Data model
Data exchange requires that also annoations, metadata, are exchanged. In oder to allow interoperability we need both a common (meta) data model, the format in which the metadata are exchanged, and a common terminology.
Here we briefly describe the data model of the odML. It is based on the idea of key-value pairs like temperature = 26°C.
We tried to keep the model as simple as possible while being flexible, allowing interoperability, and being customizable. The model defines four entities (Property, Section, Value, RootSection) who's relations and elements are shown in the figure below.
Property and Section entities are the core of the odml. A Section contains Properties and can further have subsection thus building a tree-like structure. The model further does not control the content which is a risk, on the one hand, but offers the flexibility we consider essential.