Descriptive Metadata for Television International Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Foundation This not-for-profit membership organization has spun out of the rights and intel- lectual property community and is a system for identifying content objects in the digital environment. The DOI has recently been appointed as the registration authority of the MPEG21 Rights Data Dictionary. DOIs (recently also called digital item identifiers, DII) can be used to identify many things such as an abstract work (which can often only be perceived indirectly--for example by being performed) or a person (who is more than simply a set of data). Digital object identifiers are names assigned to any entity for use on digital net- works. The DOI system is claimed to provide a framework for supplying persistent identification, managing intellectual content and metadata, linking customers with content suppliers, facilitating electronic commerce, and enabling automated man- agement of media. The DOI is a key component of the CNRI handle (discussed later). DIIs are purchased from the foundation and there is a charge for each one issued. Institution of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) The IEEE is probably the senior organization in the United States dealing with things electrical. It was formed in the last half of the 19th century, in the days of the telegraph and the introduction of electricity into the home.