scope:

This standard is applicable to interface systems used to interconne ct both programmable and non-programmable electronic measuring apparatus with other apparatus and accessories necessary to assemble instrumentation systems. This standard is applicable to the interface of instrumentation systems, or portions of them, in which: the data exchanged among the interconnect apparatus is digital (as distinct from analogue); the number of devices that may be interconnected by one contiguous but does not exceed 15; the total transmission path length over the interconnecting cables does not exceed 20 m; the data rate across the interface on any signal line does not exceed 1 megabit per second.