A high-level architecture for a Geomatics Informatization Technology System: the Chinese case

China will, as a component of 'Digital Earth,' establish a Geomatics Informatization Technology System (GITS) which is characterized by real-time acquisition, automatic processing, networking service, and socialized application with fundamental geographical information. The basic composition of GITS is proposed. GITS covers four layers and six platforms. The four layers are data acquisition, processing, management, and application and services. The six platforms are informatic geodetic datum, high-precision geo-spatial data acquisition, automatic geo-spatial data processing, grid-based geo-spatial information management, comprehensive geo-spatial information sharing and service, and geo-spatial information integration and application. The informatic geodetic datum platform provides a carrier for all the four layers and a base for the other five platforms. The high-precision geo-spatial data acquisition platform belongs to the acquisition layer. The automatic geo-spatial data processing platform belongs to the processing layer. The grid-based geo-spatial information management platform belongs to the management layer and is a bridge connecting geo-spatial data acquisition and spatial information sharing service and integrated applications. The comprehensive geo-spatial information sharing and service platform belongs to the application and service layer. Finally, this paper presents thoughts for constructing GITS.