Subclass of:

• crm:E1 CRM Entity

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 4^th 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)

Outgoing properties:

• crm:P78 is identified by (identifies) (0,n:0,n) → crm:E49 Time Appellation
• crm:P79 beginning is qualified by (0,n:0,1) → crm:E62 String
• crm:P80 end is qualified by (0,n:0,1) → crm:E62 String
• crm:P81 ongoing throughout (0,n:1,1) → crm:E61 Time Primitive
• crm:P82 at some time within (0,n:1,1) → crm:E61 Time Primitive
• crm:P83 had at least duration (was minimum duration of) (1,1:1,1) → crm:E54 Dimension
• crm:P84 had at most duration (was maximum duration of) (1,1:1,1) → crm:E54 Dimension
• crm:P86 falls within (contains) (0,n:0,n) → crm:E52 Time-Span

Incoming properties:

• crm:E2 Temporal Entity → crm:P4 has time-span (is time-span of) (1,n:1,1)
• crm:E52 Time-Span → crm:P86 falls within (contains) (0,n:0,n)