1. Standards in action
  2. Addressing
  3. - Conceptual model

Conceptual model

A conceptual model describes concepts and their relationships. It is independent of any implementation details. The conceptual models in the reviewed address standards show relationships between the concepts that are defined in the address standards.
In the reviewed standards the Unified Modeling Language, UML, (AS 4590, BS 7666, INSPIRE Address, ISO 19112, OASIS CIQ, SANS 1883-1, UPU S42), Geographic Mark-up Language, GML, (INSPIRE Address) and the Extensible Mark-up Language, XML, (AS 4590, OASIS CIQ, US FGDC Address) are used to describe the relationships between concepts. The diagrams and descriptions of the conceptual models of the reviewed address standards are included in ISO/TC 211 N 3188.
While two standards define an addressable object in itself (BS 7666 and INSPIRE Address), in the other standards the addressable object is implied in the address definition as being the following:

  • location (AFNOR XP Z10-011)
  • address site (AS/NZS 4819)
    NOTE: AS/NZS 4819:2003 is meant to allocate addresses to all kinds of geographic objects, including power sub-stations, toilets, utilities, etc.
  • location (identifiable geographic place) (ISO 19112)
  • organization or person (ISO/TS 15000-5)
  • addressee (OASIS CIQ)
  • party (OASIS CIQ)
  • physical location or mail delivery point (OASIS CIQ)
  • point of service delivery (SANS 1883-1)
  • actual or potential delivery point (UPU S42)
  • addressee and/or mailee (UPU S42)
  • location or point of postal delivery (US FGDC Address)

The subsequent two clauses give an overview of components and classifications (address types) of addresses. For the complete conceptual models of the reviewed address standards see the annex of ISO/TC 211 N 3188.

Address components

All reviewed address standards describe addresses as a combination of components or elements, often comprising a hierarchy. In the reviewed address standards, the components that make up an address generally fall into one of the eight categories listed below. A summary of the categorization is presented in the subsequent tables by showing for each category some sample addresses, in which the relevant address component is underlined.

Address components that identify the addressable object or delivery point

Sample address Standard Component name
Mr Girard, Flat B, Le Barcoleau,
1 allée LIMOUSINE 91940, LES ULIS		 AFNOR XP
Z10-011		 house
PO Box 312, Paramatta, BC NSW 2150 AS 4590 postal delivery
number
389 Chiswick High, Road London BS 7666 addressable object
name

305-0821 茨城県つくば市北郷 1 番

English translation:
305-0821 Ibaraki Ken, Tsukuba Shi, Kitasato, 1 Ban

 Japan chiban
(parcelnumber)
Carretera  Nacional  III  Madrid-Valencia,
Punto  kilométrico  9, 28031 Madrid, Spain		 INSPIRE
Address		 locator

Address components that reference a real world object

Sample address Standard Component name
Ms C Fitzgerald, 51 Jacobson Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 AS 4590 road name
389 Chiswick High Road, London BS 7666 street
Carretera Nacional III Madrid-Valencia,
Punto kilométrico 9,28031 Madrid, Spain		 INSPIRE
Address		 thoroughfare

100-8918 東京都千代田区霞が関二丁目 1 番 3 号

English translation:
100-8918 Tōkyo To, Chiyoda Ku,
Kasumigaseki 2-Chōme, 1 Ban, 3 Gō

 Japan gaiku fugo
(block code)
Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, New York, NY

US FGDC
Address

 Landmark

부산시 부산진구 부산대로 지하 77

English translation:
Jiha 77, Busan- daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan city.

 Korean address Basement

Address components that reference a geographical area

Sample address Standard Component name
Ms C Fitzgerald 51 Jacobson Street Brisbane QLD 4000 AS 4590 state
389 Chiswick High Road London BS 7666 locality
305-0821 茨城県つくば市北郷 1 番

English translation:
305-0821 Ibaraki Ken, Tsukuba Shi, Kitasato, 1

 Japan

machi-or-aza
(district)
477 Chopin Street, Constantia Park, 0010 SANS 1883-1 place
012151 Ngxingxolo Mooiplaas 5228 SANS 1883-1 village

Address components that reference a delivery area

Sample address Standard Component name
PO Box 312 Paramatta BC NSW 2150 AS 4590 postcode
PO Box 6943 Birmingham, AL 35305

US FGDC
Address

 ZIP code
305-0821 茨城県つくば市北郷 1 番

English translation:
305-0821 Ibaraki Ken, Tsukuba Shi, Kitasato, 1

 Japan yubin bango
(postal code)

Address components that specify a kind of mail delivery service

Sample address Standard Component name
BP  90432  MONTFERRIER  SUR  LEZ,
34092  MONTPELLIER CEDEX 5		 AFNOR XP Z10-011 service for organizations, companies and public services receiving large amounts of mail
PO Box 312 Paramatta BC NSW 2150 AS 4590 postal delivery
type code
Maplethorp Farm, 287 Guy Road, RD 2, KAIAPOI 7692 AS 4590 postal delivery
type code
11307 TOWER RD NW LVR TELUS, Edmonton, AB, T5G0Y7 Canada LVR = Large Volume Receiver in Canada
GD STN Main Alliston, ON, L9R1T8 Canada general delivery
in Canada
462 Cedar St, RR 1, Millarville AB   T0L1K0 Canada rural route
in Canada
Postnet Suite 87 Private Bag X10 Menlo Park 0102 SANS 1883-1 mail delivery agent
103-8660 郵便事業株式会社 日本橋支店私書箱 30 号

English  translation:
103-8660  Japan  Post  Service  Company
Nihonbashi Branch PO Box 30

 Japan postal delivery
type code

Address components that specify a distribution office

Sample address Standard Component name
Egevej 14B, Chodov, 149 00 Praha 41 UPU S42 delivery service qualifier
477 Chopin Street, Glenstantia, 0010 SANS 1883-1 post office
012151 Ngxingxolo Mooiplaas 5228 SANS 1883-1 post office

Address components that describe proximity

Sample address Standard Component name
On the NW corner of Main and Cross Streets,
Southampton		 INSPIRE
Address		 descriptive locator
Maropeng, R400 just off the R563 Hekpoort road,
Mogale City		 SANS 1883-1 informal reference
604-8571 京都市中京区寺町通御池上る上本能寺前町 488 番地

English translation:
604-8571 Kyoto Shi, Nakagyo Ku,
Teramachi Dori Oike Agaru Kamihon’nojimaemachi 488

 Japan tori mei
(traditional street name)

Address components for the person or organization at the address

Sample address Standard Component name
Ms C Fitzgerald, 51 Jacobson Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 AS 4590 name
John Jones, Future Marketing, 10Main St,
Montreal QC H3Z 2Y7		 OASIS organization name
John Smith, Pitcairn Island,
South Pacific (via New Zealand)		 UPU S42 given name, surname
305-0044 茨城県つくば市北郷
1 番地 国土地理院 地理 太郎

English translation:
305-0044 Ibaraki Ken, Tsukuba Shi, Kitasato,
1 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Chiri Taro

 Japan organization name
305-0044 茨城県つくば市北郷
1 番地 国土地理院 地理 太郎

English translation:
305-0044 Ibaraki Ken, Tsukuba Shi, Kitasato,
1 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Chiri Taro

 Japan surname,
given name

 

Classifications of addresses (address types)

Address classification is a common theme in the reviewed address standards. The following different methods of classification were found:

  1. Addresses that are classified according to their content (scheme), i.e. the components that make up the address. Examples are rural and urban addresses in AS/NZS 4819, the address types in SANS 1883-1, the address classes in US FGDC Address and the address profiles defined in the registry maintained according to ISO/TS 15000-5. The purpose of the address typically determines its content.
  2. Addresses that are classified according to the addressable object, i.e. whatever they are associated with. Examples are found in AS 4590 (residential, business, delivery address, etc.), BS 7666 (residential, commercial, agricultural, etc.), OASIS CIQ (Airport, Business, CaravanPark, etc.).

These two methods of classification are not mutually exclusive, e.g. in SANS 1883-1 the content of a street address type and a SA Post Office street address type is different, but the purpose is also different: an address of the street address type is for the purposes of finding the address (when navigating or driving), while an address of the SA Post Office street address type is used for postal mail delivery only.
 
In some of the reviewed standards address classification is not within the scope, e.g. AFNOR XP Z10-011, INSPIRE Address, UPU S42 and UPU S53.