ISO/IEC 19773:2011

Information technology — Metadata Registries (MDR) modules

ISO/IEC 19773:2011 specifies small modules of data that can be used or reused in applications. These modules have been extracted from ISO/IEC 11179-3, ISO/IEC 19763, and OASIS EBXML, and have been refined further. These modules are intended to harmonize with current and future versions of the ISO/IEC 11179 series and the ISO/IEC 19763 series. These modules include: reference-or-literal (reflit) for on-demand choices of pointers or data; multitext, multistring, etc. for recording internationalized and localized data within the same structure; slots and slot arrays for standardized extensible data structures; internationalized contact data, including UPU postal addresses, ITU-T E.164 phone numbers, internet E-mail addresses, etc.; generalized model for context data based upon who-what-where-when-why-how (W5H); data structures for reified relationships and entity-person-groups. Conformity can be selected on a per-module basis.

Technologies de l'information — Modules de registres de métadonnées (MDR)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2011
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32 - Data management and interchange
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32/WG 2 - MetaData
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 05-Mar-2025
• Completion Date: 30-Oct-2025

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19773
First edition
2011-09-01
Information technology — Metadata
Registries (MDR) modules
Technologies de l'information — Modules de registres de métadonnées
(MDR)
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2011
©  ISO/IEC 2011
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .ix
Introduction.x
1 Scope.1
2 Normative references.1
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviations.1
3.1 Signifiers, referencing, and their associations .1
3.2 Fundamental datatypes .3
3.3 Generic implementation-related concepts .4
3.4 Terminology applicable to more than one module .5
3.5 Reserved for future use .5
3.6 Reserved for future use .5
3.7 Reserved for future use .5
3.8 Reserved for future use .5
3.9 Reserved for future use .5
3.10 Module 10-specific terminology: Data structure for reference-or-literal (reflit).5
3.11 Module 11-specific terminology: Data structure for multiple internationalized/localized
values and data.6
3.12 Module 12-specific terminology: Data structure for multiple internationalized/localized
strings and texts.6
3.13 Module 13-specific terminology: Data structure for slot tuple.6
3.14 Module 14-specific terminology: Data structure for unstructured table of slot tuples.7
3.15 Module 15-specific terminology: Data structure for reified relationships and relationships
systems .7
3.16 Module 16-specific terminology: Data structure for UPU postal data .7
3.16.1 Terminology from UPU S42a-6.7
3.16.2 Postal address segments.13
3.16.3 Postal address constructs.14
3.16.4 Postal address elements.16
3.16.5 Postal address element sub-types .26
3.16.6 Other terms and definitions .29
3.17 Module 17-specific terminology: Data structure for ITU-T E.164 phone number data.29
3.18 Module 18-specific terminology: Data structure for who-what-where-when-why-how
(W5H) event data .30
3.19 Module 19-specific terminology: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG) contact
data .30
3.20 Module 20-specific terminology: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG) security
credentials data .30
3.21 Module 21-specific terminology: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG)
relationships and grouping data.31
4 Structure of this International Standard .31
5 Bindings .32
6 Conformance .32
7 Designation of internationally standardized items .32
7.1 Designation suffix syntax.32
7.2 Designation suffixes for profiles .32
8 Profile designations .33
9 Clause reserved for future use .33
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved iii

10 Module 10: Data structure for reference-or-literal (reflit).33
10.1 Introduction to module.33
10.2 Scope of module.33
10.3 Functional capabilities.33
10.4 Abstract model.34
10.4.1 General.34
10.4.2 reflit(of_type).35
10.4.3 reference_type(of_type).36
10.4.4 literal_type(of_type).38
10.5 Computational description and datatypes.39
10.5.1 General.39
10.5.2 reflit(of_type).39
10.5.3 reference_type(of_type).40
10.5.4 literal_type(of_type).40
10.6 Additional provisions for bindings .40
10.7 Additional provisions for conformity.41
11 Module 11: Data structure for multiple internationalized/localized values and data.41
11.1 Introduction to module.41
11.2 Scope of module.41
11.3 Functional capabilities.41
11.3.1 General.41
11.3.2 The multivalue data structure.41
11.3.3 The multidata data structure .42
11.4 Abstract model.43
11.4.1 General.43
11.4.2 multivalue.43
11.4.3 multidata.45
11.5 Computational description and datatypes.46
11.5.1 General.46
11.5.2 multivalue.46
11.5.3 multidata.46
11.6 Additional provisions for bindings .47
11.7 Additional provisions for conformity.47
12 Module 12: Data structure for multiple internationalized/localized strings and texts.47
12.1 Introduction to module.47
12.2 Scope of module.47
12.3 Functional capabilities.47
12.3.1 General.47
12.3.2 The multistring data structure.47
12.3.3 The multitext data structure .48
12.4 Abstract model.50
12.4.1 General.50
12.4.2 multistring.50
12.4.3 multitext.52
12.5 Computational description and datatypes.53
12.5.1 General.53
12.5.2 multistring.53
12.5.3 multitext.53
12.6 Additional provisions for bindings .54
12.7 Additional provisions for conformity.54
13 Module 13: Data structure for slot tuple.54
13.1 Introduction to module.54
13.2 Scope of module.54
13.3 Functional capabilities.54
13.4 Abstract model.55
13.4.1 General.55
13.4.2 slot_tuple components .55
13.4.3 slot_tuple and variants.56
iv © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

13.4.4 slot_tuple.57
13.4.5 slot_tuple_as_ttt.57
13.4.6 slot_tuple_as_ttrl.58
13.4.7 slot_tuple_as_ttmd.58
13.4.8 slot_tuple_as_bbb.58
13.4.9 slot_tuple_as_btb.58
13.4.10 slot_tuple_as_btmd.59
13.5 Computational description and datatypes.59
13.5.1 General.59
13.5.2 Datatypes.59
13.6 Additional provisions for bindings.60
13.7 Additional provisions for conformity .60
14 Module 14: Data structure for unstructured table of slot tuples .60
14.1 Introduction to module .60
14.2 Scope of module.60
14.3 Functional capabilities.60
14.4 Abstract model.61
14.4.1 General.61
14.4.2 slot_tuple_table and related classes.61
14.5 Computational description and datatypes.61
14.5.1 General.61
14.5.2 Datatypes.61
14.6 Additional provisions for bindings.62
14.7 Additional provisions for conformity .62
15 Module 15: Data for reified relationships and relationship systems .62
15.1 Introduction to module .62
15.2 Scope of module.62
15.3 Functional capabilities.62
15.4 Abstract model.62
15.4.1 General.62
15.4.2 The reified_relationship_system and the reified_relationship .63
15.5 Computational description and datatypes.63
15.5.1 General.63
15.5.2 reified_relationship_system.63
15.5.3 reified_relationship.64
15.5.4 object_role_pair.64
15.6 Additional provisions for bindings.64
15.7 Additional provisions for conformity .64
16 Module 16: Data structure for UPU postal data.64
16.1 Introduction to module .64
16.2 Scope of module.65
16.3 Functional capabilities.65
16.4 Abstract model.65
16.4.1 General.65
16.4.2 Postal Address.65
16.4.3 Unrendered postal data .66
16.4.4 Contextualized Rendered Postal Address.71
16.5 Computational description and datatypes.72
16.5.1 General.72
16.5.2 postal_address.72
16.5.3 unrendered_postal_address_class.72
16.5.4 contextualized_rendered_postal_address_class .73
16.6 Additional provisions for bindings.73
16.7 Additional provisions for conformity .73
17 Module 17: Data structure for ITU-T E.164 phone number data .74
17.1 Introduction to module .74
17.2 Scope of module.74
17.3 Functional capabilities.74
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved v

17.4 Abstract model.75
17.4.1 General.75
17.4.2 phone_number_class.76
17.4.3 phone_number_element.76
17.5 Computational description and datatypes.77
17.5.1 General.77
17.5.2 phone_number_class.77
17.5.3 phone_number_element.77
17.6 Additional provisions for bindings .77
17.7 Additional provisions for conformity.77
18 Module 18: Data structure for who-what-where-when-why-how (W5H) event data.78
18.1 Introduction to module.78
18.2 Scope of module.78
18.3 Functional capabilities.78
18.4 Abstract model.79
18.4.1 General.79
18.4.2 w5h_event_class.79
18.4.3 w5h_event_extent.79
18.4.4 extent_descriptor.80
18.5 Computational description and datatypes.80
18.5.1 General.80
18.5.2 w5h_event_class.80
18.5.3 w5h_event_extent.81
18.5.4 event_descriptor.81
18.6 Additional provisions for bindings .82
18.7 Additional provisions for conformity.82
19 Module 19: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG) contact data.82
19.1 Introduction to module.82
19.2 Scope of module.82
19.3 Functional capabilities.82
19.4 Abstract model.83
19.4.1 General.83
19.4.2 contact_data_class.84
19.4.3 event_localized_contact_data.84
19.5 Computational description and datatypes.84
19.5.1 General.84
19.5.2 contact_data_class.85
19.5.3 event_localized_contact_data.85
19.6 Additional provisions for bindings .85
19.7 Additional provisions for conformity.85
20 Module 20: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG) security credentials data.85
20.1 Introduction to module.85
20.2 Scope of module.86
20.3 Functional capabilities.86
20.4 Conceptual model and object model.87
20.4.1 General.87
20.4.2 security_credentials_data.87
20.4.3 event_localized_security_credentials_data.87
20.4.4 security_credential_element.87
20.5 Computational description and datatypes.88
20.5.1 General.88
20.5.2 security_credentials_data.88
20.5.3 event_localized_security_credentials_data.88
20.5.4 security_credential_element.88
20.6 Additional provisions for bindings .89
20.7 Additional provisions for conformity.89
21 Module 21: Data structure for entity-person-group (EPG) relationships and grouping data .89
21.1 Introduction to module.89
vi © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

21.2 Scope of module.89
21.3 Functional capabilities.89
21.4 Conceptual model and object model.89
21.4.1 General.89
21.4.2 epg_relationship_data.90
21.4.3 relationship_node_edge_element.90
21.5 Computational description and datatypes.90
21.5.1 General.90
21.5.2 epg_relationship_data.91
21.5.3 relationship_node_edge_element.91
21.6 Additional provisions for bindings.91
21.7 Additional provisions for conformity .91
Annex A (informative) Index of definitions.92
22 Index of definitions.92
Bibliography.95

Figure 1: UML presentation of: reflit, reference_type, literal_type. . 35
Figure 2: UML presentation of: multivalue, contextualized_value. 44
Figure 3: UML presentation of: multidata, contextualized_data. 45
Figure 4: UML presentation of: multistring, contextualized_string. . 50
Figure 5: UML presentation of: multitext, contextualized_text. . 52
Figure 6: UML presentation of slot_tuple datatype. . 57
Figure 7: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_ttt datatype. 57
Figure 8: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_ttrl datatype. 58
Figure 9: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_ttmd datatype. 58
Figure 10: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_bbb datatype. 58
Figure 11: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_btb datatype. 58
Figure 12: UML presentation of slot_tuple_as_btmd datatype. . 59
Figure 13: UML presentation of slot_tuple_table datatype. 61
Figure 14: UML presentation of Reified Relationship Systems. 63
Figure 15: UML presentation of Postal Address Structure. 65
Figure 16: Postal Address Structure [diagram from UPU S42]. 66
Figure 17: Perspective of segments, constructs, and postal address elements. 66
Figure 18: UML presentation of the classes: unrendered postal address, postal address segment,
postal address construct, address element. . 67
Figure 19: Postal Address — All Components [diagram from UPU S42] . 68
Figure 20: UML presentation of Phone Number Structure. 76
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved vii

Figure 21: UML presentation of Who-What-Where-When-Why-How (W5H) Event Structure . 79
Figure 22: UML presentation of Who-What-Where-When-Why-How (W5H) Event Structure . 84
Figure 23: UML presentation of Security Credentials Data . 87
Figure 24: UML presentation of EPG Relationship Data Class. 90

viii © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 19773 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 32, Data management and interchange.

© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved ix

Introduction
This International Standard specifies small modules of data that can be used or reused in applications. These
modules have been extracted from ISO/IEC 11179-3, ISO/IEC 19763, and OASIS EBXML, and have been
refined further. These modules are intended to harmonize with current and future versions of the
ISO/IEC 11179 series and the ISO/IEC 19763 series.
During the development of this International Standard, it was originally presented as a multipart standard
consisting of an overview part and other parts, one for each module. However, this presentation approach
proved to be too cumbersome for users, with some duplication of text and cross-references across multiple
documents. The work was consolidated into a single document that facilitated ongoing additions and
amendments, as industry and technology demand.
In the present version of this International Standard, subclauses of Clause 3 and Clause 9 itself are marked
“reserved for future use”. Future amendments might insert text into these (currently) reserved areas.
Meanwhile, the document as a whole is designed with a parallel structure (terminology in Subclause 3.X
corresponds to the data structure in Clause X), so that the user can quickly locate module-specific terminology
for a module-specific data structure. Thus, for the UPU postal data module, the terminology is defined in
Subclause 3.16 and its corresponding data structure is described in Clause 16.

x © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19773:2011(E)

Information technology — Metadata Registries (MDR) modules
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies the technical interoperability details of metadata modules, which are
used in ISO/IEC 11179.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, Information technology — General-Purpose Datatypes (GPD)
ISO/IEC 20944-1:—, Information technology — Metadata Registries Interoperability and Bindings (MDR-IB) —
Part 1: Framework, common vocabulary, and common provisions for conformance
ISO 21090:2011, Health informatics — Harmonized data types for information interchange
IETF RFC 2421, Voice Profile for Internet Mail — Version 2, September 1998
IETF RFC 3986, Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax, January 2005
IETF RFC 3987, Internationalized Resource Identifiers (IRIs), January 2005
IETF RFC 5646, Tags for Identifying Languages, September 2009
UPU S42a-6:2009, International postal address components and templates — Part A: Conceptual hierarchy
1)
and template languages
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviations
For the purposes of this document, the following terms, definitions, and abbreviations apply.
3.1 Signifiers, referencing, and their associations
3.1.1
to reference, verb
to create an association with a particular object
[ISO/IEC 20944-1]
EXAMPLE A human pointing at an object.

1) UPU is the Universal Postal Union at http://www.upu.int. UPU S42a-6 is based on EN 14142-1, Postal services —
Address databases — Part 1 — Components of postal addresses.
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved 1
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