The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC®) membership has approved the OGC Moving Feature Encoding Model and Encoding as an official OGC standard. This standard defines an abstract model for encoding moving feature data compliant with ISO 19141:2008 Schema for moving features, and, based on the abstract model, it also includes an XML encoding in the form of an OGC Geography Markup Language (GML) application schema, and a simple CSV (comma-separated value) encoding format.
The advance of mobile computing and internet-connected sensors (including sensors and GPS transponders in cell phones and notebook computers) brings with it a rapid rise in applications for moving feature data, typically representing vehicles or pedestrians. Many innovative moving feature applications will require the overlay and integration of moving feature data from different sources. Examples can easily be imagined for disaster risk management, traffic information services, security services, navigation for robots, aviation or maritime traffic monitoring, and wildlife tracking and conservation. Most current applications, however, are limited to single-source moving feature data. Lack of a standard encoding makes it difficult to integrate moving feature data from different sources.
More efficient exchange of moving feature data will result in a requirement for massive data handling. The CSV style encoding provides an efficient and easily understood standard for encoding lightweight data records, which will be important for many applications involving large data volumes and real-time response. The GML application schema style encoding for Moving Features provides for the encoding of more complex spatial information. The OGC Moving Feature Encoding Model could also support other types of encodings.
This standard addresses only “rigid” moving features, such as vehicles, as opposed to those that deform, such as flood water, and it does not address moving features whose descriptions contain other moving features that must be updated as the feature moves, such as control surfaces on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It also is for archived Moving Feature data only, and not for live feeds from sensors.
The OGC Moving Feature Encoding Standard is available at http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/movingfeatures.
The OGC is an international consortium of more than 500 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC standards support interoperable solutions that “geo-enable” the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. OGC standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled. Visit the OGC website at http://www.opengeospatial.org/contact.
