StarFL is a new metadata language for describing sensors and their observations. It is modularized into static and dynamic modules. The static module describes general sensor characteristics while the dynamic module describes specific sensor deployments and observations. StarFL reuses concepts from SensorML and SSNO but is more restrictive to improve interoperability. It defines sensors, procedures, characteristics, deployments and observations in an XML schema to provide structured sensor metadata.

1. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions
or
Why do we need yet another metadata language for sensor descriptions?
Christian Malewski, Ingo Simonis, Andrew Terhorst, Arne Bröring
Christian Malewski

2. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 2
Motivation
• Increasing number of sensor resources in www
• Discovery / Selection / Tasking
• Available sensor description models:
SensorML
SSNO
…
Christian Malewski

3. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 3
Status Quo
• SensorML (OGC)
• Widely used in SWE community
• Abstract / “soft-typed“  flexible, but less interoperable
• Snippet management?
• Profiles required
• Semantic Sensor Network Ontology (W3C inc. group)
• Clear definition of concepts
• Focus: Alignment of a sensor in a domain
• “close match“ relationships to SWE
Christian Malewski

4. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 4
A Sensor
observes Wind_Direction.
observes Rainfall.
observes Air_Temperature.
observes Barometric_Pressure.
observes Relative_Humidity.
observes …
Christian Malewski

5. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 5
A Sensor
observes Wind_Direction.
observes Rainfall.
observes Air_Temperature.
observes Barometric_Pressure.
observes Relative_Humidity.
observes …
Sensor Deployment Characteristic Procedures
Dynamic Static
Christian Malewski

6. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 6
“Starfish Fungus Language” (StarFL)
• Modularized ( 2 Core Modules: Static + Dynamic )
• Reuses and reinterprets concepts of
SSNO and SensorML
• Aligns to semantics and interfaces of O&M
• Restrictive / “hard typed” (Pareto principle)
• Extensions
• UML Model  XML Schema
Hollow World and Fullmoon
Christian Malewski

7. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 7
provides [1..n]
Core (UML)
StaticModule::SensingProcedure StaticModule::SensorCharacteristic
- measurementCapabilities - physicalProperties
- observedProperty - operationalProperties
-… -…
senses [1..n]
procedure characteristics
DynamicModule::Sensing DynamicModule::Sensor
- active - serialNumber
- featureOfInterest -…
-…
Christian Malewski

8. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 8
Christian Malewski

9. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 9
Sensor Description
1. Find ‘static description’ for particular sensor model…
if available on www: Go to step 2.
else create static sensor description.
2. Create ‘dynamic description‘
Christian Malewski

10. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 10
Create static description…
SensorCharacteristic
<sfl:SensorCharacteristic xmlns:xlink… xmlns:om… xmlns:swe…
gml:id="SensorCharacteristic_Sensirion_SHT75">
<sfl:manufacturer>…Sensirion AG…</sfl:manufacturer>
<sfl:model>SHT75</sfl:model>
<sfl:provides>
<sfl:SensingProcedure gml:id="relativeHumidity">
…</sfl:SensingProcedure></sfl:provides>
<sfl:SensingProcedure gml:id=„temperature">
SensingProcedure [1..n] …</sfl:SensingProcedure></sfl:provides>
…</sfl:SensorCharacteristic>
Christian Malewski

11. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 11
Create dynamic description
1. Describe sensor instance and link to static description
2. Describe Platform
3. Link platform and mounted sensors via SensorDeployment
4. Calibration
Christian Malewski

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Sensor and Sensing
<sfl:Sensor gml:id="SHT75_39">
<sfl:serialNumber>39</sfl:serialNumber>
<sfl:characteristics xlink:href="SChar_SHT75.xml"/>
<sfl:senses>
<sfl:Sensing gml:id="tempSHT75_39">
<sfl:sensingProcedure xlink:href=„SChar_SHT75.xml#temp"/>
<sfl:unitOfMeasure uom="degCel"/>
<sfl:active>true…
<sfl:observedFoI>…
</sfl:Sensing>
…
</sfl:Sensor>
Christian Malewski

13. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 13
Create dynamic description
1. Describe sensor instance and link to static description
2. Describe Platform
3. Link platform and mounted sensors via SensorDeployment
4. Calibration
Christian Malewski

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Dynamic Module (part)
Christian Malewski

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Create dynamic description
1. Describe sensor instance and link to static description
2. Describe Platform
3. Link platform and mounted sensors via SensorDeployment
4. Calibration
Christian Malewski

16. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 16
SensorDeployment
SensorDeployment: t1 – t2
SHT75:23002
SensorDeployment: t3 – t4
SHT75:23003
ifgicopter :Platform
SensorDeployment t1 - ∞
WXT520:10002
WXT520:10003
SensorDeployment BenLomond :Platform
Christian Malewski

17. StarFL – A new Metadata Language for Sensor Descriptions 17
Create dynamic description
1. Describe sensor instance and link to static description:
2. Describe Platform
3. Link platform and mounted sensors via SensorDeployment
4. Calibration
Christian Malewski

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Future steps
• Build RESTful Services to manage
Static and Dynamic Sensor Descriptions
• Integration to Sensorbus
(mapping mechanisms to SensorML
and SSNO)
• Apply & test in several projects
(water, climate, provenance,
re-calibration, re-deployment,
sensor plug ‘n’ play)
• Open issues
Christian Malewski

19. 19
Thank you
christian.malewski@uni-muenster.de
Christian Malewski

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Christian Malewski

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Christian Malewski

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Sensing Chain / Sensor Tree
Christian Malewski