scope:

This part of IEC 62261 defines an octet-level data encoding protocol for representing data items and data groups. This protocol defines a data structure which is independent of the application or transportation method used. The standard defines a key-length-value (KLV) triplet as a data interchange protocol for data items where the key identifies the data, the length specifies the length of the data, and the value is the data itself. The KLV protocol provides a common interchange for all compliant applications irrespective of the method of implementation or transport. The standard also provides methods for combining associated KLV triplets in data sets where the set of KLV triplets is itself coded with KLV data coding protocol. Such sets can be coded in either full form (universal sets) or in one of four increasingly bit-efficient forms (global sets, local sets, variable-length packs, and fixed-length packs). The standard provides a definition of each of these data constructs. The encoding octet range (length of the payload) specified in this standard may generate unusually large volumes of data. Consequently, a specific application of KLV encoding is capable of only a limited operating data range and those details shall be defined in a relevant application document. Of necessity, keys and other reference data have to be globally unique if clashes are to be avoided. The IEC will therefore, from time to time, designate other bodies to act as its registration authority and agent in this respect; it is important to note that, as a result of this, registrations will always contain the designator of the registration authority acting at the time of registration and not that of the IEC (unless the IEC was acting directly as its own registration authority). A mixture of registration authority designators is therefore to be expected.