TECHNICAL ISO/IEC REPORT TR 20943-3 First edition 2004-03-01 Information technology Procedures for achieving metadata registry content consistency Part 3: Value domains Technologies de l'informationProcedures pour realiser la consistance du contenu de I'enregistrement des métadonnées- Partie 3: Domaines de valeur Reference number ISO/IEC TR 20943-3:2004(E) IEC ISO @ISO/IEC 2004 ISO/IEC TR 20943-3:2004(E) PDF disclaimer This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The Iso Central Secretariat accepts no liability in this area. Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation ? ISO/IEC2004 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 IsO's member body in the country of the requester. ISO copyright office Case postale 56 . CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 E-mail [email protected] Web www.iso.org Published in Switzerland @ ISO/IEC 2004 - All rights reserved ISO/IEC TR20943-3:2004(E) Contents Page Foreword. iv Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1.2 Purpose.. 1.3 Limits of this Technical Report 1.4 Registration approach - value domains and data elements. 2 Normative references .... 3 Terms and definitions 4 Understanding value domains. 4.1 Introduction 4.2 General principles. 4.2.1 Introduction .... 4.2.2 Choice of codes 4.2.3 Number of permissible values .. 4.2.4 Conceptual domain hierarchies ... 4.2.5 Sharing value meanings across permissible values....... 4.2.6 Sharingvaluedomains across dataelements.. 4.2.7 Associating value domains with concepts (data element concepts and conceptual domains) 4.2.8 Value domains not associated with data elements.... 6 4.2.9 Contrasting conceptual domains and data element concepts. 4.2.10 Non-enumerated value domains ... 4.2.11 Value domains with enumerated and non-enumerated components. 4.2.12 Semantic restriction of use of value domains ... 4.2.13 Rapidly changing enumerated value domains (UPC example) 4.3 Structure in value domains .. 9 4.3.1 Introduction........................ 4.3.2 InternationalStandardIndustrialClassification(isiC).. 9 4.3.3 Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC). 4.4 12 4.5 Classification schemes as value domains .. .13 4.6 Data types and value domains ... 15 4.6.1 Basics. 15 4.6.2 Value domains with more than one data type limitations of value meaning 15 4.7 Units of measure ... 16 4.8 Dimensionality... 18 4.9 Classifying value domains.... 19 5 Registering value domains 20 5.1 Introduction...... 5.2 Rules for registering value domains. .20 5.3 Strategies..... 23 5.4 5.4.1 Enumerated value domain .... .24 5.4.2 Non-enumerated value domain 30 Annex A Metamodel for value domains and conceptual domains 33 Bibliography .35 on All rights reserved ii ISO/IEC TR20943-3:2004(E) 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 establishedbytherespectiveorganizationtodealwithparticularfieldsoftechnicalactivity.IsOandTEC andnon-governmental,inliaisonwithIsOandIEC,alsotakepartinthework.Inthefieldofinformation technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1. Internatio