Overview
ISO 19133:2005 - Geographic information - Location-based services - Tracking and navigation defines the data types and operations needed to implement tracking and navigation services for location‑based services (LBS). The standard is targeted at web service implementations (for example, web‑resident proxy applications serving wireless devices) but is not limited to that architecture. ISO 19133 specifies models for representing positions, movement, routing, cost functions and address/network information to support interoperable tracking and navigation solutions.
Key topics and technical scope
ISO 19133 organizes the tracking and navigation domain into well‑defined packages and topics, including:
- Tracking: semantics and service models for position reports, mobile subscriber representations, tracking locations, triggers (periodic, transition), and quality‑of‑position metadata.
- Point estimates & coordinate models: representations for point estimates (circle, ellipse, sphere, ellipsoid), measured coordinates and coordinate reference systems.
- Location transformation & linear referencing: mechanisms for transforming locations and representing linear reference systems (LRS) such as offsets, reference markers and expressions.
- Navigation: route request/response models, instructions, rendering services, and cost functions (time, distance, monetary costs, transfers, tolls, counts) used by routing algorithms.
- Network & routing model: formalization of network elements (links, turns, junctions), constraints/advisories, network positions and route definitions.
- Address model: structured address and address elements (street, postal code, intersection, named place) to support geocoding and location matching.
- Implementation support: basic feature/data model packages, test suites and informative annexes on graph algorithms and RM‑ODP service views.
Practical applications and users
ISO 19133 is practical for anyone building interoperable location services:
- LBS and mobile app developers implementing tracking, geofencing, and turn‑by‑turn navigation.
- Fleet management and telematics providers for standardized position reporting and routing.
- Transport and public transit agencies for route planning, transfers and cost modeling.
- Emergency services and asset tracking where accurate quality‑of‑position metadata and triggers are critical.
- GIS integrators and standards architects who need consistent models for coordinates, linear referencing and network data to integrate multiple systems.
Benefits include improved interoperability, clearer semantics for position accuracy and triggers, and consistent routing/cost modeling for cross‑vendor services.
Related standards
- Related to the ISO 19100 series (geographic information standards) and complements web service and geospatial data standards used in LBS ecosystems. For implementation, combine ISO 19133 models with relevant coordinate reference, feature‑model and web service standards to achieve end‑to‑end interoperability.
Keywords: ISO 19133, location-based services, tracking and navigation, LBS, tracking service, navigation service, routing, cost function, network model, address model, linear reference system.
