ISO-Space (ISO 24617-7)

Model: ISO-Space (ISO 24617-7, ISO 24617-14)
Origin: ISO TC 37/SC 4; Brandeis University (ISOspace)
Specification: ISO 24617-7:2020 (Spatial information); ISO 24617-14:2023 (Spatial semantics)
Key Reference: ISO 24617-7:2020

Overview

ISO-Space is the ISO standard framework for annotating spatial and spatiotemporal information in natural language text. It provides markup for places, spatial entities, spatial signals (prepositions and connectives), paths, motion events, and four types of spatial links: qualitative spatial links (QSLINK) using RCC-8 topological relations, orientation links (OLINK) for directional relations, measure links (MEASURELINK) for metric/distance relations, and motion links (MLINK) connecting motion events to their paths.

Layers fully subsumes ISO-Space through three mechanisms:

Structured spatial annotations — spatialExpression, spatialEntity, and spatialModifier in pub.layers.defs capture all place and spatial entity attributes
Annotation subkinds — location-mention, spatial-expression, spatial-signal, situation-mention discriminate ISO-Space element types
Graph edges — RCC-8 topological relations, directional relations, and distance relations as graphEdge.edgeType values capture all QSLINK, OLINK, and MEASURELINK relations

Type-by-Type Mapping

Spatial Entities

ISO-Space Element	Layers Equivalent	Notes
`PLACE`	`annotation` with `subkind="location-mention"` + `spatial` field	Named/nominal place references. `spatial.type="location"`. Geo-coordinates in `spatial.value.geometry` with `crs="wgs84"`. Gazetteer references in `knowledgeRefs`.
`PLACE.type` (COUNTRY, STATE, CITY, etc.)	`annotation.label`	The place type as the primary label
`PLACE.gazref`	`annotation.knowledgeRefs`	Gazetteer reference as `knowledgeRef` with appropriate `source` (e.g., `"geonames"`, `"osm"`)
`PLACE.latLong`	`spatialEntity.geometry` with `crs="wgs84"`	WKT POINT: `"POINT(lat lon)"`
`PLACE.dcl` (document creation location)	`spatialExpression.function="document-location"`	Parallel to TimeML's `functionInDocument`
`SPATIAL_ENTITY` (non-place)	`annotation` with `subkind="spatial-expression"` + `spatial` field	Non-place spatial entities (objects with spatial extent). `spatial.type` varies by entity nature.
`SPATIAL_ENTITY.dimensionality`	`spatialEntity.dimensions`	2 or 3
`SPATIAL_ENTITY.form`	`annotation.features`	Shape description (e.g., "linear", "areal", "volumetric")

Spatial Signals

ISO-Space Element	Layers Equivalent	Notes
`SPATIAL_SIGNAL`	`annotation` with `subkind="spatial-signal"`	Spatial prepositions and connectives ("in", "near", "above", "between")
`SPATIAL_SIGNAL.type` (TOPOLOGICAL, DIRECTIONAL, METRIC)	`annotation.label`	The signal type as label
Text content	`annotation.text`	The signal text

Paths and Motion

ISO-Space Element	Layers Equivalent	Notes
`PATH`	`annotation` with `spatial.type="path"`	Motion paths. `spatial.value.geometry` as WKT LINESTRING. `spatial.value.type="line-string"`.
`PATH.beginID` / `PATH.endID`	`annotation.arguments` with `role="origin"` / `role="destination"`	Path endpoints as argument references
`PATH.midIDs`	`annotation.arguments` with `role="waypoint"`	Intermediate points
`MOTION`	`annotation` with `subkind="situation-mention"` + `arguments`	Motion events. Arguments include trajector, landmark, path, goal, source.
`MOTION.motion_type` (MANNER, PATH)	`annotation.label`	Motion type as label
`MOTION.motion_class` (MOVE, MOVE_EXTERNAL, MOVE_INTERNAL)	`annotation.features` key `motion-class`	ISO-Space motion classification
`MOTION.motion_sense` (LITERAL, FICTIVE, INTRINSIC_CHANGE)	`annotation.features` key `motion-sense`	Literal vs. figurative motion

Spatial Links (Relations)

ISO-Space Element	Layers Equivalent	Notes
`QSLINK` (qualitative spatial)	`pub.layers.graph#graphEdge` with RCC-8 `edgeType`	Topological relations. `relType` maps to specific RCC-8 edge type.
`QSLINK.relType=DC`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="disconnected"`	Disconnected
`QSLINK.relType=EC`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="externally-connected"`	Externally connected
`QSLINK.relType=PO`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="partially-overlapping"`	Partially overlapping
`QSLINK.relType=TPP`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="tangential-proper-part"`	Tangential proper part
`QSLINK.relType=NTPP`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="non-tangential-proper-part"`	Non-tangential proper part
`QSLINK.relType=TPPi`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="tangential-proper-part-inverse"`	Tangential proper part inverse
`QSLINK.relType=NTPPi`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="non-tangential-proper-part-inverse"`	Non-tangential proper part inverse
`QSLINK.relType=EQ`	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="spatially-equal"`	Spatially equal
`OLINK` (orientation)	`pub.layers.graph#graphEdge` with directional `edgeType`	Orientational relations
`OLINK.relType` (ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, RIGHT, IN_FRONT, BEHIND, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST)	Mapped directional `edgeType`	`ABOVE` → `above`, `IN_FRONT` → `in-front-of`, `NORTH` → `north-of`, etc.
`OLINK.frame_type` (INTRINSIC, RELATIVE, ABSOLUTE)	`graphEdge.properties` feature `frame-type`	Reference frame specification
`OLINK.referencePt`	`graphEdge.properties` feature `reference-point`	Reference point for computing orientation
`MEASURELINK`	`pub.layers.graph#graphEdge` with distance `edgeType`	Metric relations
`MEASURELINK.relType` (DISTANCE)	`graphEdge` with `edgeType="near"`, `"far"`, or `"adjacent"`	Qualitative distance; quantitative value in `properties`
`MEASURELINK.value`	`graphEdge.properties` feature `distance`	Distance value as string (e.g., "50km", "3 miles")
`MEASURELINK.unit`	`graphEdge.properties` feature `distance-unit`	Unit of measurement
`MLINK` (motion link)	`pub.layers.graph#graphEdge` with `edgeType="causal"` or `"related-to"`	Links between motion events and spatial entities/paths
`MLINK.figure`	`graphEdge.source`	The moving entity
`MLINK.ground`	`graphEdge.target`	The reference entity or path

Signals on Links

ISO-Space Element	Layers Equivalent	Notes
Link `signalID`	`graphEdge.label`	Reference to the spatial signal annotation that triggered the relation
Link `trigger`	`graphEdge.properties` feature `trigger`	The triggering element (motion verb, spatial preposition)

Conversion Notes

An ISO-Space-annotated document can be converted to Layers records as follows:

Create a pub.layers.expression record with kind="document" from the source text
For each PLACE, create an annotation in an annotationLayer with kind="span", subkind="location-mention", formalism="iso-space". Populate the spatial field with a spatialExpression containing the geo-coordinates, place type, and document function
For each SPATIAL_ENTITY (non-place), create an annotation with subkind="spatial-expression" and populate the spatial field
For each SPATIAL_SIGNAL, create an annotation with subkind="spatial-signal"
For each PATH, create an annotation with spatial.type="path" and spatial.value.geometry as WKT LINESTRING
For each MOTION, create an annotation with subkind="situation-mention" and arguments for trajector, landmark, path, goal, source
For each QSLINK, create a graphEdge with the mapped RCC-8 relation as edgeType
For each OLINK, create a graphEdge with the mapped directional relation as edgeType, with frame of reference in properties
For each MEASURELINK, create a graphEdge with a distance edgeType and distance value in properties
For each MLINK, create a graphEdge linking the motion event to its spatial arguments

All ISO-Space IDs map to Layers UUIDs. Cross-references use objectRef with localId (same record) or recordRef + objectId (cross-record).

Overview​

Type-by-Type Mapping​

Spatial Entities​

Spatial Signals​

Paths and Motion​

Spatial Links (Relations)​

Signals on Links​

Conversion Notes​