This document provides an analysis of the usage of the SSN Ontology, focussing on terms in the SOSA graph (core ontology). This edition adds usage information for terms added to SSN in the 2024 update.
This W3C note on the usage of the SSN ontology (http://w3c.github.io/sdw-sosa-ssn/ssn/) was prepared to support its acceptance as an updated W3C recommendation.
The goal of the work is to analyse the usage of the SSN ontology along two aspects: usage in Linked Data datasets (Consumers) and usage in ontologies that reuse or extend those ontologies (Producers).
This edition is a supplement to the original usage report, adding usage information relating to the terms added to SSN in the 2024 update.
The usage report for the previous edition of the SSN Ontology [[usage-ssn]] documented evidence of implementation
in at least two datasets for all terms in the ssn: and sosa: namespaces, either directly
or by entailment, except for the following:
The earlier edition of the usage report included automatic analysis of datasets included in several linked data registries. Most of the terms added in the 2024 edition were prompted by specific requirements from the community, or from logical consequences of including the new terms. Several projects provide implementations that use the new terms in datasets.
The following table presents the datasets that use the SSN ontology that have been found, along with their URIs.
| Identifier | Dataset | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New datasets for 2024 edition | ||
| D24 | SAREF | Maxime Lefrançois, École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Étienne |
| D25 | KnowWhereGraph | Krzysztof Janowicz, University of Vienna |
| D26 | OneWater - Eau Bien Commun | Sylvain Grellet, BRGM |
| D27 | TERN Ontology | TERN Linked Data Services, TERN |
| D28 | Biodiversity Data Repository | Nicholas Car, BDR |
| D29 | GSQ | Nicholas Car, GSQ |
| D30 | GSWA | Nicholas Car, GSWA |
| D31 | Connected Systems | Alex Robin, Georobotix |
| D32 | Iliad | Rob Atkinson, OGC |
| D33 | 3D Cadastre | Rob Atkinson, OGC |
The following table presents the coverage of the modules of the SSN ontology in the different datasets.
| Module | Datasets | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Observations | D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D10, D11, D15, D16, D17, D18, D20, D21, D22, D23 | 15 |
| ObservationCollections | NN | |
| Actuations | D14, D18 | 2 |
| Samplings | D12, D13, D17, D20, D21 | 5 |
| Features of Interest and Properties | D1, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11, D12, D15, D17, D18, D20, D21 | 16 |
| Samples | NN | |
| SampleCollections | NN | |
| Results | D3, D4, D5, D10, D11, D12, D15, D17, D19, D20, D21 | 11 |
| Procedures | D14, D16, D17, D18, D19, D20, D21 | 7 |
| Systems and their Deployments | D2, D10, D11, D12, D15, D16, D18, D20, D21 | 9 |
The following table presents the coverage of the vocabulary terms of the SSN ontology in the different datasets (Consumer Implementations).
| Term in SSN | Datasets | Total | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| sosa:actsOnProperty | D14 | 1 | entailed by sosa:isActedOnBy |
| sosa:ActuatableProperty | D14, D18 | 2 | |
| sosa:Actuation | D14, D18 | 2 | |
| sosa:Actuator | D14, D18 | 2 | |
| ssn:deployedOnPlatform | D2, D11, D16, D20 | 4 | |
| ssn:deployedSystem | D11, D20 | 2 | entailed by ssn:hasDeployment |
| ssn:Deployment | D2, D16 | 2 | |
| ssn:detects | D11, D15 | 2 | |
| sosa:FeatureOfInterest | D1, D5, D11, D12, D14, D15, D17, D20, D21 | 8 | |
| ssn:forProperty | D14, D18, D20 | 3 | entailed by sosa:observes |
| ssn:hasDeployment | D16 | 1 | entailed by ssn:deployedSystem |
| sosa:hasFeatureOfInterest | D1, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11, D12, D15, D17, D18, D20, D21 | 16 | |
| ssn:hasInput | D14, D19 | 2 | |
| sosa:hasMember | |||
| sosa:hasOriginalSample | |||
| ssn:hasOutput | D14, D19 | 2 | |
| ssn:hasProperty | D11, D14, D15, D18, D20 | 5 | entailed by ssn:isPropertyOf |
| sosa:hasResult | D3, D4, D5, D10, D11, D12, D15, D19 | 8 | |
| sosa:hasSample | D12, D17 | 2 | entailed by sosa:isSampleOf |
| sosa:hasSampledFeature | |||
| sosa:hasSimpleResult | D15, D17, D18, D20, D21 | 5 | |
| ssn:hasSubSystem | D10, D11 | 2 | |
| sosa:hasUltimateFeatureOfInterest | |||
| sosa:hosts | D11, D15, D17, D18 | 4 | entailed by sosa:isHostedBy |
| ssn:implementedBy | entailed by ssn:implements | ||
| ssn:implements | D14, D16, D18, D19, D20 | 5 | entailed by ssn:implementedBy |
| ssn:inDeployment | D2, D20 | 2 | entailed by ssn:deployedOnPlatform |
| ssn:Input | D14 | 1 | |
| sosa:isActedOnBy | D14 | 1 | entailed by sosa:actsOnProperty |
| sosa:isFeatureOfInterestOf | D15 | 1 | entailed by sosa:hasFeatureOfInterest |
| sosa:isHostedBy | D10, D12, D21 | 3 | |
| sosa:isObservedBy | D15 | 1 | entailed by sosa:observes |
| ssn:isPropertyOf | D3, D11, D15, D20 | 4 | |
| ssn:isProxyFor | 0 | Top-Level relation | |
| sosa:isResultOf | D3, D11, D12 | 3 | |
| sosa:isResultOfMadeBySampler | |||
| sosa:isResultOfUsedProcedure | |||
| sosa:isSampleOf | D12, D20, D21 | 3 | entailed by sosa:hasSample |
| sosa:madeActuation | 0 | entailed by sosa:madeByActuator | |
| sosa:madeByActuator | D18 | 1 | entailed by sosa:madeActuation |
| sosa:madeBySampler | D12 | 1 | entailed by sosa:madeSampling |
| sosa:madeBySensor | D1, D2, D3, D4, D10, D11, D17, D18, D20, D21 | 10 | entailed by sosa:madeObservation |
| sosa:madeObservation | D11 | 1 | entailed by sosa:madeBySensor |
| sosa:madeSampling | 0 | entailed by sosa:madebySampler | |
| sosa:ObservableProperty | D15, D17, D18, D20, D21, D23 | 6 | |
| sosa:Observation | D14, D15, D17, D18, D20, D21 | 6 | |
| sosa:ObservationCollection | |||
| sosa:observedProperty | D1, D3, D4, D5, D10, D11, D17, D20, D21 | 9 | |
| sosa:observes | D10, D11, D15, D16, D18, D20 | 6 | |
| ssn:Output | D14 | 1 | |
| sosa:phenomenonTime | D5, D11 | 2 | |
| sosa:Platform | D2, D10, D11, D12, D15, D16, D17, D18, D21 | 9 | |
| sosa:Procedure | D14, D16, D17, D18, D19, D21 | 6 | |
| ssn:Property | D3, D5, D14, D15, D20 | 5 | |
| sosa:Result | D15 | 1 | |
| sosa:resultTime | D3, D4, D10, D11, D15, D17, D20, D21 | 8 | |
| sosa:Sample | D12, D13, D17, D20, D21 | 5 | |
| sosa:SampleCollection | |||
| sosa:Sampler | D12 | 1 | |
| sosa:Sampling | D12 | 1 | |
| sosa:Sensor | D2, D11, D14, D15, D17, D18, D20, D22 | 8 | |
| ssn:Stimulus | D15 | 1 | Top-Level Class |
| ssn:System | D2, D10, D11, D15, D16 | 5 | |
| sosa:usedProcedure | D17, D19, D21 | 3 | |
| ssn:wasOriginatedBy | D15 | 1 | Top-Level relation |
The following table presents the coverage of the vocabulary terms of the non-normative SSN-System module in the different datasets (Consumer Implementations).
| Term in SSN | Datasets | Total | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| ssn-system:Accuracy | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:ActuationRange | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:BatteryLifetime | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Condition | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:DetectionLimit | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Drift | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Frequency | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:hasOperatingProperty | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:hasOperatingRange | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:hasSurvivalProperty | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:hasSurvivalRange | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:hasSystemCapability | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:hasSystemProperty | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:inCondition | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:Latency | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:MaintenanceSchedule | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:MeasurementRange | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:OperatingPowerRange | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:OperatingProperty | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:OperatingRange | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:Precision | D11 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:qualityOfObservation | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Resolution | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:ResponseTime | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Selectivity | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:Sensitivity | D20 | 1 | |
| ssn-system:SurvivalProperty | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:SurvivalRange | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:SystemCapability | D14, D20 | 2 | |
| ssn-system:SystemLifetime | 0 | ||
| ssn-system:SystemProperty | D14 | 1 |
The goals of this analysis are the following: a) to analyse which modules of the SSN ontology have been used in different ontologies and b) to analyse the coverage of the SSN vocabulary terms and modules in those ontologies.
The following tasks have been performed to automatically analyse the coverage of the SSN ontology in ontologies:
The automated approach is not enough for analysing the reuse of the SSN ontology in other ontologies, since these ontologies may not be published in the LOV catalogue.
There was an open call has been issued for people to submit their own ontologies to be taken into account.
Most of the terms added in the 2024 edition were prompted by specific requirements from the community. Several projects associated with members of the update team provide implementations that use the new terms in ontology applications. These are indicated in the inventory below.
If the content of the ontologies can be retrieved, the previous analysis can be performed over them. If not, people willing to submit a ontology had to state which terms of the SSN ontology are used in their ontology.
The following table presents the ontologies that reuse the SSN ontology that have been found, along with their URIs.
| Identifier | Source | Ontology |
|---|---|---|
| SAREF | Maxime Lefrançois, École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Étienne | https://saref.etsi.org/core/ |
| KnowWhereGraph | Krzysztof Janowicz, University of Vienna | http://stko-kwg.geog.ucsb.edu/lod/ontology/ |
| OneWater - Eau Bien Commun | Sylvain Grellet, BRGM | |
| TERN Ontology | TERN Linked Data Services, TERN | https://w3id.org/tern/ontologies/tern/ |
| Geochemistry data model | Nicholas Car, kurrawong.ai | https://linked.data.gov.au/def/geochem |
| Connected Systems | Alex Robin, Georobotix | https://ogcapi.ogc.org/connectedsystems/ |
| Iliad | Rob Atkinson, OGC | https://www.ogc.org/initiatives/iliad/ |
| 3D Cadastral Survey model | Rob Atkinson, OGC |
The following table presents the coverage of the modules of the SSN ontology in the different ontologies. The first row indicates whether the ontology imports SSN/SOSA or not.
| Module | Imports SSN/SOSA | Observations and ObservationCollections | Actuations | Samplings | Features of Interest and Properties | Samples and SampleCollections | Results | Procedures | Systems and their Deployments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAREF | |||||||||
| KnowWhereGraph | |||||||||
| OneWater | |||||||||
| TERN Ontology | |||||||||
| Geochemistry data model | |||||||||
| Connected Systems | |||||||||
| Iliad | |||||||||
| 3D Cadastre |
The following table presents the coverage of the vocabulary terms of the SSN ontology in the different datasets.
| Term in SSN | SAREF | KnowWhereGraph | OneWater | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sosa:actsOnProperty | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:isActedOnBy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:ActuatableProperty | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Actuation | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Actuator | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:deployedOnPlatform | oldssn:deployedOnPlatform | - | - | - | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:deployedSystem | oldssn:deployedSystem | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by ssn:hasDeployment | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:Deployment | oldssn:Deployment | - | - | - | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:detects | oldssn:detects | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:FeatureOfInterest | oldssn:FeatureOfInterest | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| ssn:forProperty | oldssn:forProperty | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | entailed by sosa:observes | ||||||||||||||||
| ssn:hasDeployment | oldssn:hasDeployment | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by ssn:deployedSystem | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasFeatureOfInterest | oldssn:featureOfInterest | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | entailed by isFeatureOfInterestOf | |||||||||||||||||
| ssn:hasInput | oldssn:hasInput | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasMember | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasOriginalSample | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:hasOutput | oldssn:hasOutput | - | - | - | X | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:hasProperty | oldssn:hasProperty | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | entailed by ssn:isPropertyOf | |||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasSample | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by sosa:isSampleOf | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasSampledFeature | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasSimpleResult | oldssn:hasSimpleResult | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:hasSubSystem | oldssn:hasSubSystem | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasResult | oldssn:hasValue oldssn:observationResult |
- | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hasUltimateFeatureOfInterest | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:hosts | oldssn:attachedSystem | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:isHostedBy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:implementedBy | oldssn:implementedBy | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by ssn:implements | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:implements | oldssn:implements | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | entailed by ssn:implementedBy | |||||||||||||||||
| ssn:inDeployment | oldssn:inDeployment | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by ssn:deployedOnPlatform | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:Input | oldssn:Input | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isActedOnBy | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:actsOnProperty | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isFeatureOfInterestOf | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | is entailed by sosa:hasFeatureOfInterest | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isHostedBy | oldssn:onPlatform | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:hosts | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isObservedBy | oldssn:observedBy | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | entailed by sosa:observes | |||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isResultOf | oldssn:isProducedBy | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isResultOfMadeBySampler | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isResultOfUsedProcedure | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:isSampleOf | - | - | - | X | 1 | entailed by sosa:hasSample | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:isPropertyOf | oldssn:isPropertyOf | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | entailed by ssn:hasProperty | ||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:isProxyFor | oldssn:isProxyFor | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | Top-Level relation | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeByActuator | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | entailed by sosa:madeActuation | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeActuation | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | entailed by sosa:madeByActuator | |||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeBySampler | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:madeSampling | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeBySensor | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | entailed by sosa:madeObservation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeObservation | oldssn:madeObservation | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:madeSampling | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | entailed by sosa:madeBySampler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:ObservableProperty | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Observation | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:ObservationCollection | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:observedProperty | oldssn:observedProperty | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:observes | oldssn:observes | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | entailed by sosa:isObservedBy | |||||||||||||||||
| ssn:Output | oldssn:Output | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:phenomenonTime | oldssn:observationSamplingTime | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Platform | oldssn:Platform | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Procedure | oldssn:Process | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| ssn:Property | oldssn:Property | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | ||||||||||||
| sosa:Result | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:resultTime | observationResultTime | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Sample | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:SampleCollection | - | - | - | N | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Sampler | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Sampling | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:Sensor | oldssn:Sensor | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 13 | |||||||||||
| ssn:Stimulus | oldssn:Stimulus | - | - | - | X | X | 2 | Top-Level Class | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:System | oldssn:System | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| sosa:usedProcedure | oldssn:sensingMethodUsed | - | - | - | X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn:wasOriginatedBy | - | - | - | X | 1 | Top-Level relation |
The following table presents the coverage of the vocabulary terms of the non-normative SSN-System module in the different datasets.
| Term in SSN | Equivalent Term in SSN-XG | AEMET | aws | BCI | CF | DogOnt | Energy | iot-lite | IoT-O | M3 Lite | OpenIoT | PEP-SSN Alignment | RAMI | SAN | SAO | SPITFIRE | VITAL | Geologic timescale | IoT-O (SOSA) | SAN (SOSA) | FixO3 | SEAS-SSN Alignment | LSO | Trajectory | Total | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ssn-system:Accuracy | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:ActuationRange | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:BatteryLifetime | oldssn:BatteryLifetime | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Condition | oldssn:Condition | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:DetectionLimit | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Drift | oldssn:Drift | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Frequency | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:hasSurvivalRange | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:hasSystemCapability | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:hasSystemProperty | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:hasOperatingRange | oldssn:hasOperatingRange | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:hasSurvivalProperty | oldssn:hasSurvivalProperty | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:inCondition | oldssn:inCondition | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Latency | X | X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:MaintenanceSchedule | oldssn:MaintenanceSchedule | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:MeasurementRange | oldssn:MeasurementRange | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:OperatingPowerRange | oldssn:OperatingPowerRange | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:OperatingProperty | oldssn:OperatingProperty | X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:OperatingRange | oldssn:OperatingRange | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Precision | oldssn:Precision | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:qualityOfObservation | oldssn:qualityOfObservation | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Resolution | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:ResponseTime | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Selectivity | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:SystemCapability | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:SystemProperty | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:Sensitivity | oldssn:Sensitivity | X | X | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:SurvivalProperty | oldssn:SurvivalProperty | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:SurvivalRange | oldssn:SurvivalRange | X | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ssn-system:SystemLifetime | oldssn:SystemLifetime | X | X | 2 |