ISO/IEC 21838-4:2023

Information technology - Top-level ontologies (TLO) - Part 4: TUpper

This document describes TUpper as an ontology that is conformant to the requirements specified for top-level ontologies in ISO/IEC 21838-1. This document describes TUpper as a resource designed to support ontology design, ontology integration, automated reasoning, and semantic integration of heterogeneous information systems. The following are within the scope of this document: - definitions of classes and relations in the signature of TUpper; - axiomatizations of TUpper in OWL 2 and CL; - documentation of the conformity of TUpper to the requirements specified for top-level ontologies in ISO/IEC 21838-1; - documentation of the methodology for specifying domain ontologies that conform to TUpper. The following are outside the scope of this document: - specification of ontology languages, including the languages RDF, OWL and CL standardly used in ontology development; - specification of methods for reasoning with ontologies; - specification of translators between the notations of ontologies developed in different ontology languages.

Technologies de l'information — Ontologies de haut-niveau (TLO) — Partie 4: Titre manque

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 18-Sep-2023
• ICS: 01.040.35 - Information technology (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 35.060 - Languages used in information technology
• 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: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 19-Sep-2023
• Due Date: 03-Jul-2023
• Completion Date: 19-Sep-2023

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 18243:2025 - Electrically propelled mopeds and motorcycles - Test specifications and safety requirements for lithium-ion battery systems
• Effective Date: 11-Nov-2023

Overview

ISO/IEC 21838-4:2023 - TUpper defines TUpper, a top-level ontology (TLO) that is conformant with the requirements in ISO/IEC 21838-1. TUpper is published with three complementary artifacts: a natural-language specification (TUpper‑Terms), an OWL 2 formalization (TUpper‑OWL) and a Common Logic (CL) axiomatization (TUpper‑CL). The standard documents the ontology signature (classes and relations), OWL/CL axiomatizations, modular structure, conformity evidence to ISO/IEC 21838-1, and the methodology for creating domain ontologies that conform to TUpper.

Key topics and requirements

• Conformance to ISO/IEC 21838-1: TUpper documents how its elements satisfy the requirements for top-level ontologies in the Part 1 standard.
• Multi‑notation delivery: Natural language, OWL 2 and Common Logic representations are provided to support human understanding, OWL-based integration/reasoning, and a formal CL semantics.
• Modularity (sideways approach): TUpper is a modular TLO composed of modules (e.g., time, process, space, mereotopology) derived from existing ISO ontologies rather than a single monolithic taxonomy.
• Scope inclusions:
  • Definitions of classes and relations in the TUpper signature
  • Axiomatizations in OWL 2 and CL
  • Documentation of conformity and methodology for domain‑ontology conformance
• Scope exclusions:
  • Specification of ontology languages (RDF, OWL, CL)
  • Methods for reasoning with ontologies
  • Translators between ontology notations
• Conformance rule for domain ontologies: A domain ontology conforms to TUpper iff its axioms (in the same CL dialect) are a consistent extension of the TUpper axiomatization.

Applications and users

TUpper is designed to support practical tasks in semantic technologies and information systems:

• Ontology design & integration: Provides reusable top-level concepts to harmonize domain ontologies and enable semantic integration across heterogeneous systems.
• Automated reasoning: OWL 2 formalization allows use with OWL reasoners for classification and consistency checks; CL axiomatization captures intended semantics.
• Standards alignment: Enables applications that must interoperate with multiple ISO-standard ontologies. Primary users:
• Ontology engineers and knowledge engineers
• Semantic web and linked-data developers
• Data architects, system integrators, and AI practitioners working on semantic interoperability
• Standards organizations and domain modelers

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 21838-1:2021 - Top-level ontologies (requirements)
• ISO/IEC 24707 - Common Logic (CL) framework
• ISO 18629 (PSL modules), ISO 19107, ISO/TS 19150-1, ISO/IEC 80000 - sources of modules incorporated in TUpper

Keywords: ISO/IEC 21838-4:2023, TUpper, top-level ontology, TLO, OWL 2, Common Logic, ontology integration, semantic integration, modular ontology, ISO top-level ontology.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 21838-4
First edition
2023-09
Information technology — Top-level
ontologies (TLO) —
Part 4:
TUpper
Reference number
© ISO/IEC 2023
© ISO/IEC 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
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Phone: [phone]
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Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
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© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Conformance of TUpper to ISO 21838-1 . 2
4.1 Overview . 2
4.2 Natural language representation of TUpper . 2
4.3 OWL 2 formalization of TUpper . 2
4.4 Common Logic axiomatization of TUpper . 2
4.4.1 General . 2
4.4.2 Modularity . 3
4.5 Specification of the purpose of TUpper (in conformance to ISO/IEC 21838-1:2021,
4.4.2) . 3
4.6 Conformance of a domain ontology to TUpper (in conformance to ISO/IEC 21838-
1:2021, 4.4.3) . 3
4.7 Consistency of the CL axiomatization of TUpper (in conformity to ISO/IEC 21838-
1:2021, 4.4.4) . 3
4.8 Interpretability of the OWL 2 axiomatization of TUpper in the CL axiomatization
(in conformity to ISO/IEC 21838-1:2021, 4.4.5) . 4
4.9 Demonstration of breadth of coverage of TUpper (in conformance to ISO/IEC
21838-1:2021, 4.4.6) . 4
4.9.1 General . 4
4.9.2 Space and time . . 4
4.9.3 Actuality and possibility . 4
4.9.4 Classes and types . 4
4.9.5 Change over time . 4
4.9.6 Parts, wholes, unity and boundaries . 5
4.9.7 Space and place . 5
4.9.8 Scale and granularity . 5
4.9.9 Qualities and other attributes . 5
4.9.10 Quantities and mathematical entities . 5
4.9.11 Processes and events . 5
4.9.12 Constitution . 5
4.9.13 Causality . 6
4.9.14 Information and reference. 6
4.9.15 Artefacts and socially constructed entities . 6
4.9.16 Mental entities, imagined entities, fiction, mythology, religion . 6
4.10 Documentation of ontology management principles (in conformance to ISO/
IEC 21838-1:2021, 4.4.8) . 6
Bibliography . 7
iii
© ISO/IEC 2023 – 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.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance
are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria
needed for the different types of documents should be noted. This document was drafted in
accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or
www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the
use of (a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of
any claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC
had not received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However,
implementers are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained
from the patent database available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall
not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 32, Data management and interchange.
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 21838 series can be found on the ISO and IEC websites.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/national-committees.
iv
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

Introduction
TUpper is a top-level ontology (TLO) conforming to ISO/IEC 21838-1. It contains definitions of its terms
and relational expressions and formal representations in OWL 2 and in Common Logic (CL).
Top-level ontologies have traditionally arisen from the approach in which concepts that are common
across a set of domains can be axiomatized at a general level. The rationale is that reuse across domains
is to be supported through specialization of the general concepts from a top-level ontology. Similarly,
semantic integration between ontologies is to be achieved through the general concepts they specialize.
The TUpper ontology follows an alternative approach (referred to as the sideways approach) to the
conventional top-level ontology paradigm. Rather than think of a top-level ontology as a monolithic
axiomatization centred on a taxonomy, the sideways approach considers a top-level ontology to be a
modular ontology composed of ontologies that cover concepts including those related to time, process,
and space, from which any underlying taxonomy can be inferred. Each module within TUpper is a set
of axioms from an existing ISO standard. The central claim is that a top-level ontology is an ontology
that has a reduction whose modules are all ontologies that satisfy a subset of the requirements for a
top-level ontology in ISO/IEC 21838-1:2021. New top-level ontologies can be designed by the union of
different ontologies that already exist rather than harmonizing different ontologies.
The TUpper ontology is designed as a top-level ontology that contains modules from the ontologies
within existing international standards, and that extends these modules so as to satisfy the criteria
for top level ontologies in ISO/IEC 21838-1. The modules of PSL appear in ISO 18629. The modules for
mereotopology and location arise from ISO 19107 and ISO 19150-1. Modules related to units of measure
arise from ISO 80000.
TUpper-terms, the natural language specification of TUpper, supports human maintenance and use of
the ontology, including use in development of conformant domain ontologies.
Tupper-OWL, the OWL 2 formalization of TUpper, enables TUpper to be integrated with other ontologies
expressed in OWL and in related languages, and supports the use of OWL automated reasoners.
TUpper-CL, the CL formalization of TUpper, provides the axiomatization of the intended semantics of
TUpper.
This document conforms to ISO/IEC 21838-1.
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© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 21838-4:2023(E)
Information technology — Top-level ontologies (TLO) —
Part 4:
TUpper
1 Scope
This document describes TUpper as an ontology that is conformant to the requirements specified for
top-level ontologies in ISO/IEC 21838-1.
This document describes TUpper as a resource designed to support ontology design, ontology
integration, automated reasoning, and semantic integration of heterogeneous information systems.
The following are within the scope of this document:
— definitions of classes and relations in the signature of TUpper;
— axiomatizations of TUpper in OWL 2 and CL;
— documentation of the conformity of TUpper to the requirements specified for top-level ontologies
in ISO/IEC 21838-1;
— documentation of the methodology for specifying domain ontologies that conform to TUpper.
The following are outside the scope of this document:
— specification of ontology languages, including the languages RDF, OWL and CL standardly used in
ontology development;
— specification of methods for reasoning with ontologies;
— specification of translators between the notations of ontologies developed in different ontology
languages.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements 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 21838-1:2021, Information technology — Top-level ontologies (TLO) — Part 1: Requirements
ISO/IEC 24707, Information technology — Common Logic (CL)
...