The Hypertext View

The hypertext view is an interconnected presentation of the logical architecture, physical architecture, implementation, and standards- oriented components of the ITS Architecture for Canada. A variety of entry points allow you to start with any of these components. Once in, you can easily navigate from component to component to find what you need. This view of the architecture is possible because of the traceability that is maintained between each of the architecture components.

User Services describe what the system will do from the user's perspective. To date, thirty-seven User Services have been developed. A set of requirements covering each of these User Services are the basis for the ITS Architecture for Canada definition. The User Services entry point leads you to the full set of user service requirements and allows easy traversal between the user service requirements and the components of the architecture that satisfy these requirements.

The Logical Architecture defines the Processes (the activities or functions) that are required to satisfy the User Services.  Many different Processes must work together and share information to provide a User Service.  Data Flows identify the information that is shared by the Processes.  These Logical Architecture entry points lead to ordered lists of processes and data flows and also allow access to data flow diagrams that provide a graphical view of how the processes and data flows fit together.

The Physical Architecture forms a high-level structure around the processes and data flows in the Logical Architecture.  The physical architecture defines the Physical Entities (Subsystems and Terminators) that make up an intelligent transportation system.  It defines the Architecture Flows that connect the various Subsystems and Terminators into an integrated system.  The subsystems generally provide a rich set of capabilities, more than would be implemented at any one place or time.   Equipment Packages break up the subsystems into deployment-sized pieces.  Behind these entry points are the complete definition of the Physical Architecture.  By following the links, you can traverse between the physical architecture structure and the related process and data flow requirements in the logical architecture.

Service Packages represent slices of the Physical Architecture that address specific services like surface street control.  A service package collects together several different subsystems, equipment packages, terminators, and architecture flows that provide the desired service.  The Service Packages entry point leads to a menu of service packages with underlying graphics and definitions.  By following the links, you can traverse to the physical and logical architecture components that are associated with each service package.

Standards: The U.S. National ITS Architecture and the ITS Architecture for Canada are reference frameworks for the development of Standards. The Logical and Physical Architecture provide a starting point for ITS standards development activities by identifying the applicable architecture flows and data flows to be standardized and the way in which the information is exchanged across those interfaces. The Standards entry point leads to an overview of the ITS standards activities and their relationship to the ITS Architecture for Canada. Application Areas represent deployment-oriented categories of ITS Standards and are useful to deployers to wish to select only those ITS standards relevant to the services or systems they plan to deploy.