(1) The document proposes Sensor Interface Descriptors (SIDs) to address the interoperability gap between sensor networks and applications by providing standardized metadata descriptions of sensor observations. (2) SIDs define an XML schema to describe sensor protocols, processes, observation metadata, and commands in a standardized way to enable sensor plug-and-play. (3) An open source SID interpreter has been implemented to facilitate the use of SIDs for enabling interoperability between heterogeneous sensor systems and applications.

1. Declarative
Sensor Interface Descriptors
for the Sensor Web
A. Broering, S. Below, T. Foerster
WebMGS, 26th August 2010

2. Motivation: Sensor Plug & Play
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

3. Problem: Interoperability Gap
Application Layer
Sensor Web Layer
Sensor Layer
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

4. Sensor Interface Descriptors (SID)
Sensor Web Layer
Sensor Layer
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

5. SID Model - Overview
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

6. SID – Protocol Definition
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

7. SID – Protocol Definition
Station|1275482685|33UUU 932 592|10530Q|#
Status|1275482686|2|43|72|0|#
Wind01|1275482698|42.0|23.0|…|#
:
<swe:encoding>
<swe:TextBlock
decimalSeparator="." tokenSeparator="|" blockSeparator="#"/>
</swe:encoding>
:
<swe:DataRecord>
<swe:field name="datasetID">Wind01</swe:field>
<swe:field name="time" />
<swe:field name=“wind_speed"/>
<swe:field name=“wind_direction"/>
:
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

8. SID – Protocol Processing
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

9. SID – Protocol Processing
 Native Process Types
1. Checksum Computation & Validation
 urn:ogc:def:process:OGC:checksum
2. Character Escaping
 urn:ogc:def:process:OGC:escCharacter
3. Interpolation
 urn:ogc:def:process:OGC:interpolation
4. Date Conversion
 urn:ogc:def:process:OGC:dateConversion
 Content MathML
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

10. SID – Definition of Observation Metadata
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

11. SID – Definition of Observation Metadata
 <presentationLayer> defines:
 Data type (e.g. numeric)
 Unit of measure (e.g. m/s)
 <outputs> defines:
 Feature of interest (e.g. City of Como)
 Observed property (e.g. wind speed)
  InsertObservation operation calls

12. SID – Command Definition
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

13. SID Interpreter Implementation
http://52north.org/sid
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

14. Outlook: Combination with Sensor Bus

15. Outlook: Graphical SID Creator
Arne Broering - broering@52north.org

16. Questions?
Thank you!
Arne Broering
SID project: http://52north.org/sid
Sensor Web community: http://52north.org/SensorWeb
Sensor Web lab: http://swsl.uni-muenster.de