IEC TR 62964:2015

IEC TR 62964 ®
Edition 1.0 2015-05
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Graphical symbols for use on equipment – Graphical symbols for multimedia
equipment – Current practice
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IEC TR 62964 ®
Edition 1.0 2015-05
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Graphical symbols for use on equipment – Graphical symbols for multimedia

equipment – Current practice
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 01.080.20; 33.160.60 ISBN 978-2-8322-2644-5

– 2 – IEC TR 62964:2015 © IEC 2015
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Current practice . 7
4.1 General . 7
4.2 Current practice for control . 7
4.3 Current practice for indication . 10
Bibliography . 14

Table 1 – Current practice for controls . 8
Table 2 – Current practice for indication . 11

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS FOR USE ON EQUIPMENT –
GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS FOR MULTIMEDIA EQUIPMENT –
CURRENT PRACTICE
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. However, a
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data of a different kind from that which is normally published as an International Standard, for
example "state of the art".
IEC TR 62964, which is a Technical Report, has been prepared by subcommittee 3C:
Graphical symbols for use on equipment, of IEC technical committee 3: Information structures
and elements, identification and marking principles, documentation and graphical symbols.
The text of this Technical Report is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
3C/1953/DTR 3C/2006/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this Technical Report can be found in the
report on voting indicated in the above table.

– 4 – IEC TR 62964:2015 © IEC 2015
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– tems defined in Clause 3: in italic type
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INTRODUCTION
The first edition of IEC 60417, Graphical symbols for use on equipment, was published in
1973. Since then the publication has been maintained and updated continuously, mainly by
adding new graphical symbols in order to meet the requirements of technical committees and
subcommittees within the IEC as well as ISO/IEC JTC 1 together with industries.
This Technical Report thus includes classical graphical symbols targeted to specific
application areas as well as basic graphical symbols for general application.
In the era of information communication technology (ICT), new graphical symbols for use on
such equipment as multimedia equipment have been in strong demand for standardization.
These graphical symbols are not only printed, engraved, embossed, or moulded on the
equipment, but also used on screens and displays. In the latter case, the appearance of a
graphical symbol is dynamically changed to indicate a state of the equipment.
This Technical Report intends to highlight current tendency and practice of using graphical
symbols for use on equipment.
– 6 – IEC TR 62964:2015 © IEC 2015
GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS FOR USE ON EQUIPMENT –
GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS FOR MULTIMEDIA EQUIPMENT –
CURRENT PRACTICE
1 Scope
This Technical Report provides the result of a study of some of the graphical symbols for use
on equipment standardized in IEC 60417 being primarily intended to:
– identify the equipment or a part of the equipment (e.g. a control or display);
– indicate a functional state (e.g. on, off, alarm);
– designate connections (e.g. terminals, filling points for materials);
– provide information on packaging (e.g. identification of contents, instructions for handling);
– provide instruction for the operation of the equipment (e.g. limitations of use);
in the focus of contemporary use of graphical symbols for use on multimedia equipment, and
new possible meanings to be envisaged as well as new graphical symbols not yet
standardized in IEC 60417.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
None.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
equipment
associated assemblies intended to achieve a defined final objective
[SOURCE: IEC 80416-1:2008, 3.3]
3.2
graphical symbol
visually perceptible figure with a particular meaning used to transmit information
independently of language
[SOURCE: IEC 80416-1:2008, 3.4]
3.3
glyph
recognizable abstract graphic symbol which is independent of any specific design
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 9541-1:2012, 3.12]

3.4
glyph image
image of a glyph, as obtained from a glyph representation displayed on a presentation surface
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 9541-1:2012, 3.15]
3.5
icon
graphical symbol presented on a screen or display
Note 1 to entry: Icons can be static, interactive and change as the result of user input or dynamic and change as
the result of equipment status.
[SOURCE: IEC 62648:2012, 3.11]
4 Current practice
4.1 General
One of the important expectation and function of the graphical symbols in IEC 60417 is to
serve as a pool of standardized graphical symbols for use on equipment to be used, in
accordance with the provisions given in IEC 80416-3:2002 and IEC 80416-3:2002/AMD1:2011,
4.4, in IEC publications following the rules given in ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2:2011, 6.6.5.6.
The actual applications and use of such graphical symbols include some modifications to fit
specific purposes, which are allowed in accordance with the provisions given in
IEC 80416-3:2002 and IEC 80416-3:2002/AMD1:2011, Clause 6.
To accommodate any difficulties to follow the rules, a set of procedures which consitute a
compromise are given in IEC 62648, in agreement with IEC Guide 108.
In addition, as a result of quickly changing demand in industries such as digital cameras,
multimedia, ICT a
...