 Sm2 ... Smn ) )
 where the "Sij" elements are simple feature comparison forms
 constructed during the step at section 5.5.  Each term within the
 top-level "(|...)" construct represents a single possible feature set
 that satisfies the goal.  Note that the order of entries within the
 top-level '(|...)', and within each '(&...)', is immaterial.
 From here on, each conjunction '(&...)' is processed separately.
 Only one of these needs to be satisfiable for the original goal to be
 satisfiable.
 (A textbook conversion to clausal form [5,11] uses slightly different
 rules to yield a "conjunctive normal form".)

5.7 Grouping of feature predicates

    NOTE:  Remember that from here on, each conjunction is treated
    separately.
 Each simple feature predicate contains a "left-hand" feature tag and
 a "right-hand" feature value with which it is compared.
 To arrange these into independent groups, simple predicates are
 grouped according to their left hand feature tag ('f').

5.8 Merge single-feature constraints

 Within each group, apply the predicate simplification rules given
 below to eliminate redundant single-feature constraints.  All
 single-feature predicates are reduced to an equality or range
 constraint on that feature, possibly combined with a number of non-
 equality statements.
 If the constraints on any feature are found to be contradictory (i.e.
 resolved to FALSE according to the applied rules), the containing
 conjunction is not satisfiable and may be discarded.  Otherwise, the
 resulting description is a minimal form of that particular
 conjunction of the feature set definition.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 22] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

5.8.1 Rules for simplifying ordered values

 These rules are applicable where there is an ordering relationship
 between the given values 'a' and 'b':
    (LE f a)  (LE f b)      -->  (LE f a),   a<=b
                                 (LE f b),   otherwise
    (LE f a)  (GE f b)      -->  FALSE,      a<b
    (LE f a)  (NL f b)      -->  FALSE,      a<=b
    (LE f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (LE f a),   a<b
                                 (NG f b),   otherwise
    (GE f a)  (GE f b)      -->  (GE f a),   a>=b
                                 (GE f b),   otherwise
    (GE f a)  (NL f b)      -->  (GE f a)    a>b
                                 (NL f b),   otherwise
    (GE f a)  (NG f b)      -->  FALSE,      a>=b
    (NL f a)  (NL f b)      -->  (NL f a),   a>=b
                                 (NL f b),   otherwise
    (NL f a)  (NG f b)      -->  FALSE,      a>=b
    (NG f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (NG f a),   a<=b
                                 (NG f b),   otherwise

5.8.2 Rules for simplifying unordered values

 These rules are applicable where there is no ordering relationship
 applicable to the given values 'a' and 'b':
    (LE f a)  (LE f b)      -->  (LE f a),   a=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise
    (LE f a)  (GE f b)      -->  FALSE,      a!=b
    (LE f a)  (NL f b)      -->  (LE f a)    a!=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise
    (LE f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (LE f a),   a!=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise
    (GE f a)  (GE f b)      -->  (GE f a),   a=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise
    (GE f a)  (NL f b)      -->  (GE f a)    a!=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise
    (GE f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (GE f a)    a!=b
                                 FALSE,      otherwise

Klyne Standards Track [Page 23] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    (NL f a)  (NL f b)      -->  (NL f a),   a=b
    (NL f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (NL f a),   a=b
    (NG f a)  (NG f b)      -->  (NG f a),   a=b

6. Other features and issues

6.1 Named and auxiliary predicates

 Named and auxiliary predicates can serve two purposes:
    (a)  making complex predicates easier to write and understand, and
    (b)  providing a possible basis for naming and registering feature
         sets.

6.1.1 Defining a named predicate

 A named predicate definition has the following form:
    named-pred =  "(" fname *pname ")" ":-" filter
    fname      =  ftag        ; Feature predicate name
    pname      =  token       ; Formal parameter name
 'fname' is the name of the predicate.
 'pname' is the name of a formal parameter which may appear in the
 predicate body, and which is replaced by some supplied value when the
 predicate is invoked.
 'filter' is the predicate body. It may contain references to the
 formal parameters, and may also contain references to feature tags
 and other values defined in the environment in which the predicate is
 invoked.  References to formal parameters may appear anywhere where a
 reference to a feature tag ('ftag') is permitted by the syntax for '
 filter'.
 The only specific mechanism defined by this memo for introducing a
 named predicate into a feature set definition is the "auxiliary
 predicate" described later.  Specific negotiating protocols or other
 specifications may define other mechanisms.
    NOTE:  There has been some suggestion of creating a registry for
    feature sets as well as individual feature values.  Such a
    registry might be used to introduce named predicates corresponding
    to these feature sets into the environment of a capability
    assertion.  Further discussion of this idea is beyond the scope of
    this memo.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 24] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

6.1.2 Invoking named predicates

 Assuming a named predicate has been introduced into the environment
 of some other predicate, it can be invoked by a filter 'ext-pred' of
 the form:
    ext-pred   =  fname *param
    param      =  expr
 The number of parameters must match the definition of the named
 predicate that is invoked.

6.1.3 Auxiliary predicates in a filter

 A auxiliary predicate is attached to a filter definition by the
 following extension to the "filter" syntax:
    filter     =/ "(" filtercomp *( ";" parameter ) ")"
                  "where" 1*( named-pred ) "end"
 The named predicates introduced by "named-pred" are visible from the
 body of the "filtercomp" of the filter to which they are attached,
 but are not visible from each other.  They all have access to the
 same environment as "filter", plus their own formal parameters.
 (Normal scoping rules apply: a formal parameter with the same name as
 a value in the environment of "filter" effectively hides the
 environment value from the body of the predicate to which it
 applies.)
    NOTE:  Recursive predicates are not permitted.  The scoping rules
    should ensure this.

6.1.4 Feature matching with named predicates

 The preceding procedures can be extended to deal with named
 predicates simply by instantiating (i.e. substituting) the predicates
 wherever they are invoked, before performing the conversion to
 disjunctive normal form.  In the absence of recursive predicates,
 this procedure is guaranteed to terminate.
 When substituting the body of a precdicate at its point of
 invocation, instances of formal parameters within the predicate body
 must be replaced by the corresponding actual parameter from the point
 of invocation.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 25] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

6.1.5 Example

 This example restates that given in section 4.3 using an auxiliary
 predicate named 'Res':
    (| (& (Pix-x=1024) (Pix-y=768) (Res Res-x Res-y) )
       (& (Pix-x=800)  (Pix-y=600) (Res Res-x Res-y) );q=0.9
       (& (Pix-x=640)  (Pix-y=480) (Res Res-x Res-y) );q=0.8 )
    where
    (Res Res-x Res-y) :-
       (| (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=150) )
          (& (Res-x=150) (Res-y=300) )
          (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=300) )
          (& (Res-x=300) (Res-y=600) )
          (& (Res-x=600) (Res-y=600) ) )
    end
 Note that the formal parameters of "Res", "Res-x" and "Res-y",
 prevent the body of the named predicate from referencing similarly-
 named feature values.

6.2 Unit designations

 In some exceptional cases, there may be differing conventions for the
 units of measurement of a given feature.  For example, resolution is
 commonly expressed as dots per inch (dpi) or dots per centimetre
 (dpcm) in different applications (e.g. printing vs faxing).
 In such cases, a unit designator may be appended to a feature value
 according to the conventions indicated below (see also [3]).  These
 considerations apply only to features with numeric values.
 Every feature tag has a standard unit of measurement.  Any expression
 of a feature value that uses this unit is given without a unit
 designation -- this is the normal case.  When the feature value is
 expressed in some other unit, a unit designator is appended to the
 numeric feature value.
 The registration of a feature tag indicates the standard unit of
 measurement for a feature, and also any alternate units and
 corresponding unit designators that may be used, according to RFC
 2506 [3].
 Thus, if the standard unit of measure for resolution is 'dpcm', then
 the feature predicate '(res=200)' would be used to indicate a
 resolution of 200 dots-per-centimetre, and '(res=72dpi)' might be
 used to indicate 72 dots-per-inch.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 26] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 Unit designators are accommodated by the following extension to the
 feature predicate syntax:
    fvalue     =/ number *WSP token
 When performing feature set matching, feature comparisons with and
 without unit designators, or feature comparisons with different unit
 designators, are treated as if they were different features.  Thus,
 the feature predicate '(res=200)' would not, in general, fail to
 match with the predicate '(res=200dpi)'.
    NOTE:  A protocol processor with specific knowledge of the feature
    and units concerned might recognize the relationship between the
    feature predicates in the above example, and fail to match these
    predicates.
    This appears to be a natural behaviour in this simple example, but
    can cause additional complexity in more general cases.
    Accordingly, this is not considered to be required or normal
    behaviour.  It is presumed that an application concerned will
    ensure consistent feature processing by adopting a consistent unit
    for any given feature.

6.3 Unknown feature value data types

 This memo has dealt with feature values that have well-understood
 comparison properties: numbers, with equality, less-than, greater-
 than relationships, and other values with equality relationships
 only.
 Some feature values may have comparison operations that are not
 covered by this framework.  For example, strings containing multi-
 part version numbers: "x.y.z".  Such feature comparisons are not
 covered by this memo.
 Specific applications may recognize and process feature tags that are
 associated with such values.  Future work may define ways to
 introduce new feature value data types in a way that allows them to
 be used by applications that do not contain built-in knowledge of
 their properties.

7. Examples and additional comments

7.1 Worked example

 This example considers sending a document to a high-end black-and-
 white fax system with the following receiver capabilities:

Klyne Standards Track [Page 27] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

    (& (dpi=[200,300])
       (grey=2) (color=0)
       (image-coding=[MH,MR]) )
 Turning to the document itself, assume it is available to the sender
 in three possible formats, A4 high resolution, B4 low resolution and
 A4 high resolution colour, described by:
    (& (dpi=300)
       (grey=2)
       (image-coding=MR) )
    (& (dpi=200)
       (grey=2)
       (image-coding=[MH,MMR]) )
    (& (dpi=300) (dpi-xyratio=1)
       (color<=256)
       (image-coding=JPEG) )
 These three image formats can be combined into a composite capability
 statement by a logical-OR operation (to describe format-1 OR format-2
 OR format-3):
    (| (& (dpi=300)
          (grey=2)
          (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=200)
          (grey=2)
          (image-coding=[MH,MMR]) )
       (& (dpi=300)
          (color<=256)
          (image-coding=JPEG) ) )
 The composite document description can be matched with the receiver
 capability description by combining the capability descriptions with
 a logical AND operation:
    (& (& (dpi=[200,300])
            (grey=2) (color=0)
          (image-coding=[MH,MR]) )
       (| (& (dpi=300)
             (grey=2)
             (image-coding=MR) )
          (& (dpi=200)
             (grey=2)
             (image-coding=[MH,MMR]) )
          (& (dpi=300)

Klyne Standards Track [Page 28] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

             (color<=256)
             (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
  1. → Expand value-set notation:
    (& (& (| (dpi=200) (dpi=300) )
          (grey=2) (color=0)
          (| (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MR) ) )
       (| (& (dpi=300)
             (grey=2)
             (image-coding=MR) )
          (& (dpi=200)
             (grey=2)
             (| (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MMR) ) )
          (& (dpi=300)
             (color<=256)
             (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
  1. → Flatten nested '(&…)':
    (& (| (dpi=200) (dpi=300) )
       (grey=2) (color=0)
       (| (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MR) )
       (| (& (dpi=300)
             (grey=2)
             (image-coding=MR) )
          (& (dpi=200)
             (grey=2)
             (| (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MMR) ) )
          (& (dpi=300)
             (color<=256)
             (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
  1. → (distribute '(&…)' over inner '(|…)'):
    (& (| (dpi=200) (dpi=300) )
       (grey=2) (color=0)
       (| (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MR) )
       (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
          (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
          (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
          (& (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
  1. → continue to distribute '(&…)' over '(|…)', and flattening

nested '(&…)' and '(|…)' …:

    (| (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )

Klyne Standards Track [Page 29] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
             (& (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
             (& (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
             (& (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
             (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
             (& (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) ) )
  1. → … until normal form is achieved:
    (| (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=300) (grey=2) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MH) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=200) (grey=2) (image-coding=MMR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)

Klyne Standards Track [Page 30] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

          (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH)
          (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) ) )
       (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR)
          (dpi=300) (color<=256) (image-coding=JPEG) ) )
  1. → Group terms in each conjunction by feature tag:
    (| (& (dpi=200) (dpi=300) (grey=2) (grey=2) (color=0)
          (image-coding=MH) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (dpi=300) (grey=2) (grey=2) (color=0)
          (image-coding=MR) (image-coding=MR) )
           :
          (etc.)
           :
       (& (dpi=300) (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (color<=256)
          (image-coding=MR) (image-coding=JPEG) ) )
  1. → Combine feature tag comparisons and eliminate unsatisfiable

conjunctions:

    (| (& (dpi=300) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MR) )
       (& (dpi=200) (grey=2) (color=0) (image-coding=MH) ) )
 Thus, we see that this combination of sender and receiver options can
 transfer a bi-level image, either at 300dpi using MR coding, or at
 200dpi using MH coding.
 Points to note about the feature matching process:
    o  The colour document option is eliminated because the receiver
       cannot handle either colour (indicated by '(color=0)') or JPEG
       coding.
    o  The high resolution version of the document with '(dpi=300)'
       must be sent using '(image-coding=MR)' because this is the only
       available coding of the image data that the receiver can use
       for high resolution documents.  (The available 300dpi document
       codings here are MMR and MH, and the receiver capabilities are
       MH and MR.)

7.2 A note on feature tag scoping

 This section contains some additional commentary on the
 interpretation of feture set predicates.  It does not extend or
 modify what has been described previously.  Rather, it attempts to
 clarify an area of possible misunderstanding.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 31] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 The essential fact that needs to be established here is:
    Within a given feature collection, each feature tag may have only
    one value.
 This idea is explained below in the context of using the media
 feature framework to describe the characteristics of transmitted
 image data.
 In this context, we have the requirement that any feature tag value
 must apply to the entire image, and cannot have different values for
 different parts of an image.  This is a consequence of the way that
 the framework of feature predicates is used to describe different
 possible images, such as the different images that can be rendered by
 a given recipient.
 This idea is illustrated here using an example of a flawed feature
 set description based on the TIFF image format defined for use by
 Internet fax [13]:
    (& (& (MRC-mode=1) (stripe-size=256) )
       (| (& (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) (stripe-size=128) )
          (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
 This example is revealing because the 'stripe-size' attribute is
 applied differently to different attributes on an MRC-formatted data:
 it can be applied to the MRC format as a whole, and it can be applied
 separately to a JBIG image that may appear as part of the MRC data.
 One might imagine that this example describes a stripe size of 256
 when applied to the MRC image format, and a separate stripe size of
 128 when applied to a JBIG-2-LEVEL coded image within the MRC-
 formatted data.  But it doesn't work that way:  the predicates used
 obey the normal laws of Boolean logic, and would be transformed as
 follows:
  1. → [flatten nested (&…)]:

(& (MRC-mode=1) (stripe-size=256)

           (| (& (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) (stripe-size=128) )
              (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
  1. → [Distribute (&…) over (|…)]:

(| (& (MRC-mode=1) (stripe-size=256)

               (& (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) (stripe-size=128) ) )
            (& (MRC-mode=1) (stripe-size=[0..256])
               (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )

Klyne Standards Track [Page 32] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

  1. → [Flatten nested (&…) and group feature tags]:

(| (& (MRC-mode=1)

               (stripe-size=256)
               (stripe-size=128)
               (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) )
            (& (MRC-mode=1)
               (stripe-size=256)
               (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
 Examination of this final expression shows that it requires both '
 stripe-size=128' and 'stripe-size=256' within the same conjunction.
 This is manifestly false, so the entire conjunction must be false,
 reducing the entire predicate expression to:
         (& (MRC-mode=1)
            (stripe-size=256)
            (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
 This indicates that no MRC formatted data containing a JBIG-2-LEVEL
 coded image is permitted within the feature set, which is not what
 was intended in this case.
 The only way to avoid this in situations when a given characteristic
 has different constraints in different parts of a resource is to use
 separate feature tags.  In this example, 'MRC-stripe-size' and '
 JBIG-stripe-size' could be used to capture the intent:
    (& (& (MRC-mode=1) (MRC-stripe-size=256) )
       (| (& (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) (JBIG-stripe-size=128) )
          (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
 which would reduce to:
         (| (& (MRC-mode=1)
               (MRC-stripe-size=256)
               (JBIG-stripe-size=128)
               (image-coding=JBIG-2-LEVEL) )
            (& (MRC-mode=1)
               (MRC-stripe-size=256)
               (image-coding=[MH,MR,MMR]) ) )
 The property of the capability description framework explicated above
 is captured by the idea of a "feature collection" which (in this
 context) describes the feature values that apply to a single
 resource.  Within a feature collection, each feature tag may have no
 more than one value.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 33] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 The characteristics of an image sender or receiver are described by a
 "Feature set", which is formally a set of feature collections.  Here,
 the feature set predicate is applied to some image feature collection
 to determine whether or not it belongs to the set that can be handled
 by an image receiver.

8. Security Considerations

 Some security considerations for content negotiation are raised in
 [1,2,3].
 The following are primary security concerns for capability
 identification mechanisms:
    o  Unintentional disclosure of private information through the
       announcement of capabilities or user preferences.
    o  Disruption to system operation caused by accidental or
       malicious provision of incorrect capability information.
    o  Use of a capability identification mechanism might be used to
       probe a network (e.g. by identifying specific hosts used, and
       exploiting their known weaknesses).
 The most contentious security concerns are raised by mechanisms which
 automatically send capability identification data in response to a
 query from some unknown system.  Use of directory services (based on
 LDAP [7], etc.) seem to be less problematic because proper
 authentication mechanisms are available.
 Mechanisms that provide capability information when sending a message
 are less contentious, presumably because some intention can be
 inferred that person whose details are disclosed wishes to
 communicate with the recipient of those details.  This does not,
 however, solve problems of spoofed supply of incorrect capability
 information.
 The use of format converting gateways may prove problematic because
 such systems would tend to defeat any message integrity and
 authenticity checking mechanisms that are employed.

9. Acknowledgements

 Thanks are due to Larry Masinter for demonstrating the breadth of the
 media feature issue, and encouraging the development of some early
 thoughts.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 34] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 Many of the ideas presented derive from the "Transparent Content
 Negotiation in HTTP" work of Koen Holtman and Andy Mutz [4].
 Early discussions of ideas with the IETF HTTP and FAX working groups
 led to further useful inputs from Koen Holtman, Ted Hardie and Dan
 Wing.  The debate later moved to the IETF 'conneg' working group,
 where Al Gilman and Koen Holtman were particularly helpful in
 refining the feature set algebra.  Ideas for dealing with preferences
 and specific units were suggested by Larry Masinter.
 This work was supported by Content Technologies Ltd and 5th
 Generation Messaging Ltd.

10. References

 [1]  Hardie, T., "Scenarios for the Delivery of Negotiated Content",
      Work in Progress.
 [2]  Klyne, G., "Requirements for protocol-independent content
      negotiation", Work in Progress.
 [3]  Holtman, K., Mutz, A., and T. Hardie, "Media Feature Tag
      Registration Procedure", BCP 31, RFC 2506, March 1999.
 [4]  Holtman, K. and A. Mutz, "Transparent Content Negotiation in
      HTTP", RFC 2295, March 1998.
 [5]  "Programming in Prolog" (2nd edition), W. F. Clocksin and C. S.
      Mellish, Springer Verlag, ISBN 3-540-15011-0 / 0-387-15011-0,
      1984.
 [6]  Masinter, L., Holtman, K., Mutz, A., and D. Wing, "Media
      Features for Display, Print, and Fax", RFC 2534, March 1999.
 [7]  Wahl, M., Howes, T. and S. Kille, "Lightweight Directory Access
      Protocol (v3)", RFC 2251, December 1997.
 [8]  Howes, T., "The String Representation of LDAP Search Filters",
      RFC 2254, December 1997.
 [9]  Fielding, R., Gettys, J., Mogul, J., Frytyk, H. and T. Berners-
      Lee, "Hyptertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1", RFC 2068,
      January 1997.
 [10] Crocker, D., Editor, and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for Syntax
      Specifications:  ABNF", RFC 2234, November 1997.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 35] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

 [11] "Logic, Algebra and Databases", Peter Gray, Ellis Horwood
      Series: Computers and their Applications, ISBN 0-85312-709-3/0-
      85312-803-3 (Ellis Horwood Ltd), ISBN 0-470-20103-7/0-470-
      20259-9 (Halstead Press), 1984.
 [12] "Logic and its Applications", Edmund Burk and Eric Foxley,
      Prentice Hall, Series in computer science, ISBN 0-13-030263-5,
      1996.
 [13] McIntyre, L., Buckley, R., Venable, D., Zilles, S., Parsons, G.
      and J. Rafferty, "File Format for Internet Fax", RFC 2301, March
      1998.
 [14] Apache content negotiation algorithm,
      <http://www.apache.org/docs/content-negotiation.html>

11. Author's Address

 Graham Klyne
 Content Technologies Ltd.        5th Generation Messaging Ltd.
 Forum 1                          5 Watlington Street
 Station Road                     Nettlebed
 Theale                           Henley-on-Thames
 Reading, RG7 4RA                 RG9 5AB
 United Kingdom                   United Kingdom.
 Phone:     +44 118 930 1300      +44 1491 641 641
 Facsimile: +44 118 930 1301      +44 1491 641 611
 EMail:     GK@ACM.ORG

Klyne Standards Track [Page 36] RFC 2533 A Syntax for Describing Media Feature Sets March 1999

Full Copyright Statement

 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.
 This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
 others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
 or assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published
 and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
 kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
 included on all such copies and derivative works.  However, this
 document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
 the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
 Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
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 copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
 followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
 English.
 The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
 revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
 This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
 "AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
 TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
 HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
 MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Klyne Standards Track [Page 37]

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