An International Code Designator (ICD) value is used to uniquely identify an
ISO 6523 compliant organization identification scheme.
This means that a code issuing authority issues identifiers to entities on the one hand. The code issuing authority is associated with its ICD value on the other hand. Thus, the conjunction of the ICD with an identifier issued by the registration authority is worldwide unique.
ISO 6523 is a standard that defines the proper structure of an identifier and the registration procedure for an ICD value.
Basic structure of code:
ICD: The International Code Designator value issued to the identification scheme makes the identifier worldwide unique.
- Organization: usually a company or governmental body
- OPI: Organization Part Identifier. An identifier allocated to a particular Organization Part (e.g. an employee).
- OPIS: OPI Source Indicator. The OPIS has the value 0 if the OPI is assigned by the code issuing authority, it is 1 if the Organization assigns the OPI.
The ICD is also equivalent to an object identifier (OID) underthe arc {1(iso)3(identified organization)}.
This OID can be used forinstance to write identifiers into X.509 certificates.
Example:
The ICD 0088 was allocated to the 13-digit location code of GS1 (fka EAN International). Thus the OID is
iso(1).identified organization(3).ean(88). OID 1.3.88 denotes a location identifier of the form
1234567890123.
British Standards Institution (BSI) is the Registration Authority for ICD values. To obtain an ICD value
for your identification scheme you need a so-called "Sponsoring Authority" that vouches for you.
Sponsoring Authorities are usually ISO member organizations.
