IEC 62056-6-1-2023 PDF

Full title and description

St IEC 62056-6-1-2023 — Electricity metering data exchange - The DLMS®/COSEM suite - Part 6-1: Object Identification System (OBIS). This international standard defines the OBject Identification System (OBIS) used to give unique identification codes to data items in metering equipment (measurement values, configuration and metadata), and maps commonly used meter data to OBIS identification codes.

Abstract

IEC 62056-6-1:2023 specifies the overall structure of OBIS and the mapping of commonly used data items in metering equipment to their identification codes. The standard covers identification of logical names of COSEM objects, data transmitted across communication links and data displayed on metering devices. It introduces concepts of medium and channels to support multi-energy and multi-channel metering, and clarifies that mapping for non-electrical energy types is completed separately. This edition (fourth) is a technical revision that replaces the previous edition.

General information

• Status: Published / Current.
• Publication date: 11 December 2023.
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 17.220; 35.110; 91.140.50.
• Edition / version: 4.0 (fourth edition, 2023).
• Number of pages: 87 pages.

(Details and bibliographic data sourced from the IEC publication listing.)

Scope

This part of IEC 62056 defines the OBIS code structure and the mapping rules for identifying data items in all types of metering equipment — integrated meters, modular meters, tariff attachments, data concentrators and similar devices. It provides a uniform identification scheme for measurement values, configuration parameters and behavioral/diagnostic information. For metering of non-electrical media or combined meters, the standard introduces the notion of media and channels to allow unique identification across different energy types and physical channels.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of OBIS code structure (fields, classes and encoding rules) for unique identification of meter data.
• Mapping of commonly used electrical metering data items to OBIS identification codes (measurement values, status, configuration, tariffs, etc.).
• Identification of logical names for COSEM objects and guidance on object naming conventions in conjunction with IEC 62056-6-2.
• Support for multi-medium and multi-channel metering via media/channel concepts to enable consistent identification in combined meters.
• Annexes and informative material describing specific mappings, display uses and changes from previous editions.

Typical use and users

Used by meter manufacturers, firmware and device software developers, system integrators, utility communication teams, metering data managers, standards bodies and test laboratories. Typical activities include implementing OBIS encoding in meter firmware, mapping meter registers to OBIS codes, building DLMS/COSEM compliant communication stacks, configuring data concentrators and ensuring interoperability between meters and head-end systems.

Related standards

IEC 62056-6-1 is part of the IEC 62056 DLMS/COSEM suite. Closely related parts include IEC 62056-6-2 (COSEM interface classes) and other parts of the 62056 series that cover communication profiles, data models and related protocols. Implementers commonly use these parts together when developing DLMS/COSEM-compliant products and systems.

Keywords

OBIS, DLMS, COSEM, object identification, electricity metering, meter data mapping, logical names, media, channels, metering interoperability.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 62056-6-1:2023 defines the OBject Identification System (OBIS) used in DLMS/COSEM meter data exchange to uniquely identify meter data items and map commonly used data items to identification codes.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the OBIS code structure, mapping rules for data items (measurements, configuration, status, display values), and the application of OBIS to different meter types, including multi-medium/multi-channel scenarios. It also references logical object naming as used with IEC 62056-6-2.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Meter manufacturers, embedded/firmware developers, utility communication integrators, system vendors, certification and test labs, and standards committees — anyone implementing or verifying DLMS/COSEM-compatible metering equipment or systems.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: This is the fourth edition published on 11 December 2023 and it cancels and replaces the previous (2017) edition; it is the current edition as published by IEC.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the IEC 62056 DLMS/COSEM suite (multiple parts covering object classes, communication profiles, application layer details, and other DLMS/COSEM elements). Implementers should consult the other parts of IEC 62056 for complete DLMS/COSEM conformance.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: OBIS, DLMS, COSEM, object identification, meter data mapping, logical names, metering communication, multi-medium metering.