S-TEN D2.1: Measuring activity


Ontology for self-describing networks	S-TEN D2.1

Cover page
Table of contents
1 Introduction
2 Terminology
3 Physical things

4 Temporal part and time
5 Observation and measurement
6 Information
7 Physical quantity, property and scale
8 What is possible

A SensorML
B Weather station example
C PML
D Computer interpretable listing
Index

5 Observation and measurement

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 What is an observation?

An observation is an activity (an sten:observing_activity) which is intended to create information about one of the objects involved in the activity.

NOTE 1 An activity which is intended to create information from other information, and which does not involve the object that the information is about, is not an sten:observing_activity.

NOTE 2 An sten:observing_activity does not necessarily create any information, because it can fail.

Information which can recorded about an sten:observing_activity includes the following:

what the activity observes (see sten:observes);
what performs the observation (see sten:observation_performed_by and sten:observation_performed_by_device);
what property is observed (see sten:observes_physical_property);
what result record is produced (see sten:gives_result_record);
what result RDF graph is produced (see sten:gives_result_graph).

EXAMPLE 1 Fred Bloggs observes "my_bearing" at 2007-03-15T16:00 and records that it is "hot". The activity can be recorded as follows:

[ a                sten:observing_activity ;
  sten:observation_performed_by  :Fred_Bloggs '
  sten:during      [ sten:has_nominal_value [ sten:utc_iso8601 "2007-03-15T16:00" ] ]
]
  sten:observes    :my_bearing ;
  sten:gives_result_record
                   http://www.somewhere.com/observations/my_bearing_2007-03-15T16:00 .

where the file http://www.somewhere.com/observations/my_bearing_2007-03-15T16:00 contains the text:

"my_bearing at 2007-03-15T16:00 is hot"

If the result is an RDF graph, then the result can be recorded without reference to a record, as follows:

[ a                 sten:observing_activity ;
  ......  ]
  sten:gives_result_graph
      { [ a                     sten:physical_object_at_instant ]
          sten:temporal_part_of :my_bearing ;
          sten:at_time          [ sten:utc_iso8601 "2007-03-15T16:00" ] ;
          a                     sten:hot
      } .

EXAMPLE 2 Consider the transmitted power function over time for "my_line", which is shown in Figure 5.

The mean power transmitted by "my_line" from 2007-03-14T10:00 to 2007-03-14T12:00, is measured by "my_measuring_device". This measurement is recorded as follows

[ a                sten:measuring_activity ;
  sten:observation_performed_by_device  :my_measuring_device ;
  sten:during      [ topology:end_1  [ sten:utc_iso8601 "2007-03-14T10:00" ] ;
                     topology:end_2  [ sten:utc_iso8601 "2007-03-14T12:00" ] ]
]
  sten:observes    :my_line ;
  sten:observes_physical_property
                   sten:transmitted_power ;
  sten:gives_result_graph
  { [ a                  basics:function ]
      rdfs:domain        :my_line_from_2007-03-14T10:00_to_12:00 ;
      rdfs:range         iso31:power ;
      rdfs:subPropertyOf sten:transmitted_power ;
      sten:function_mean [ a           iso31:power ;
                           watt_scale  [ basics:decimal  "0.125E6" ]
  } .

Information can be recorded about a results record or results graph, by recording the activity which created it.

EXAMPLE 3 Consider the file http://www.somewhere.com/observations/my_bearing_2007-03-15T16:00 which contains information recorded by Fred Bloggs in Example 1. The classification of this file as a results file, and information about the activity that created it, can be recorded as follows:

http://www.somewhere.com/observations/my_bearing_2007-03-15T16:00
   a          sten:result_record ;
   sten:result_record_given_by
     [ a             sten:observing_activity ;
       sten:observation_performed_by :Fred_Bloggs ;
       sten:during   [ sten:has_nominal_value [ sten:utc_iso8601 "2007-03-15T16:00" ] ]
       sten:observes :my_bearing
     ] .

5.1.2 Parts of an observation device

An sten:observation_device has some or all of the following parts:

sten:detecting_element: This responds to a physical phenonmenon and produces a sten:signal which depends upon the presence or the magnitude of the phenomenon.

An sten:observation_device contains at least one sten:detecting_element.
sten:transmitter: This receives a sten:signal and sends a sten:signal with the same sten:information_content to a remote receiver.
sten:indicator: This receives a sten:signal and presents the sten:information_content to a person close by.

An sten:observation_device contains either a sten:transmitter or an sten:indicator.
sten:information_processor: This receives an input sten:set_of_information_carrier and creates an output sten:set_of_information_carrier to an algorithm.

5.2 Observation and measurement ontology

5.2.1 observing_activity

An object is an sten:observing_activity if and only if:

it is an sten:activity;
it creates an observation.

An observation is sten:information_content about a sten:physical_thing, where the sten:physical_thing participates in the sten:observing_activity.

NOTE 1 An sten:activity, such as reading about the Roman Empire in a library, can create sten:information_content which is not an observation because the Roman Empire does not participate in the sten:activity.

NOTE 2 An sten:observing_activity can contain a parts which are only indirectly related to observation. Such a part sten:activity could be the transport of an instrument to a position where a measurement is made, or the conditioning of a sample before a measurement is made.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;observing_activity">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;activity"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observing_activity"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.2 measuring_activity

An object is a sten:measuring_activity if and only if:

it is an sten:observing_activity;
it creates an observation which is an estimate of a sten:physical_property possessed by a sten:physical_thing, and which is expressed as a numeric value, range or function with respect to a scale.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;measuring_activity">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#measuring_activity"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.3 observes

An object is an sten:observes relationship if and only if:

it is a sten:has_role_player relationship;
it specifies that a sten:persistent_object is observed by an sten:observing_activity.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;observes">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;has_role_player"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observes"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.4 observed_by

An object is an sten:observed_by relationship if and only if:

it is a sten:plays_role_in relationship;
it is the inverse of sten:observes.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;observed_by">
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <owl:inverseOf rdf:resource="&sten;observes"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;plays_role_in"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observed_by"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.5 observation_performed_by

An object is an sten:observation_performed_by relationship if and only if:

it is a sten:performed_by relationship;
an sten:observing_activity is performed.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;observation_performed_by">
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;performed_by"/>
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;persistent_object"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observed_by"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.6 performs_observation

An object is an sten:performs_observation relationship if and only if:

it is a sten:performs relationship;
an sten:observing_activity is performed.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;performs_observation">
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;performs"/>
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;persistent_object"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <owl:inverseOf rdf:resource="&sten;observation_performed_by"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#performs_observation"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.7 observation_performed_by_device

An object is an sten:observation_performed_by_device relationship if and only if:

it is an sten:observation_performed_by relationship;
the performer is a sten:device.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:FunctionalProperty rdf:about="&sten;observation_performed_by_device">
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;observation_performed_by"/>
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;device"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observed_by_facility"/>
</owl:FunctionalProperty>
<!--

5.2.8 observes_physical_property

An object is an sten:observes_physical_property relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:multivalued_function between sten:observing_activity and sten:physical_property;
it is a sten:physical_property for which a value is observed.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;observes_physical_property">
 <rdf:type rdf:resource="&basics;#multi_valued_function"/>
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;physical_property"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observes_physical_property"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.9 gives_result_graph

An object is a sten:gives_result_graph relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:partial_function between sten:observing_activity and sten:result_graph;
the sten:result_graph is the information obtained by the observation.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;gives_result_graph">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;result_graph"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;gives_result_record"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#gives_result_graph"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.10 result_graph_given_by

An object is a sten:result_graph_given_by relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:function between sten:result_graph and sten:observing_activity;
the sten:observing_activity made the observation that is recorded by the sten:result_graph.

NOTE A result_graph_given_by is a basics:function. This does not exclude a sten:result_graph being produced by the input from many sensors. In this case, the sensors must provide inputs to a single sten:observing_activity.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:FunctionalProperty rdf:about="&sten;result_graph_given_by">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;result_graph"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <owl:inverseOf rdf:resource="&sten;gives_result_graph"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;result_record_given_by"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#result_graph_given_by"/>
</owl:FunctionalProperty>
<!--

5.2.11 gives_result_record

An object is a sten:gives_result_record relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:partial_function between sten:observing_activity and sten:result_record;
the sten:result_record carries the information obtained by the observation.

A sten:gives_result_record relationship is a specialisation of a sten:has_output_record relationship.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;gives_result_record">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;result_record"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;has_output_record"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#gives_result_record"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.12 result_record_given_by

An object is a sten:result_record_given_by relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:inverse_function between sten:result_record and sten:observing_activity;
the sten:observing_activity made the observation that is recorded by the sten:result_record.

A sten:result_record_given_by relationship is a specialisation of a sten:information_carrier_produced_by relationship.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;result_record_given_by">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;result_record"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
 <owl:inverseOf rdf:resource="&sten;gives_result_record"/>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;record_produced_by"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#result_record_given_by"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.13 observation_device

An object is an sten:observation_device if and only if:

it is a sten:device;
it is intended to perform an sten:observing_activity.

NOTE 1 The phrase "intended to perform an sten:observing_activity" means that it performs an sten:observing_activity in a possible future world which is intended by a sten:device_supplier. This is discussed in section Design intent.

NOTE 2 This class includes both "sensor" and "system" as defined by SensorML.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;observation_device">
 <owl:equivalentClass>
  <owl:Restriction>
   <owl:onProperty rdf:resource="&sten;performs"/>
   <owl:someValuesFrom>
    <owl:Class>
     <owl:intersectionOf rdf:parseType="Collection">
      <owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;observing_activity"/>
      <owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;possible"/>
      <owl:Restriction>
       <owl:onProperty rdf:resource="&sten;intended_by"/>
       <owl:allValuesFrom rdf:resource="&sten;device_supplier"/>
      </owl:Restriction>
     </owl:intersectionOf>
    </owl:Class>
   </owl:someValuesFrom>
  </owl:Restriction>
 </owl:equivalentClass>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#observation_device"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

NOTE 3 This class is a generalisation of iso15926-4:detecting_instrument, which is "A process instrument that is intended to measure a physical quantity (IEV, IEC-770-1) and/or to indicate and/or to transmit a signal which represents a measured variable".

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&iso15926-4;detecting_instrument">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;observation_device"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.14 result_record

An object is an sten:result_record if and only if:

it is a sten:information_carrier;
it is produced by an sten:observing_activity.

NOTE Any object, and hence any sten:information_carrier, can be given a URI. If an sten:information_carrier is a "resource available via the Internet" (see RFC 1738 - Uniform Resource Locators (URL)).

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;result_record">
 <owl:equivalentClass>
  <owl:Restriction>
   <owl:onProperty rdf:resource="&sten;result_record_given_by"/>
   <owl:allValuesFrom rdf:resource="&sten;observing_activity"/>
  </owl:Restriction>
 </owl:equivalentClass>
 <rdfs:subPropertyOf rdf:resource="&sten;information_carrier"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#result_record"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.15 result_graph

An object is an sten:result_graph if and only if:

it is a rdfg:Graph (the link is into an RDF-XML file, which your browser may not open, but you can save and view as XML);
it is a sten:result_record.

NOTE for more details about named graphs, see Named Graphs.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;result_graph">
 <owl:equivalentClass>
  <owl:Class>
   <owl:intersectionOf rdf:parseType="Collection">
    <owl:Class rdf:about="&rdfg;Graph"/>
    <owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;result_record"/>
   </owl:intersectionOf>
  </owl:Class>
 </owl:equivalentClass>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#result_graph"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.16 detecting_element

An object is a sten:detecting_element if and only if:

it is a sten:device;
it is intended to respond to a physical phenonmenon and produces a sten:signal which depends upon the presence or the magnitude of the phenomenon.

NOTE 1 This class is equivalent to "detector" as defined by SensorML.

NOTE 2 This class is the same as iso15926-4:detecting_element.

NOTE 3 A sten:detecting_element can be a clock.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;detecting_element">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:about="&sten;device"/>
 <owl:sameAs rdf:about="&iso15926-4;detecting_element"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#detecting_element"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.17 transmitter

An object is a sten:transmitter if and only if:

it is a sten:device;
it is intended to receive a sten:signal and to send a sten:signal with the same sten:information_content to a remote receiver.

NOTE This class is the same as iso15926-4:transmitter.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;transmitter">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:about="&sten;device"/>
 <owl:sameAs rdf:about="&iso15926-4;transmitter"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#transmitter"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.18 indicator

An object is a sten:indicator if and only if:

it is a sten:device;
it is intended to receive a sten:signal and to present the sten:information_content to a person close by.

NOTE The class iso15926-4:indicating_instrument has an sten:indicator as a part.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;indicator">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:about="&sten;device"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#indicator"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.19 information_processor

An object is a sten:information_processor if and only if:

it is a sten:device;
it is intended to receive an input sten:set_of_information_carrier and to create an output sten:set_of_information_carrier according to an algorithm.

OWL specification:

<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;information_processor">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:about="&sten;device"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#information_processor"/>
</owl:Class>

5.2.20 transmitting_activity

An object is an sten:transmitting_activity if and only if:

it is an sten:activity;
it receives a sten:signal and sends a sten:signal with the same sten:information_content to a remote receiver.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;transmitting_activity">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;activity"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#transmitting_activity"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.21 information_processing_activity

An object is an sten:information_processing_activity if and only if:

it is an sten:activity;
it receives an input sten:set_of_information_carrier and creates an output sten:set_of_information_carrier according to an algorithm.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;information_processing_activity">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;activity"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#information_processing_activity"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.22 clock

An object is an sten:clock if and only if:

it is an sten:observation_device;
it observes a sten:time.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:Class rdf:about="&sten;clock">
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;observation_device"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#information_processing_activity"/>
</owl:Class>
<!--

5.2.23 has_result_record

An object is a sten:has_result_record relationship if and only if:

it is an sten:is_described_by relationship;
the sten:result_record carries the information obtained by observation of the sten:physical_thing.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;has_result_record">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;physical_thing"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;result_record"/>
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;is_described_by"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#has_result_record"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.24 result_record_about

An object is a sten:result_record_about relationship if and only if:

it is an sten:is_about relationship;
it is the inverse of sten:has_result_record.

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;result_record_about">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;result_record"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;physical_thing"/>
 <owl:inverseOf rdf:resource="&sten;has_result_record"/>
 <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource="&sten;is_about"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#result_record_about"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--

5.2.25 investigates

An object is a sten:investigates relationship if and only if:

it is a basics:mapping between sten:activity and sten:physical_thing;
the sten:activity is intended to find out information about the sten:physical_thing, but may not actually succeed in doing so.

NOTE 1 An sten:activity with an sten:investigates relationship can be an sten:observing_activity but need not be so. A visit to a library can investigate something, but does not observe anything (except the library and its books).

NOTE 2 An sten:observing_activity can have an sten:investigates relationship an sten:observes relationship with the same sten:persistent_object. However, the observed and the investigated objects can be different.

EXAMPLE The sten:observing_activity "deduce atmosphere composition from ice core sample X_1234" has an sten:observes relationship with "ice core X_1234". The sten:observing_activity has an sten:investigates relationship with "earth's atmosphere 10000 years BP".

OWL specification:

-->
<owl:ObjectProperty rdf:about="&sten;investigates">
 <rdfs:domain rdf:resource="&sten;activity"/>
 <rdfs:range rdf:resource="&sten;physical_thing"/>
 <meta:defined_by rdf:resource="&D2.1;/observation_and_measurement.htm#investigates"/>
</owl:ObjectProperty>
<!--