PAC-ID
Standardized representation for identifiers
- Fosters re-use across system borders
- Human friendly
- Compatible with unaware systems
- Enabler for other building blocks (e.g. better user navigation with PAC-ID Resolver)
Example
The features of the PAC-ID will be exemplified on the example of this Mettorius B-500 balance.
This is it's PAC-ID, which Mettorius has chosen to represent as QR code:
HTTPS://PAC.METTORIUS.COM/-MD/240:BAL500/21:210263
The Only Identifier Needed
Laboratory software needs to unambiguously refer to real world objects and data. Typically, this is achieved by assigning unique identifiers to objects and data sets. As of today, each software product creates its own proprietary identifiers. With an increasing number of software products deployed in labs, objects usually end up having multiple identifiers. This impacts usability, causes errors and increases maintenance efforts.
Unlike other identifiers, the publicly addressable content identifier ("PAC-ID")Â addresses this by promoting the re-use of already existing identifiers. The identifier is augmented with information about the issuing system and is represented in standardized formats, thus making it globally unique and reusable across system borders.
Without PAC-ID
The Balance is known under multiple identifiers as each system issues its own:
Mettorius Serial Number is 210263 but this number is only unique within Mettorius. The owner of the balance thus issued an asset number, which is tracked in their ERP system
With PAC-ID
All systems are using the same globally unique identifier for referring to the balance.
HTTPS://PAC.METTORIUS.COM/-MD/240:BAL500/21:210263
The PAC-ID includes the issuer, making it globally unique. This allows any system to rely on only the PAC-ID to uniquely identify this balance.
The PAC-ID is a suitable identifier for anything which requires identification. Materials, such as chemicals or lab devices, can be identified, as well as data like methods or result sets.
Human Friendly
The PAC-ID is designed to self-contain everything needed to be meaningful not only to IT systems but to humans too!
HTTPS://PAC.METTORIUS.COM/-MD/240:BAL500/21:210263
A human can easily see, that:
- it is a device (-MD) of Mettorius (METTORIUS.COM)
- the model code is BAL500 (240:BAL500)
- the serial number is 210263 (21:210263)
Always Leads Somewhere
A PAC-ID is also a valid URL, serving as a gateway to information about the identified item. It can directly be entered as address into a browser or can be scanned with any generic scanner app, when represented as QR code.
Try it out, and click here:
HTTPS://PAC.METTORIUS.COM/-MD/240:BAL500/21:210263