Overview
IEC TR 62051-1:2004 is a technical report from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that provides a glossary of terms for electricity metering data exchange related to DLMS/COSEM. Part 1 focuses on terms introduced after IEC 62051 (1999) and primarily covers vocabulary used for meter reading, tariff and load control when implementing the DLMS/COSEM application layer as specified in the IEC 62056 series. The published copy includes the corrigendum (June 2006). This report is particularly relevant to Smart Grid deployments and interoperability work.
Key topics and requirements
- DLMS/COSEM terminology: Definitions for core concepts such as application association (AA), AARQ/AARE (association request/response), application context, and ACSE (Application Control Service Element).
- Referencing models: Terms for logical name (LN) and short name (SN) referencing, including association LN and association SN interface classes and the base_name mapping used in SN referencing.
- Data objects and attributes: Definitions for COSEM interface classes, attribute, attribute_0 reference, attribute descriptor, and capture_object used in profiling and data capture.
- Data transfer methods: Explanation of block transfer for long-service parameters and mechanisms for automatic capturing and capture in the Profile generic class.
- Security and authentication: Definitions of authentication levels and mechanisms used in DLMS/COSEM, including low-level security (LLS) and high-level security (HLS) and the concept of challenge/response exchanges.
- Metering-specific identifiers: Terms such as OBIS-related concepts (e.g., billing period identifier, channel identification) and other meter object identifiers.
- Normative references: Links to the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEC 60050) chapters cited as normative references.
Practical applications and who uses it
IEC TR 62051-1 is a reference resource for anyone implementing, testing, procuring or regulating DLMS/COSEM-based metering and Smart Grid systems:
- Utility engineers and system architects designing meter reading, tariff management, and load control solutions.
- Meter manufacturers and embedded firmware developers implementing DLMS/COSEM application objects and security.
- Software developers and integrators building head-end systems, data concentrators, and AMI/MDM solutions.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies verifying conformance to IEC 62056 protocols.
- Regulators and procurement teams specifying interoperability and compliance language for Smart Meter rollouts.
Related standards
- IEC 62056 series - DLMS/COSEM protocol specifications (application, object models, and transport profiles).
- IEC 60050-714 and IEC 60050-716-1 - International Electrotechnical Vocabulary chapters referenced by the report.
- IEC TR 62051 (1999) - earlier related publication; IEC TR 62051-1 updates terminology post-1999.
Keywords: IEC TR 62051-1:2004, DLMS/COSEM, IEC 62056, electricity metering, smart grid, meter reading, tariff, load control, glossary of terms, application association, OBIS, block transfer.