Defines a framework for common representation of networked industrial devices and provides a template for documenting such a representation, independent of the network used.

NOTE 1- The device profile format specified in this technical specification is compatible with devices connected to both bit- and byte-oriented networks.

IEC product committees should use this technical specification in the preparation of root device profiles for their products.

NOTE 2- Manufacturers or user organisations may use the rules defined in this technical specification to develop "root device profiles" for use within their own organisations.

Product manufacturers should use the root device profiles developed by product committees together with the rules defined in this technical specification in order to create manufacturer's device profiles to represent and describe their devices. This technical specification allows manufacturers to make manufacturer-specific extensions to the root device profiles developed by product committees. Where no suitable root device profile exists, the manufacturer can develop manufacturer's device profiles using the rules defined in this technical specification.

This technical specification recommends the use of a profile exchange language for representation of the device profile information in order to facilitate the profile's use by network tools and application software.

NOTE 3- The types of devices may vary from simple devices, such as pilot lights, push-buttons and limit switches, to more complex devices with many bytes of information, such as motor controllers, semiconductor motor starters, etc.