It would be helpful to provide
more clarification and consistency in the HELD specification regarding whether
the term “location information” refers to only actual location information
e.g. civic and/or geodetic data, or whether it also includes location
references, i.e., a location URI. The following comments are based on location
information referring only to actual location data – in other words,
location-by-value; what can be returned in a PIDF-LO. Based on this, a
location reference is not location information – it is used to obtain location
information.
The definition given for “location
information” in Section 3 states that LI is the data that describes location.
This text appears to indicate that a location URI is not included in what is
meant by location information. An additional definition, “location
reference” with text describing that this is a pointer or key in the form of a
location URI used to retrieve location information via a de-referencing
process would more explicitly highlight that a location URI is not location
information.
Rewording in Section 4 and Section
5 where location information is discussed is needed for consistency and to
resolve ambiguity regarding the meaning of the term, but in most places the
distinction is not critical to the overall meaning of the
text.
Whatever the intended meaning of
location information, clarification would be helpful in Sec 7.2 for the
locationType parameter, where locationURI is included as a type of location
information. It is not clear whether the “any” value includes only location
data in civic and/or geodetic form or also a locationURI. An additional
sentence would allow the flexibility to return actual location information
and/or a locationURI, but not strongly suggest that the LCS create and
maintain a location reference for location requests where a reference was not
explicitly requested.
Existing sentence – The LCS SHOULD
return location information in a form that is suited for routing and
responding to an emergency call in its jurisdiction. (This could be
interpreted to not include a locationURI as it cannot be routed on or used for
dispatch as is.)
Suggested additional sentence -
The LCS MAY alternatively or additionally return a locationURI.
An additional possible value for
the locationType element of “all” or “both” could be used to explicitly
indicate a request for both location values and a location
reference.
Thanks
Eric
Arolick
