scope:

Within the context of the ISO/IEEE 11073 family of standards for device communication, this standard establishes a normative definition of the communication between personal cardiovascular fitness and activity monitoring devices and managers (e.g., cell phones, personal computers, personal health appliances, and set top boxes) in a manner that enables plug-and-play interoperability. It leverages appropriate portions of existing standards including ISO/IEEE 11073 terminology and information models. It specifies the use of specific term codes, formats, and behaviors in telehealth environments restricting optionality in base frameworks in favor of interoperability. This standard defines a common core of communication functionality for personal telehealth cardiovascular fitness and activity monitor devices. In this context, cardiovascular fitness and activity monitor devices are being used broadly to cover cardiovascular fitness and activity monitor devices that measure physical actions and the body's various physiological responses to that activity.

Purpose

This standard addresses a need for an openly defined, independent standard for controlling information exchange to and from personal health devices and managers (e.g., cell phones, personal computers, personal health appliances, and set top boxes). Interoperability is the key to growing the potential market for these devices and to enabling people to be better informed participants in the management of their health.