BS EN IEC 61804-4:2020

What is BS EN IEC 61804-4 — EDD interpretation about?  

BS EN IEC 61804-4 is the fourth part of an international multi-series standard that discusses devices and integration in enterprise systems. 

BS EN IEC 61804-4 specifies EDD interpretation for EDD applications and EDDs to support EDD interoperability. It stipulates technical specifications such as terms, definitions, abbreviated terms acronyms, conventions, EDDL user interface description, EDDL data description, EDDL METHOD programming, usage of built-ins, modular devices, session management, offline and online configuration, as well as EDDL communication description for EDD interpretation.  

BS EN IEC 61804-4 is intended to ensure that field device developers use the EDDL constructs consistently and that the EDD applications have the same interpretations of the EDD. It supplements the EDDL specification to promote EDDL application interoperability and improve EDD portability between EDDL applications. 

Who is BS EN IEC 61804-4 — EDD interpretation for? 

BS EN IEC 61804-4 on EDD interpretation is useful for: 

• Sensors manufacturing companies 
• Hydraulic valves manufacturing industries 
• Human-machine interfaces developers 
• Electronic device manufacturing companies 

Why should you use BS EN IEC 61804-4— EDD interpretation?  

An electronic device description (EDD) contains all device parameter(s) of an automation system component. The technology used to describe an EDD is called electronic device description language (EDDL). The EDDL is a descriptive language based on an ASCII format with a clear separation between data and program.  

BS EN IEC 61804-4 provides you with the instructions for the EDD application, which describes what will be performed without prescribing the technology used in the host implementation. The EDD application can use a database, a flat-file, or any other implementation it chooses. 

BS EN IEC 61804-4 contains an overview of the use of EDDL and provides you with examples demonstrating the use of the EDDL constructs, which proves to be very helpful for the users to get exact guidance for EDD interpretation. It shows how the use cases are fulfilled as well as showcases the proper EDD application interpretation for each example. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN IEC 61804-4:2020 supersedes BS EN 61804‑4:2016, which is withdrawn. BS EN IEC 61804-4:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to the previous edition. These include: 

• Contains an overview of the use of EDDL 
• Provides examples demonstrating the use of the EDDL constructs 
• Shows how the use cases are fulfilled 
• Shows the proper EDD application interpretation for each example