Andreas Wytzisk

Integrating Semantic and Syntactic Descriptions to Chain Geographic Services

Integrating multiple geographic services from different information communities and spatiolinguistic regions is challenging because of its inherent complexity and heterogeneity. A geographic information systems workflow approach can use semantic and syntactic service descriptions to form service chains that can integrate service discovery, composition, and reuse. Service chaining links remote geographic services to help expert users form complex geoprocessing services and perform timely analysis of geodata. This method facilitates the use of XML-based service description languages to build a geoservice-reuse architecture based on common ontologies and shared service descriptions

Enhancing Geo‐Service Chaining through Deep Service Descriptions

We demonstrate the integrated use of semantic and syntactic service descriptions, called deep service descriptions, for service chaining by combining two prototypes: one that deals with geoservice discovery abstract composition (called ‘GeoMatchMaker’), with one that supports concrete composition and execution of geoservices services (called ‘Integrated Component Designer’). Most other service chaining approaches confine themselves to handling either syntactic or semantic service descriptions. The proprietary formats of these descriptions hamper an effective integration of discovery, composition and execution of multiple services. In essence, service chaining should help a user by

A Lightweight Approach for the Sensor Observation Service to Share Environmental Data across Europe

The importance of near real-time access to environmental data has increased steadily over the last few years. In this article, the focus is on the European Environment Agency (EEA), which receives environmental data from a large number of providers. The heterogeneous data formats and data transfer mechanisms make the data collection and integration a difficult task for the EEA. An approach is needed for facilitating the interoperable exchange of environmental data on a large scale. A core element of this approach is the Sensor WebEnablement (SWE) technology of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) which allows the standardized, interoperable, vendor and domain independent exchange of sensor data. The main contribution of this article is a lightweight profile for the OGC Sensor Observation Service that ensures the necessary interoperability for seamlessly integrating the environmental data provided by the EEAs member states and thus forms the foundation for the developed data exchange mechanisms. This is complemented by information about the resulting Sensor Web architecture and the integration into the EEAs existing IT infrastructure. In summary, this article describes a practical scenario in which SWE technology enables the exchange of near real-time environmental data on a large scale.

Exploiting an Event-Based Communication Infrastructure for Rule Based Alerting in Sensor Webs

Sensor Webs deployed to collect and disseminate real/near real time data enable ad hoc monitoring of environmental phenomena. This real time data dissemination capability can be exploited to monitor natural and human induced hazards and subsequently broadcast alert notifications to decision makers, emergency managers and general public of an ensuing event. A sensor Web-based architecture for real time alert notifications is designed and presented in this paper. The architecture is built on top of an event based communication model which enables pro-active data dissemination. Such a communication scheme enables seamless integration of heterogeneous information sources, ensures scalability of the overall system and enables interoperability between the involved components