13. Domain packs, external classifications, and interoperability
A domain pack makes a community feel native without forking identity, event, evidence or configuration semantics. It adds specialized terms, schemas, forms, graphs, units, constraints, imports, exports, privacy rules and conformance fixtures. Cross-domain…
Concept & directionLNK
A domain pack makes a community feel native without forking identity, event, evidence or configuration semantics. It adds specialized terms, schemas, forms, graphs, units, constraints, imports, exports, privacy rules and conformance fixtures. Cross-domain machines compose packs; they do not copy them.
| Pack contribution | Required behavior |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Namespaced stable concept IDs, definitions, labels, synonyms, broader/narrower links and deprecation mappings |
| Record schemas | Versioned payloads for domain events, observations, tests, documents and state intervals |
| Graph types | Specialized energy, support, propulsion, control, utility, interface and safety nodes/ports |
| Capabilities | Domain-specific capability definitions with envelope and evidence requirements |
| Validation | Structural, dimensional, graph, temporal, authority, privacy and domain constraints with severity |
| Experience | Native onboarding, fields, names, timelines, meters, reports, search facets and maintenance views |
| Mappings | Authority/registry, competition, insurer, manufacturer, supply and marketplace adapters |
| Migrations | Machine-readable projections between published versions; original record remains immutable |
| Fixtures | Golden example records and round-trip/conformance tests |
| Governance | Publisher, owners, version, compatibility, dependencies, signature, license and change notes |
#Pack rules
- Packs may extend but never redefine kernel meanings, weaken core evidence/privacy rules or repurpose a published identifier.
- Every term and schema is namespaced. Unknown terms and unavailable packs remain preservable and round-trippable.
- Dependencies resolve deterministically and lock per configuration. Conflicts fail explicitly; they never silently choose a winner.
- Manufacturer, organizer, regulator and tenant packs can remain private or shared while mapping to common concepts.
- Bridge packs describe valid combinations such as road+marine, air+space, RC+competition and mobile-base+industrial-tool.
- A pack can make rules stricter in its declared scope; it cannot invalidate unrelated historical records or other contexts.
#External classifications are adapter records
| External scheme | Useful distinction | RTracer treatment |
|---|---|---|
| EU M/N/O | Passenger, goods and trailer road categories | Authority/jurisdiction/version classification over an exact asset/configuration |
| EU L-category | Powered cycles, mopeds, motorcycles, sidecars and quadricycles | Road regulatory mapping; not a universal physical hierarchy |
| EU T/C/R/S | Wheeled/tracked agricultural tractors, trailers and interchangeable towed equipment | Agricultural regulatory mapping plus coupling role |
| SAE J3016 | On-road driving-automation features and sustained driving task | Map engaged driving functions and operating domain; never assign globally |
| EASA Open/Specific/Certified | Risk category of a drone operation | Attach to operation, configuration, jurisdiction and authorization |
| FAA aircraft category/designator | Physical aircraft families plus performance/operational distinctions | Map source definitions while preserving physical facets |
| IMO ship/MASS sources | Treaty-specific ship concepts and function/mode-based autonomous operation | Preserve exact instrument and functional assignment |
| ERA vehicle type/register | Authorised rail type/variant/version and individual registration | Separate design authorization from individual asset identity and keeper |
| Competition class | Eligibility for an event/rule edition | Configuration- and date-specific class assertion with scrutineering evidence |
| Insurer/market class | Commercial risk, valuation or listing segment | Provider-specific projection; no claim about physical truth or legality |
Why adapters matter
Official maritime sources explicitly warn that ship-type definitions differ by instrument. Drone risk categories depend on the operation. Rail registers separate authorized type from individual vehicle registration. These are not defects to flatten; they prove that authority, context and time belong in the classification record.