AIRM Docs
Semantic Interoperability
What is semantic interoperability?
As the ATM community adopts the use of the AIRM as its common vocabulary, semantic interoperability across the ATM network improves.
Semantic interoperability is the “ability of computer systems and organisations to exchange data with unambiguous, shared meaning”.
It concerns the “precise meaning of exchanged information” ensuring it “is preserved and understood by all parties” as it travels through the end-to-end data chain (from the point of origin to the point of destination)
Semantic interoperability for organisations
The AIRM vocabulary can be used as:
- The standardised and reusable information elements for the identification and description of the information exchange requirements between information providers and consumers in process models
- The base for an ATM domain model
- A (semantic) reference for coordination between ATM domains and linking models from different ATM domains
- The reference for the definition of the message content (information content) of a standardised interface between functional blocks of an ATM system
- An input to global standardisation efforts
Semantic interoperability for systems
This ability enables services and systems to combine and process information received from many different sources.
For example, when a user receives information about a runway from different authorized providers he/she is able to seamlessly process the information and, depending on the application context, add and combine information from other authorized information sources.
For example, when an airspace user is directed to arrive on a named runway, he/she will be assured that the runway reference received can be unambiguously resolved to the relevant geospatial information, and linked to the meteorological information relevant to this runway at the planned arrival time.
Semantic interoperability for services
SWIM relies on interoperable services as the means to exchange information. This means that semantic interoperability must be considered by service developments.
For examples, EUROCONTROL has developed interoperable service definitions based upon standards and modelling notations to support the deployment of SWIM services in the EU: aeronautical information request service, digital NOTAM subscription and request service and aeronautical aerodrome map request service.
