It defines the functions that are to be performed by a transducer interface module (TIM) and the common characteristics for all devices that implement the TIM. It specifies the formats for Transducer Electronic Data Sheets (TEDS). It defines a set of commands to facilitate the setup and control of the TIM as well as reading and writing the data used by the system. Application programming interfaces (APIs) are defined to facilitate communications with the TIM and with applications.