Overview
IEC TR 62964:2015 is an IEC Technical Report that documents current practice for graphical symbols for multimedia equipment. It reports the results of a study of symbols standardized in IEC 60417 and examines their contemporary use on equipment, screens and displays. The report focuses on symbols that:
- identify equipment parts (controls, displays),
- indicate functional states (on, off, alarm),
- designate connections and packaging information,
- provide operational instructions or limitations,
- and propose new meanings or candidate symbols for future standardization.
The report highlights that multimedia and ICT devices increasingly use icons and glyph images which can be dynamic, interactive or state-dependent.
Key topics
- Scope and definitions: clear definitions for equipment, graphical symbol, glyph, glyph image and icon (screen/display symbol).
- Current practice for controls: catalogues symbol usage to identify control actions such as movement in one/both directions, normal run (forward/backward), skip functions, next-image/slide-show, and frame-by-frame controls.
- Current practice for indication: (detailed in the report) covers status and indication symbols commonly used on multimedia devices.
- Allowable modifications and implementations: guidance on adapting standardized symbols for specific equipment per IEC 80416-3 and complementary procedures described in IEC 62648.
- State-of-the-art candidates: examples of contemporary symbol designs and icons that may be proposed for inclusion in IEC 60417.
Applications
IEC TR 62964:2015 is practical for any context where consistent, language-independent pictorial communication is required on multimedia or ICT equipment:
- User interfaces for digital cameras, set-top boxes, media players, smart TVs and mobile devices.
- On-device controls and screen icons for playback (play/pause/skip), navigation (menu navigation, directional controls), image browsing (next image, frame-by-frame) and reception modes (e.g., satellite).
- Product labeling, packaging instructions and connection markings for consumer and professional multimedia equipment.
Who should use this standard
- Product designers and UI/UX designers creating controls and on-screen icons for multimedia products.
- Technical writers, documentation teams and regulatory compliance specialists.
- Standards developers and committees preparing symbol submissions for IEC 60417.
- Firmware/software engineers implementing dynamic iconography and state indicators.
Related standards
- IEC 60417 - Graphical symbols for use on equipment (catalog of standardized symbols)
- IEC 80416-1 / -3 - Principles for graphical symbols and their application/modification
- IEC 62648 - Procedures for symbol usage and compromises when full compliance is difficult
- ISO/IEC references for glyph/image handling and iconography (as cited in the report)
Using IEC TR 62964:2015 helps ensure consistent, internationally understood graphical symbols in multimedia equipment, improving usability and reducing localization burdens.