Introduction
This publication TIC4.0 2022.004 contains the Semantics, Dataset Roadmap, Data Model and Definitions on the following topics
Cycle: It is an update of the 2022.003 release. The terminal.gate.cycle is now included. With this definition, the most important cycles within a terminal have been defined: ; the highest level process: terminal.cycle, the subprocesses: terminal.berth.cycle, terminal.yard.cycle, terminals.gate.cycle, terminal.train.cycle, terminal.horizontaltransport.cycle and on at the equipment level: CHE.cycle.
Carrier Visit: includes important definitions for processes from the perspective of a carrier visit: Arrival, TerminalOperations and Departure.
Cargo Visit: includes important definitions to follow the process of the cargo on a terminal, such as Inbound and Outbound as well as unambiguous definitions related to the weight of cargo. With these definitions, the most important definitions for the “Cargo Visit” have been defined.
Schema JSON to FLAT: a very important work was has been done for anyone who really wants intends to implement TIC4.0. The JSON Schema is defined and clear instructions for a human to convert a dataset from a JSON format dataset into a FLAT format are included. TIC4.0 developed and published an open-source software tool to automatically convert datasets from JSON to FLAT. The source code can be included in any program and is available via GitHub.
Datamodel: The existing data models are updated reflecting the definitions of this release and the latest development around the TIC4.0 semantic.
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With the Schema JSON to FLAT this publication provides the required step by step instructions (and an open-source conversion tool) to convert the data format from the JSON format to the FLAT format. This is important for the implementation of the semantics. TIC 4
TIC4.0 uses the JSON format as default because it allows us to express a hierarchical structure and an array of subjects (for several subsubjectssub-subjects) or observed properties (for different combinations of timestamps, pom, pomt, names, etc). JSON is also the default file format for many protocols such as REST and MQTT extensively used to share data or publish IoT data. A flat format is more suitable for low-level implementation like PLCs or software code. JSON is better for sharing extensive messages. Both formats are valid in TIC 4TIC4.0 and for the implementation compliant and when implementing TIC4.0 standards in your organisation it is very important to be able to automatically convert from one format to the other.
These definitions are part of TIC4.0’s ongoing work to develop a common vocabulary for the cargo handling industry and will be followed by future releases, as defined by the TIC4.0 Dataset Roadmap. The current list of definitions being worked on can be accessed on the digital platform of TIC4.0. This publication release provides the actual definitions and includes them in the TIC4.0 templates with the general approach on how to use these in Data Models, Data Schema's, JSON formats and provides high-level scenarios as examples.
1. TIC 4.0 scope
The purpose of TIC4.0 is to define a common language that can be represented in an understandable format, including data and information elements suitable for digitalization.
With the definitions and language, any reality (equipment or process) in a port terminal environment can be uniquely described. The vocabulary needs to work be valid for any equipment, process and protocol (digital or human) in any port terminal in any location. The typical elements that make up the port terminal activities are cargo handling equipment (any kind of machine within the terminal that performs a job or task), external vehicles (trucks, vessels, trains), terminal infrastructure (berth, yard, gate), or auxiliary elements (energy, light, refuelling…).
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To achieve the above goal TIC4.0 has developed a Semantic set of rules based on human language which helps in the creation process of the definitions/vocabulary. The definitions/vocabulary can be considered as the building bricks blocs and together with the TIC4.0 semantic rules, allow the user to define describe any reality in a specific, unambiguous way, irrespective of the level of technology used in a terminal.
The vocabulary is managed in a Dataset, which is basically a one-dimensional database list. This list is not static but and will grow exponentially when as TIC4.0 continues to work on more and more segments and areas of a terminal.
The work of TIC4.0 is to define the individual entries of the Dataset/Dictionary, focusing on a logical group or theme. In the Dataset/Dictionary the user can see the status of each entry and which entries are published and a link to the definition is provided.
To apply the words vocabulary in each entry in several digital protocols, a Data Schema is needed. TIC 4TIC4.0 will propose Data Schema for each of the most common protocols, but the Data Schema can be used for is compatible with any protocol. For In the examples that are provided, TIC 4TIC4.0 usually uses JSON as it is very user friendly and easy to read.
2. Data Model
For the digital formatting of the semantic Semantic and Dataset we need a Data Model to structure the data and a Data Schema to define the details of the content such as the validity of the format, the type of data (boolean, entire, real etc.), which data is mandatory or could be omitted etc.
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Following the semantic web standard (subject: object) the model has 3 main components: header, asset description and measurement.
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SUBJECT creates the hierarchy tree structure (we have sub-subjects) that helps to identify the boundary of the value. The hierarchy is fixed by TIC4.0 for each kind of subject (CHE, TOS, Terminal) and can mix any type of subjects (e.g. machine.process = che.move). The subjects conform to an array defined by the (concept) metadata so various identical subjects but with different metadata (id or name or location or…) can be sent in the same message . (one message with several CHE's or one CHE with several spreaders).
The CONCEPT'smetadata defines “what is” and the CONCEPT“what does”. Both are flat (no hierarchy, no arrays) and as many as necessary can be used. Additionally, two concepts can be combined with “and” or “or” creating a new concept which includes the condition that makes both true. For e.g. “hoisting_and_trolleying” that represents the action of hoisting and trolleying at the same time (both statuses must be true).
OBSERVED PROPERTies define the “magnitude” of the CONCEPT, are flat (no hierarchy) and can be used as many times as necessary with a CONCEPT.
For each OBSERVED PROPERTies an array created by the combination of the different POINT OF MEASUREMENTs in time (actual, estimated, etc), place (input, iinput, ioutput, output), timestamps and the different Units will give an array (a list) of VALUEs. The array could be as long as necessary in each message. The length will depend on the relation between the data frequency and the message frequency and also the amount of different POINT OF MEASUREMENTs that need to be represented.
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The Dataset is the content of the Data Model, a flat version without hierarchy or rules. The Dataset is used by humans but machines need the Data Model and the Data Schema to translate it to a digital format.
3. Definitions
In this release we defined the following elements:
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Release | Definition | Link | Definition | TIC4.0 semantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022.004 | Cycle | A "Cycle" is a discrete (individuallyindividual, separate and distinct) process designed (destined) to move payloads from one location to another by a subject (che, tos, terminal, carrier, etc). Extension of the 2021.003 release with regards to the terminal.gate.cycle. With this definition the most important cycles within a terminal have been defined: ; the highest level process: terminal.cycle, the subprocesses: terminal.berth.cycle, terminal.yard.cycle, terminals.gate.cycle, terminal.train.cycle, terminal.horizontaltransport.cycle and on at the equipment level CHE.cycle. | SUBJECT-PROCESS |
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Release | Definition | Link | Definition | TIC4.0 semantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022.004 | Arrival | Arrival “Arrival" is the process by which a carrier is physically approaching its destination (terminal), in preparation to for the terminal operations activity or to receive other 3rd party services that provided at the terminal site provides . | SUBJECT-PROCESS | |
2022.004 | TerminalOperations | “terminaloperations” “TerminalOperations” is the process in which the terminal is loading, unloading or moving cargo. The definition of TerminalOperarations is a generic process definition and can also be applied to other parent processes. | SUBJECT-PROCESS | |
2022.004 | Departure | Departure “Departure" is the process by which a carrier is physically leaving the terminal, as the terminal operations or third party services are completed. | SUBJECT-PROCESS |
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Release | Definition | Link | Definition | TIC4.0 semantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022.004 | Inbound | The cargo visit “inbound” “Inbound” event happens when the carriervisit arrival process ends (carriervisit.arrival.end = carriervisit.firsttimereadytowork) and the cargo transported by the carrier during the carriervisit is ready for being to be unloaded (carriervisit cargooperations can start). | CONCEPT EVENT | |
2022.004 | Check-In | The Check“Check-in In" is the event that identifies the cargo incoming to the terminal from the an administrative point of view. | CONCEPT EVENT | |
2022.004 | Dwell | The cargo visit dwell “Dwell" concept represents that the is the administrative representation of a cargo is actually visiting remaining at a terminal from the administrative point of view. The status of the concept is “true”, between from the moment the cargo is identified during the incoming of the cargo (check-in) and the moment of confirmation of the cargo’s departure (check-out). | CONCEPT STATUS | |
2022.004 | Check-Out | The Check“Check-out Out" is the event that identifies the cargo departure from the terminal from the an administrative point of view. | CONCEPT EVENT | |
2022.004 | Outbound | The cargo visit “outbound” “Outbound” event happens when the carriervisit departure process start starts (carriervisit.arrival.start = carriervisit.firsttimereadytodeparture) with the cargo (of the cargovisit). | CONCEPT EVENT | |
2022.004 | Weight | The force that gravity exerts upon the TIC 4TIC4.0 “subject”subject, equal to the mass of the payload multiplied by the local acceleration of gravity. | CONCEPT | |
2022.004 | Gross | The whole weight of the subject including the weight of the subject itself (tare) and all carried by it (nett). | OBSERVED PROPERTY | |
2022.004 | Nett | The whole weight of the subject (gross) not including the weight of the subject itself (tare). | OBSERVED PROPERTY | |
2022.004 | Tare | The weight of the subject itself, only including its own weight without any extra payload it is carrying (nett). | OBSERVED PROPERTY |
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Release | Definition | Link | Definition | TIC4.0 semantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022.004 | JSON Schema | TIC 4TIC4.0 uses the JSON format as by default because it allows us to express an array of subjects (for several subsubjectssub-subjects) or observed properties (for different combinations of timestamps, pom, pomt, names, etc). JSON is also the default file format for many protocols such as REST and MQTT extensively used to share data or publish IoT data. These arrays give us a high flexibility thanks to the hierarchical structure. Other hierarchical structures, such as XML, are possible in TIC 4TIC4.0 like XML but we recommend using JSON as default. The hierarchical structure allows to include in one message many timestamps of many concepts per subject of many subjects per the main subject without limits. | DATA FORMAT | |
2022.004 | JSON to FLAT | The main goal of the conversion is to keep all the JSON information in the flat messages after the conversion. This definition includes the most important rules to perform the JSON to FLAT conversion. | DATA FORMAT |