ISO 11783-6-2018 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 11783-6:2018 — Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry — Serial control and communications data network — Part 6: Virtual terminal. This part of ISO 11783 defines a universal virtual terminal (VT) specification and associated messages/work‑sets so that tractors and implements from different manufacturers can present and control functions via a common, interoperable HMI (virtual terminal).

Abstract

ISO 11783 specifies a serial data network for control and communications on agricultural and forestry tractors and related implements. Part 6 describes the virtual terminal: its user‑interface model, message formats and services required so a single terminal (tractor or implement) can display operator controls and information for multiple implements and exchange commands and status over the ISOBUS network.

General information

• Status: Published (current edition, to be reviewed under ISO lifecycle procedures).
• Publication date: June 2018 (Edition 4, published 2018‑06).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 35.240.99 (IT applications in other fields); 65.060.01 (Agricultural machines and equipment — general).
• Edition / version: Edition 4 (2018).
• Number of pages: 348 pages (official ISO listing; some national bodies show closely matching page counts).

Scope

This part of ISO 11783 defines the virtual terminal (VT) concept and the related message set and working‑set structures that permit a display/control device to present implement functions and to exchange operator inputs and status with implement controllers over the ISOBUS network. The VT specification covers logical presentation constructs, widget types, multilingual text handling, graphical elements (icons/fonts), event handling, and the transport of screen descriptions and data between VT clients and VT servers. The scope is interoperability between tractors and implements to support a common HMI environment.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the Virtual Terminal (VT) architecture and roles (VT client/server interaction).
• Working sets and screen description formats for transporting UI layouts and widgets over the network.
• Widget types and control primitives (buttons, sliders, numeric fields, lists, images, soft keys).
• Message and transport protocols for VT content, operator events and status reports on ISOBUS.
• Localization/multilingual text handling and font/image resource referencing for displays.
• Session and application management, addressing and selection of VT resources.
• Compatibility and conformance requirements to ensure cross‑vendor interoperability (used in ISOBUS/AEF plug‑fest testing and conformance processes).
• Interoperability considerations with other ISO 11783 parts (network management, implement messages, task controller, diagnostics, file server, etc.).

Typical use and users

Primary users include agricultural and forestry vehicle OEMs, implement and tractor electronics suppliers, HMI and embedded software developers, systems integrators, testing and certification laboratories, and fleet/service organizations that require standardized operator interfaces and cross‑manufacturer interoperability on ISOBUS-equipped machinery. The VT is commonly implemented in tractor consoles, implement control units, and aftermarket terminals for precision‑agriculture applications.

Related standards

ISO 11783 is a multi‑part series (commonly referred to as ISOBUS). Closely related parts include: Part 1 (general), Part 2 (physical layer), Part 3 (data link), Part 4 (network layer), Part 5 (network management), Part 7 (implement messages application layer), Part 8 (power train messages), Part 9 (tractor ECU), Part 10 (task controller and MIS data interchange), Part 11 (mobile data element dictionary), Part 12 (diagnostics services), Part 13 (file server) and Part 14 (sequence control). The VT specification is designed to work together with these parts and with vehicle messaging families such as SAE J1939 on CAN.

Keywords

ISOBUS, ISO 11783, virtual terminal, VT, agricultural communications, tractor‑implement interface, HMI, working set, CAN/J1939, interoperability, precision agriculture, task controller, implement messages.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 11783-6:2018 is the Virtual Terminal part of the ISO 11783 series (ISOBUS). It specifies a universal virtual terminal (VT) — the messages, UI descriptions and services that let a terminal display and control implement functions over the ISOBUS network.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the VT architecture, screen/work‑set description formats, widget types and behaviors, message transport for operator events and status, localization and resource handling (fonts/images), session management and requirements needed for tractors and implements to share a common HMI.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Tractor and implement OEMs, electronics and HMI suppliers, embedded software developers, integrators, testing/certification bodies and fleet/service providers implementing or verifying ISOBUS/VT compatibility.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2018 edition (Edition 4) is the published/current edition listed by ISO (published June 2018). ISO periodically reviews standards; users should check national bodies or ISO for any amendments or later revisions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 11783 is a multi‑part standard (ISOBUS). Part 6 is the VT portion; other parts define the physical/data‑link/network layers, application messages, diagnostics, file server, task controller and more. The series is intended to provide a complete, interoperable communications stack for agricultural machinery.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Virtual terminal, ISOBUS, ISO 11783, HMI, working set, widget, tractor‑implement interface, CAN/J1939, interoperability, precision farming.