This section defines the scope of the document, provides a brief history of the Pi-Bus, discusses key features of the Pi-Bus, and provides an overview of the operation of the Pi-Bus. This document is a handbook intended to accompany AS4710 Pi-Bus standard. The purpose of this document is to provide information to aid users of the Pi-Bus, whether they be implementors of Pi-Bus controllers, architects of systems considering using the Pi-Bus, or programmers who must develop applications in a system which uses the Pi-Bus as the backplane communications bus. This document also provides rationale for many of the Pi-Bus requirements as defined in AS4710 and a discussion of potential enhancements that are being considered for the Pi-Bus.