Defines a generic, unifying imaging architecture. Also defines those 'specialisations' or 'delineations' of the generic imaging architecture that are needed to support IPI-PIKS and IPI-IIF. Also deals with topics such as data types available for use in image data and image-related data.

ISO/IEC12087 is concerned with the manipulation, processing, and interchange of all types of digital images. The main purpose of this part is to define a generic, unifying imaging architecture to which other parts of ISO/IEC12087 conform. This part of ISO/IEC12087 also defines those “specializations?? or “delineations?? of the generic imaging architecture that are required to support IPI-PIKS and IPI-IIF. The relationship of the different parts of ISO/IEC12087 is shown in figure1. This part of ISO/IEC12087 describes material that applies throughout ISO/IEC12087, including topics such as data types available for use in image data and image-related data, and a model for the processing of digital images by operators. These topics are presented in a general form, since it is intended that subsequent imaging standards will conform to the same architectural model. Derived from this general description are more constrained descriptions of the same topics. The principal reason for this process of delineation is to restrict the range of data representations for IPI-PIKS and IPI-IIF, while simultaneously ensuring that IPI-IIF is capable of interchanging both IPI-PIKS data objects and objects that cannot be represented or manipulated within IPI-PIKS. ISO/IEC12087 permits multiple Application Program Interface (API)s to be developed, each of which must be Figure1 Relationship of the parts of ISO/IEC12087 based on specific delineations of the imaging model described herein. Each API will be specified in a separate part of ISO/IEC12087. Any subsequent APIs developed as part of ISO/IEC12087 must conform to the common architecture described in this document, and must be extensions of the APIs described in ISO/IEC120872 2 ISO/IEC12087-3. ISO/IEC12087 is intended for use in a wide variety of environments where digital images are handled. NOTE2 Application areas that are addressed by Image Processing and Interchange (IPI) include: image manipulation; image enhancement; image analysis; and image transport. Application areas that are not addressed by IPI include: computer graphics; image understanding; multimedia; device control; and window systems. ISO/IEC12087 is intended to conform with other International Standards developed to handle digital images. Such standards include the JPEG [ISO/IEC10918-1:1994], and MPEG [ISO/IEC11172-1:1993] compression standards, Open Systems Interconnect [ISO/IEC8824:1990], and Office Document Architecture [ISO/IEC8613]. Those aspects of ISO/IEC12087 that are concerned with the acquisition and display of digital images conform with the Computer Graphics Reference Model [ISO11072]. Furthermore, annexB of [ISO11072] describes how imaging fits within the general framework of that model. ISO/IEC12087-3 uses Abstract Syntax Notation 1 [ISO/IEC8824:1990] in the definition of the image interchange format. ISO/IEC12087 complies directly with all standards listed in clause2.