Standards Development

Scope

This standard will define an approach for using HTTP URIs as identifiers in AIDC systems. It does not define a new identifier system or a new URI scheme.

Three areas will be covered:

1. One or more methods to structure AIDC data in an HTTP URI. Methods shall at least cite ISO/IEC standards 15418 and 15459, IEC 61406, and the concepts of Linked Data.

2. Different methods to ensure that the identifiers are globally unique

3. A mechanism to access specific types of information about identified items.

Details of how related digital information is managed and any access control that may apply, are out of scope.

Purpose

It is notable that several recent ISO and IEC standards have been developed to meet the need for the identifiers of physical objects to link to electronic information about those objects. These do not make any recommendations about the structure of the URIs. In some use cases, parsing the identifier string is unnecessary. Other use cases benefit from URIs that are structured in different ways but these structures are not defined and so any URI structure is conformant to those standards.

For example, one might put a model number in the path, another in the query string. The number and variety of methods indicates that there is a need to define a common approach that makes use of existing standards like ISO/IEC 15459 and 15418, as well as IEC 16406.

This will provide a framework in which different identification systems can be used with maximum interoperability, in particular, the ability, where relevant, to identify class level and instance level identifiers. In addition, the proposed standard will define a simple query mechanism through which specific types of information can be requested. GS1’s use of the linkType parameter for this purpose is promising.

This can be appended to the query string of a URI to request a specific type of information about the identified item, or the full set of known links to sources of data for the item (making use of RFC 9264).

This simple query mechanism means that there will be a common basic API for all identified items. Interoperability between different identifiers and their resolution services enhances the value of each system through the network effect.

Examples of use include:

- Assets in a manufacturing plant being identified and connected to online information concerning their installation, maintenance and hazardous handling. In each case, the information is managed by a separate entity but can be accessed from the same starting point.

- Documents that act as certificates or other records of conformance that can carry a QR code with a URI that encodes the document’s identifier and that can link to the document’s author, separate from the conformance assessment, and the data on which the conformance was based.

- If identifiers can be parsed from the URI fixed to the physical object, they can be used in other systems, exactly as existing offline identifiers can be, without necessarily using the full URI itself.

- A 2D barcode containing a structured URI on consumer goods can be used at retail point of sales for both business partners and consumer engagement.

- A transport label encoding addresses and delivery instructions can be available to delivery drivers offline, while more functionalities can be provided with online connectivity. By enabling a common approach we extend the reach of identifier systems in addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by building an interoperable future for things like accessing information about water treatment equipment in the user’s own language and enabling more responsible and sustainable consumption through improved product labelling. It is recognized that Best Current Practice for URI Design and Ownership as defined by the IETF must be respected. GS1 Digital Link includes important features that address this issue. These, or similar features, will need to be included in the proposed standard.