OntoME

Subclass of:

• E1 CRM Entity
• C5 Region

Superclass of:

Relations:

Scope note:

This class comprises abstract temporal extents, in the sense of Galilean physics, having a beginning, an end and a duration. Time Span has no other semantic connotations. Time-Spans are used to define the temporal extent of instances of E4 Period, E5 Event and any other phenomena valid for a certain time. An E52 Time-Span may be identified by one or more instances of E49 Time Appellation. Since our knowledge of history is imperfect, instances of E52 Time-Span can best be considered as approximations of the actual Time-Spans of temporal entities. The properties of E52 Time-Span are intended to allow these approximations to be expressed precisely. An extreme case of approximation, might, for example, define an E52 Time-Span having unknown beginning, end and duration. Used as a common E52 Time-Span for two events, it would nevertheless define them as being simultaneous, even if nothing else was known. Automatic processing and querying of instances of E52 Time-Span is facilitated if data can be parsed into an E61 Time Primitive.

Examples:

• 1961
• From 12-17-1993 to 12-8-1996
• 14h30 – 16h22 4th July 1945
• 9.30 am 1.1.1999 to 2.00 pm 1.1.1999
• duration of the Ming Dynasty

In First Order Logic:

• E52(x) ⊃ E1(x)
• E52(x) ⊃ C5(x)

Outgoing properties:

• P78 is identified by (identifies) → E49 Time Appellation
• P79 beginning is qualified by → E62 String
• P80 end is qualified by → E62 String
• P81 ongoing throughout → E61 Time Primitive
• P81a end of the begin → E61 Time Primitive
• P81b begin of the end → E61 Time Primitive
• P82 at some time within → E61 Time Primitive
• P82a begin of the begin → E61 Time Primitive
• P82b end of the end → E61 Time Primitive
• P83 had at least duration (was minimum duration of) → E54 Dimension
• P84 had at most duration (was maximum duration of) → E54 Dimension
• P86 falls within (contains) → E52 Time-Span

Incoming properties:

• E2 Temporal Entity → P4 has time-span (is time-span of)
• E52 Time-Span → P86 falls within (contains)
• E92 Spacetime Volume → P160 has temporal projection (is temporal projection of)
• E93 Presence → P164 during (was time-span of)