Overview - ISO/TR 19175:2025 (Geographic information)
ISO/TR 19175:2025 is a Technical Report that performs a gap analysis of geospatial standards for indoor-outdoor seamless navigation. It is intended for designers, developers and providers of outdoor and indoor navigation services. The report:
- Specifies core concepts for seamless indoor-outdoor navigation.
- Outlines a conceptual architecture and practical scenarios / use-cases.
- Analyses gaps in existing geospatial standards that hinder implementation.
- Highlights standardization items to improve data and service interoperability.
Keywords: indoor-outdoor seamless navigation, geospatial standards, indoor maps, indoor positioning references, interoperability.
Key technical topics and requirements
ISO/TR 19175 surveys the technical elements needed to support continuous navigation between outdoor and indoor environments. Major topics include:
- Indoor-outdoor map concepts: definitions of indoor maps, indoor-outdoor maps, and required map content for seamless representation across building boundaries.
- Indoor positioning references and infrastructure: terminology and the nature of positioning references (e.g., Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth beacons) needed to support indoor positioning where GNSS is unreliable.
- Indoor networks and routing: structure and semantics for indoor pathways, nodes, and POIs to enable route planning and guidance across floors and between building interiors and outdoor networks.
- Conceptual architecture and use-cases: recommended high-level architecture and scenario-driven requirements for smooth handover of position, routing and context between outdoor and indoor systems.
- Gap analysis of current standards: identification of missing or inconsistent coverage in existing geospatial and ITS standards that affect interoperability.
- Interoperability recommendations: prioritized standardization items (data models, interfaces, context exchange) needed to achieve consistent end-to-end navigation.
Practical applications and target users
ISO/TR 19175 supports practical deployment of location-aware services. Typical applications:
- Indoor-outdoor wayfinding in airports, shopping malls, transit hubs, campuses and hospitals
- First-responder and emergency navigation across building boundaries
- Location-based services, asset tracking and logistics that traverse indoor and outdoor spaces
- Augmented reality and robotics needing accurate continuous positioning
Primary users:
- GIS and indoor mapping professionals
- Navigation system designers and software developers
- ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) vendors and integrators
- Facility managers and location-based service providers
- Standards bodies and policy makers focused on interoperability
Related standards (as referenced)
Standards cited or relevant in the report include:
For implementers, ISO/TR 19175:2025 is a practical roadmap to prioritize standardization efforts and align indoor and outdoor geospatial data, positioning references and interfaces to enable truly seamless navigation.