SWE Common Status

History

SWE Common resulted from a merger of a common need for data models for SensorML and Observations&Measurements. Originally separate data models were developed for SensorML and O&M. In particular, the O&M models utilized concepts expounded by Fowler (Fowler, M. Analysis Patterns: reusable object models.  Addison Wesley Longman, Menlo Park, CA. 1998), regarding fundamental data types of Quantity, Count, Boolean, and Category. The two sets of data models were combined and extended to provide a common data model that was used not only in SensorML and O&M, but throughout the SWE specifications. The initial definition of the SWE Common model and schema was provided within the SensorML Technical Specification, but will be separated into its own specification in future releases so that it can be used more easily by different standards.

Version 1.0

Version 1.0 SensorML and SWE Common were approved as an OGC Technical Specification on June 23, 2007. In Version 1.0, SWE Common and SensorML were combined in the same specification. SWE Common defines the common data types and data aggregates used throughout all SWE specifications (excluding TML). In later versions, SWE Common will be defined as a separate specification.

Version 1.0.1

A corrigendum provided minor corrections on October 25, 2007.

Future Release (Version 2.0)

Change Requests have been received and a SWE Common Standard Working Group has been formed to begin work on the next release of SWE Common. The initial meeting for the SWE Common SWG occurred at the OGC TC meeting in Norcross, GA in September 2008.This new release will provide additional documentation and examples in order to lower the barrier of entry for implementers of the standard. The separation of the specification from SensorML should also make things easier to understand for implementers who are concerned only about describing the structure of data streams using the SWE Common model and schema and who don't need to understand the whole SensorML model (such as implementers of SOS for instance).