Observations and Measurements OM

situ sensors and those who primarily deal with remote sensors. The terminology, perspective, and expectations of these two broad groups are different. SOS leverages the Observation and Measurements OM specification for modeling sensor observations and the SensorML specification for modeling sensors and sensor systems. An SOS organizes collections of related sensor system observations into Observation Offerings. An Observation Offering is analogous to a “layer” in Web Map Service because each offering is intended to be a non-overlapping group of related observations. Each Observation Offering is constrained by a number of parameters including the following: • Specific sensor systems that report the observations, • Time periods for which observations may be requested supports historical data, • Phenomena that are being sensed, • Geographical region that contains the sensors, and • Geographical region that is the subject of the sensor observations may differ from the sensor region for remote sensors The approach that has been taken in the development of SOS, and the SWE specifications on which it depends, is to carefully model sensors, sensor systems, and observations in such a way that the model covers all varieties of sensors and supports the requirements of all users of sensor data. This is in contrast to the approach that was taken with the Web Feature Service WFS. WFS provides a generic definition of a geographic feature that is flexible enough to encompass any real-world entity. The WFS uses GML application schemas to define the specific properties of each type of feature. With this approach, interoperability requires organizations to agree on domain-specific GML application schemas. Clients that access a WFS in a particular domain must have a-priori knowledge of the application schemas used in that domain. The SOS approach defines a common model for all sensors, sensor systems and their observations. This model is not domain- specific and can be used without a-priori knowledge of domain-specific application schemas. In May 2007, the SOS specification document OGC 06-009r2 is expected to be approved as an Implementation Specification.

5.4.7 Sensor Alert Service SAS

[OGC 06-028r3] The SAS can be compared with an event notification system. An SAS might therefore provide a wide variety of alerts related to sensors and sensor observations including, as examples, measured values above a threshold, detected motion or the presence of a recognizable feature, or perhaps sensor status e.g. low battery, shutdown or startup. An SAS can advertise what alerts it can provide. A consumer interested party may subscribe to alerts disseminated by the SAS. If an event occurs the SAS will publish an 38 Copyright © 2007 Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved.