This paper presents a canonical visual interpretation of the Tier-4 observation layer within the Paton System. Previous work introduced several related concepts including the Datum Interface, the Knowledge Interface, the Mirror Architecture, and the Universal Knowledge Interface. These descriptions are unified here into a single structural diagram representing the Tier-4 observational boundary. In this architecture, Tier-4 functions as the compression interface between structurally admissible configurations and interpretable scientific knowledge. Systems that pass the Tier-3 admissibility gate become observable at the Tier-4 datum, where measurement and interpretation become possible. The resulting diagram clarifies how observable systems represent a compressed subset of structurally possible configurations and explains why diverse scientific disciplines operate from a shared observational interface. The paper therefore establishes a canonical visual architecture linking structural admissibility with the emergence of interpretable knowledge within the Paton System.
Andrew John Paton (2026) studied this question.