FIBOFTF — Certain address properties should be ObjectProperty, not DataProperty

Certain address properties are defined as type DataProperty when they should be defined more expressively as type ObjectProperty. The impact of not doing this is to reduce the ability to associate address content with more expansive attributes. The following elements should be redefined as string values by themselves are not very descriptive and prevent further linkage.


a. hasCountryName should be replaced with an ObjectProperty of referencesCountry (where the range is a Country entity). The Country entity can be selected by the user (ISO3166, FAO, or other)


b. hasPostalCode should be replaced with an ObjectProperty of referencesPostalArea (where the range is a PostalArea entity). The PostalArea entity would have various object a data properties that describe its scope and indicators. Specifically it would point to a geographic region, as well as specify postal code identifiers e.g. 5 digit and 9 digit codes, as well as other country specific indicators.
c. hasLocality should be replaced with an ObjectProperty (where the range is an Locality entity). This can be tied to data property that specifies its name.


d. hasStateAbbreviation and hasStateName should not be tied to PostalAddress but instead PostalAddress should be associated with a single ObjectProperty of referencesState (where the range is a State entity). hasStateAbbreviation and hasStateName can be data type properties associated with the State entity.


e. hasPOBox should be replaced with an ObjectProperty of referencesPOBox (where the range is a POBox entity).


f. hasStreetAddress should be replaced with an ObjectProperty of referencesStreetAddress (where the range is an entity called Street Address, which has a set of descriptive data properties pertaining to streetAddress1, streetAddress2, etc., and perhaps ObjectProperties referencing building, floor, suite.

Certain address properties should be ObjectProperty, not DataProperty

A number of properties in the Addresses ontology provided the ability to include address details for a person or organization. The FTF decided that these properties were too constraining, and that differing conceptualizations may have different requirements for address properties. These properties were removed in favor of allowing FIBO users to use their own address standards.