 



INTERNET-DRAFT                                           Chiaki Ishikawa
urn                                                            (YRP UNL)
Intended Status: Informational                                          
Expires: August 20, 2012                               February 17, 2012



                     A URN Namespace For The ucode 
                   draft-ishikawa-yrpunl-ucode-urn-03


Abstract

   This document describes a URN (Uniform Resource Name) namespace for
   ucode, an identifier system for objects and places.  The ucode
   technology is used in many applications, and this document provides a
   URN namespace for ucode to enable its use in Internet-related devices
   and software.

Status of this Memo

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   Copyright (c) 2011 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
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   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
 


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1  Introduction

   ucode [UCODE] is an identifier to be stored in many types of tags
   (not limited to RFID tags).  Its allocation and management is handled
   by Ubiquitous ID center [UIDC].  The embedding of ucode in many type
   of tags (RFID tags, optical code, infrared markers, and even sound
   source) is also specified by Ubiquitous ID center.  

   Basic length of ucode is 128 bits,  but it is extensible in units of
   128 bits if necessary.

   ucode has been devised to identify objects and places where existing
   standard doesn't fit the application needs or the scope of the
   applications, or the allocation policy of existing standard is too
   limited for small users or individual users.

   Applications that use ucode take advantage of the Internet
   extensively. Use of ucode is open to anybody.  Those who wish to have
   ucode allocated can do so either by having ucode subspace allocated
   to them directly from Ubiquitous ID center or obtain tags that have
   pre-stored ucode in them.  Tags which can store ucode are certified
   as ucode tags, and their reader specification is published so that
   there will be many readers available for such tags.

   By having URN (uniform resource name) for ucode, we can facilitate
   the use of ucode in many Internet-related devices and software for
   the benefit of existing and future users of ucode and people who will
   access such tags attached to objects and places.  Since the
   application based on ucode can run across organizational boundaries,
   and spread across regions and countries, we request a formal URN NID
   assignment for 'ucode'.


2  'ucode' Registration Template

Namespace ID:

   'ucode' requested

Registration Information:

   Registration Version Number: 1 
   Registration Date: 2011-12-21





 


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Declared registrant of the namespace:

   T-Engine Forum
   2-20-1, Nishi-Gotanda
   Shinagawa, Tokyo, 141-0031, JAPAN
   office@t-engine.org
   Tel: +81-3-5437-0572

Declaration of syntactic structure:

   The structure of the name space for 'ucode' using the hexadecimal
   representation of identifier is as follows using ABNF [RFC5234]. 

   UCODE-URN = "urn:ucode:" ucode-name
   ucode-name = "_" ucode-number
   ucode-number = 1*ucode-value
   ucode-value = 32HEXDIG
   HEXDIG         =  DIGIT / "A" / "B" / "C" / "D" / "E" / "F"
   DIGIT          =  %x30-39   
   			; 0-9                      

   NOTE 1: "1*" at the start of ucode-number definition is not a typo.
   Although the currently used ucode [UCODE] is 128-bits (16 octets),
   thus requiring 32 hexadecimal characters to represent serially, ucode
   is designed to be extensible in increment of 128 bits.  So in the
   distant future, we may need to repeat the chunks of 128 bits.  This
   is why "1*" precedes ucode-value.

   NOTE 2: ucode-name start with a "_".  The reason is as follows. This
   ucode-name is also intended to be used as an identifier as a tag for
   XML [W3CXML].  An XML tag can't start with a digit.  We insert "_" at
   the beginning to make sure ucode-name starts with a non-digit,
   i.e.,"_" since ucode-number can start with a decimal digit.

   An example

   The 128-bit ucode value, 0123456789ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF, expressed
   in a series of hexadecimal digits, is expressed as follows:

   urn:ucode:_0123456789ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF

Relevant ancillary documentation:

   ucode, the identifier expressed by ucode-number, is managed by
   Ubiquitous ID Center [UIDC], which is a sub-organization of T-Engine
   Forum [TEF].  "Ubiquitous Code: ucode" [UCODE] defines this
   identifier system.

 


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Identifier uniqueness considerations

   'ucode' namespace is managed by Ubiquitous ID Center.  Ubiquitous ID
   Center assigns the identifier, ucode, in such a way that the
   uniqueness of 'ucode' name space will be maintained.

Identifier persistence considerations:

   The assignment process guarantees that names are not reassigned and
   that the binding between the name and its resource is permanent,
   regardless of any standards or organizational changes or the
   assignment period.

Process of identifier assignment:

   Names are assigned by Ubiquitous ID Center and by any entities that
   are sub-delegated by Ubiquitous ID Center.  This assignment process
   is based on "ucode Management Implementing Procedures" [UCDMIP]
   established by Ubiquitous ID Center.


Process of identifier resolution

   The process of identifier resolution is currently based on "ucode
   Resolution Protocol" [UCSURP].  It will be enhanced by using newer
   Recommendations from ITU-T and/or standards from ISO.

Rules for lexical equivalence:

   The entire UCODE-URN is case-sensitive.

Conformance with URN syntax:

   There are no special reserved characters. The URN of this namespace
   conform to RFC 2141 [RFC2141] and RFC 3986 [RFC3986].

Validation mechanism:

   No special consideration.  

Scope:

   Global.

3  IANA considerations

   This document includes one URN Namespace registration request for
   'ucode' to be entered into the IANA registry for URN NIDs.
 


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4  Namespace considerations

   ucode, the identifier expressed by ucode-number, is a unique
   identification number to identify a tangible object or a place.
   Additionally, ucode can be assigned to "content" or "information"
   that does not exist in the real world, and a "concept" that is yet
   more abstract.  

   ucode has been devised to identify objects and places where existing
   standard doesn't fit the application needs or the scope of the
   applications, or the allocation policy of existing standard is too
   limited for SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises), small scale research
   laboratories at academic institutions, or individual users.

   ucode is only an identification number, and its value (or its sub
   bit-fields) does not contain any pre-assigned meaning.  Any relevant
   information about the object or place to which a ucode is assigned is
   stored in a data server that can be reached after a "resolution
   process" [UCSURP]. This resolution process usually occurs over the
   Internet.

   ucode can be assigned to an object to be identified regardless of the
   type of application.  ucode is expected to be stored in any kind of
   tags (2D optical code, RFID, and other form of tags) and it provides
   a framework where anyone can obtain unique numbers for identification
   purposes.

   ucode has been designed to provide the services outlined in ITU-T
   recommendation, "Service description and requirements for multimedia
   information access triggered by tag-based identification" [ITU-T-
   F771] and to operate in the framework of "Architecture of a system
   for multimedia information access triggered by tag-based
   identification" [ITU-T-H621].  

   ucode architecture is general enough to cover many applications for
   the users.

5  Community Considerations

   This namespace enables ucode to be stored in tags that can store URN,
   and ucode related information to be described as metadata.  This
   allows exchange of descriptions regarding objects and places among
   multiple organizations.  

   We expect many small-scale providers who will offer ucode tags to
   small users as well as large scale providers who will hand out more
   than millions of tags to users.  

 


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   The resolution servers and applications will be available to general
   users with appropriate access control over the Internet.  The
   published specification for resolver and access services for 'ucode'
   allows the creation of client software for the many types of
   computers including small mobile terminals and ever popular
   smartphones.

6 Security Considerations

   There are no additional security considerations other than those
   normally associated with the use and resolution of URNs in general.

7  References

7.1  Normative References

   [UCODE]    T-Engine Forum, Ubiquitous ID Center. "ucode: Ubiquitous
              Code", UID-00010,     http://www.uidcenter.org/wp-
              content/themes/wp.vicuna/pdf/UID-00010-01.A0.10_en.pdf

   [UCDMIP]   T-Engine Forum, Ubiquitous ID Center. "ucode Management
              Implementing Procedures", UID-00034,
              http://www.uidcenter.org/wp-
              content/themes/wp.vicuna/pdf/UID-CO00034-01.A0.10_en.pdf

   [UCSURP]   T-Engine Forum, Ubiquitous ID Center. " Simplified ucode
              Resolution Protocol", UID-00005, 
              http://www.uidcenter.org/wp-
              content/themes/wp.vicuna/pdf/UID-00005-01.A0.01_en.pdf

   [RFC2141]  Moats, R., "URN Syntax", RFC 2141, May 1997.

   [RFC3986]  Berners-Lee, T., Fielding, R., and L. Masinter, "Uniform
              Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax", STD 66,
              RFC 3986, January 2005.

   [RFC5234]  Crocker, D., Ed., and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for
              Syntax Specifications: ABNF", STD 68, RFC 5234, January
              2008.

   [ITU-T-F771] ITU-T, "Service description and requirements for
              multimedia information access triggered by tag-based
              identification", F.771, http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-
              F.771-200808-I

   [ITU-T-H621] ITU-T, "Architecture of a system for multimedia
              information access triggered by tag-based identification",
              H.621, http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-H.621-200808-I
 


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7.2  Informative References

   [W3CXML]   W3C, "Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.1",
              http://www.w3.org/TR/xml11/


   [UIDC]     Ubiquitous ID Center.  http://www.uidcenter.org/

   [TEF]      T-Engine Forum.  http://www.t-engine.org/


Contributors

   Ken Sakamura
   Noboru Koshizuka
   Katsunori Shindo
   Tomonori Usaka, and
   other past and current members of uID architecture group at the
   University of Tokyo and YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory (YRP
   UNL).

Acknowledgments

   We would like to thank the members of T-Engine Forum who have built
   applications using ucode and offered valuable feedback. (Application
   examples from these members can be found at uidcenter web sites
   [UIDC], and www.youtube.com: search for "uidcenter" without the
   quotes.)

Authors' Addresses

   Chiaki Ishikawa
   YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory
   2-20-1, Nishi-Gotanda
   Shinagawa, Tokyo, 141-0031, JAPAN

   Tel: +81-3-5437-2270
   FAX: +81-3-5437-2271
   EMail: chiaki.ishikawa@ubin.jp












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