Urban Observatory API (Urban Sciences Building) — Feed

openapi: 3.2.0
x-provenance:
  method: derived
  x-source-url: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/openapi.json
  generated: '2026-08-30'
  x-operator: institution
  derived_from: openapi/_original/newcastle-urban-observatory.yaml
  note: >-
    A per-tag split produced by API Evangelist's refine-openapis from Newcastle University's own
    published Urban Observatory OpenAPI. The contract is Newcastle's; this per-tag serialisation is
    ours. urbanobservatory.ac.uk is registered to the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and served
    from ns0/ns1.ncl.ac.uk; api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk resolves to UOWEB4.ncl.ac.uk.
info:
  title: 'Urban Observatory API: Urban Sciences Building Entity Feed API'
  version: 2.0a
  description: "The Urban Observatory represents the largest open platform of urban sensing data in the United Kingdom. The updated API is currently in operation for the Urban Sciences Building and some of the newer data sources across the city. It is anticipated that this schema, once complete, will replace the existing API.\n\nFor more information...\n* [Data explorer](https://3d.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/) \n* [Live stream](https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/live/) \n* [Newcastle University](https://www.ncl.ac.uk/) \n* [Urban Observatory](http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/) \n\nYou can also download this specification in [OpenAPI](openapi.json) format."
  contact:
    name: Luke Smith
    email: luke.smith@ncl.ac.uk
    url: http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/
servers:
- url: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/api/v2.0a
  description: Urban Sciences Building production API
tags:
- name: Feed
  description: A feed is a representation of a measurement or parametrisation, usually a metric, for example the observed temperature.
paths:
  /api/v2.0a/sensors/feed/{id}:
    get:
      operationId: FeedController.getOne
      summary: Request a single feed by its unique ID
      description: A single feed and its descendant timeseries will be returned.
      tags:
      - Feed
      parameters:
      - in: path
        name: id
        description: Feed ID to retrieve description and associated set of timeseries for.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Successful request
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Feed'
        '400':
          description: Bad request
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/BadRequest'
components:
  schemas:
    Feed:
      type: object
      properties:
        feedId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier associated with this feed.
        metric:
          type: string
          description: A short description for the metric represented, e.g. Room temperature.
        meta:
          type: object
          description: Metadata associated with the feed, such as the room number or floor.
        provider:
          type: object
          description: A description of the organisation or person providing the data, and the licence under which it is provided.
          properties:
            providerId:
              type: string
              format: uuid
              description: A unique identifier associated with this provider, licence, organisation and contact data.
            organisation:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Organisation'
            contact:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Contact'
            licence:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Licence'
        technology:
          type: object
          description: Placeholder for future information.
        hardware:
          type: object
          description: Placeholder for future information.
        service:
          type: array
          description: Placeholder for future information.
        timeseries:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Timeseries'
      example:
        feedId: eeaa50bb-fb5f-47be-a6ab-eb4c67debecb
        metric: Room temperature
        meta:
          building: Urban Sciences Building
          roomNumber: '2.048'
          buildingFloor: '2'
        provider:
          providerId: 986cd257-b50d-4fe8-8439-dc2a69271172
          organisation:
            organisationId: 2567c616-43f3-4b6b-930b-126ba9ad51c8
            name: Urban Observatory
            url: http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/
            privateSector: false
          contact:
            contactId: 19c2aabb-33d0-47f1-a4f5-3fbfe3c7bcf0
            name: Urban Observatory
            email: urbanobservatory@ncl.ac.uk
            phone: 0191 208 8599
          licence:
            licenceId: 1629fceb-799b-4840-8f5b-8b8612b374c9
            name: 'Urban Observatory: Ethical approval required'
            url: http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/
            description:
              open: false
        technology: null
        hardware: null
        service: []
        timeseries:
        - timeseriesId: 371fbff8-f61d-4f66-99be-7d9de8ad51f2
          unit:
            unitId: 19bc95ba-83f2-4dcd-b49e-5e5415c75771
            name: amperes
          storage:
            storageId: 3
            name: Real
            suffix: real
          derivatives: []
          aggregation: []
          assessments: []
          latest:
            time: '2018-02-12T10:30:40.125Z'
            duration: -2.1
            value: 3.5
          links:
          - href: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/api/v2.0a/sensors/timeseries/371fbff8-f61d-4f66-99be-7d9de8ad51f2
            rel: self
        links:
        - href: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/api/v2.0a/sensors/feed/eeaa50bb-fb5f-47be-a6ab-eb4c67debecb
          rel: self
    Unit:
      type: object
      description: The units associated with the values held in the timeseries.
      properties:
        unitId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier for the units associated with timeseries.
        name:
          type: string
          description: A friendly description for the units used.
      example:
        unitId: 19bc95ba-83f2-4dcd-b49e-5e5415c75771
        name: amperes
    BadRequest:
      type: object
      description: An invalid ID or query parameter was used to request information, such as an ID not in the [UUID syntax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier).
      properties:
        error:
          type: boolean
          description: Indicator that an error was returned.
        message:
          type: string
          description: Description of the error which occurred in friendly terms.
        code:
          type: string
          description: A short description of the error, for use in code.
          enum:
          - MalformedUUID
          - BadRequestError
      example:
        error: true
        message: Malformed UUID cannot be used.
        code: MalformedUUID
    Link:
      type: object
      description: A link provided for [HATEOAS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HATEOAS) purposes, to the item itself or an associated API method.
      properties:
        rel:
          type: string
          description: The relation of the URL to the entity in the API, which will be taken from [this list](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Link_types) where possible, but non-standard relations are permitted.
        href:
          type: string
          description: An absolute URL for the resource.
        method:
          type: string
          description: The HTTP protocol method to be used, or `GET` if not specified.
          default: GET
          enum:
          - GET
          - POST
          - PATCH
          - PUT
          - DELETE
      example:
        rel: self
        href: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/api/v2.0a/sensors/timeseries/371fbff8-f61d-4f66-99be-7d9de8ad51f2/historic
    TimeseriesEntry:
      type: object
      description: A historic entry associated with a timeseries and a time.
      properties:
        time:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Date and time associated with the historic value
        duration:
          type: number
          description: The duration this value applies to, or if negative, the window of error in which the value change could have occurred.
        value:
          description: The value associated with the time in the timeseries, unless the timeseries does not contain values (i.e. event only).
        error:
          type: boolean
          description: Indication that an error occurred, and data could not be supplied.
        message:
          type: string
          description: Short description of why data could not be supplied.
        description:
          type: string
          description: Verbose description of why an error occurred and data could not be supplied.
      example:
        time: '2018-02-12T10:30:40.125Z'
        duration: -2.1
        value: 3.5
    Licence:
      type: object
      description: ''
      properties:
        licenceId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier associated with the licence.
        name:
          type: string
          description: The name for the licence, e.g. Open Government Licence v3.
        url:
          type: string
          description: A URL for the licence, or where more information can be obtained, such as the procedure for approval to use the data.
        description:
          type: object
          description: 'A data-based description of the licence, such as the constraints which may be in place, e.g. `open: false`.'
      example:
        licenceId: 1629fceb-799b-4840-8f5b-8b8612b374c9
        name: 'Urban Observatory: Ethical approval required'
        url: http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/
        description:
          open: false
    Storage:
      type: object
      description: The storage mechanism used to hold the data internally.
      properties:
        unitId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier for the storage used for this data within the internal systems.
        name:
          type: string
          description: A name for the storage, usually those used in programming (e.g. real, integer)
        suffix:
          type: string
          description: The suffix used for data storage in the internal systems.
      example:
        storageId: 3
        name: Real
        suffix: real
    Contact:
      type: object
      description: The contact for more information, or technical issues relating to the sensing. This may not always be available.
      properties:
        contactId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier associated with the contact.
        name:
          type: string
          description: An individual's name, or an indication of shared contact details
        email:
          type: string
          description: An email address to contact.
        phone:
          type: string
          description: A telephone number to use, which may not always be available.
      example:
        contactId: 19c2aabb-33d0-47f1-a4f5-3fbfe3c7bcf0
        name: Urban Observatory
        email: urbanobservatory@ncl.ac.uk
        phone: 0191 208 8599
    Organisation:
      type: object
      description: An organisation which is providing the data to the Urban Observatory, or responsible for some element.
      properties:
        organisationId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier associated with the organisation.
        name:
          type: string
          description: The name of the organisation, which may be a subsidiary of the legal entity, e.g. Urban Observatory.
        url:
          type: string
          description: A URL for the organisation's web page.
        privateSector:
          type: boolean
          description: Indication of whether the organisation is public or private sector.
      example:
        organisationId: 2567c616-43f3-4b6b-930b-126ba9ad51c8
        name: Urban Observatory
        url: http://www.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/
        privateSector: false
    Timeseries:
      type: object
      properties:
        timeseriesId:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: A unique identifier associated with this timeseries.
        unit:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Unit'
        storage:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Storage'
        derivatives:
          type: array
          description: Placeholder for future use.
        aggregation:
          type: array
          description: Placeholder for future use.
        assessments:
          type: array
          description: Placeholder for future use.
        latest:
          description: The most recent timeseries entry, only shown if within the last week, and a historic range has not been requested. Code must be resilient if `latest` is omitted from a timeseries.
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/TimeseriesEntry'
        links:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Link'
      example:
        timeseriesId: 371fbff8-f61d-4f66-99be-7d9de8ad51f2
        unit:
          unitId: 19bc95ba-83f2-4dcd-b49e-5e5415c75771
          name: amperes
        storage:
          storageId: 3
          name: Real
          suffix: real
        derivatives: []
        aggregation: []
        assessments: []
        latest:
          time: '2018-02-12T10:30:40.125Z'
          duration: -2.1
          value: 3.5
        links:
        - href: https://api.usb.urbanobservatory.ac.uk/api/v2.0a/sensors/timeseries/371fbff8-f61d-4f66-99be-7d9de8ad51f2
          rel: self