付费计量系统通用功能（1）

        See also clause 4 for a discussion on general concepts and clause 6 on generic functions employed by the generic payment metering system application process.
        见第4条关于通用概念和第6条关于通用预付费表系统应用过程使用的通用功能。

        A function is in essence an encapsulated process with defined start and end states, input arguments, transformation function or logical operation and an end result. Functions may be simple or complex and will usually operate on data elements to move them within the system or transform them into different formats or to make logical decisions based on the results of such transformations or computations, which in turn direct the flow of processes. Functions are embodied in one or more devices or entities that may be distributed within a particular system architecture and they may in turn call on the services of other functions during their execution or they may even invoke other processes. Functions may be implemented in software, electronic firmware or hardware and mechanical hardware. For example the function of the load switch is to interrupt or restore the supply to the customer’s load circuit and the implementation may be a combination of firmware, electronic circuitry and mechanical parts to perform the switching function.

        功能本质上是一个压缩了的过程有开始和结束状态，输入、传递或者逻辑操作到结束。功能
可能是简单的或复杂的，通常需要对数据单元进行操作，在系统内部移动数据单元，或将数据
单元转换为不同的格式，或基于转换或计算的结果进行逻辑判断。
        功能被包括在一个或多个设备或实体中，这些设备和实体被分配在特定的系统结构中，在它们执行的过程中可能轮流调用其它功能的服务，或者它们甚至可以调用其它过程。
        功能要靠软件、单片机、硬件和结构硬件来实现。例如中断或恢复供电公司到用户负荷线路和设备的负荷开关的功能是单片机、电子线路和机械部件相结合实现该开关的功能。 

        It should be noted that although these function classes indicate the singular for each class in the generic sense, actual implementations typically have several variant instances of functions that belong to the same generic class.
        应该注意这些功能类型在通用类型中是独立的，实际设备具有属于同一通用类型的几个不同的功能。

        With reference to Clause 6 and Figure 3, the generic function classes are defined as follows.
参考第6条和图3，通用功能定义如下：