LonWorks
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LonWorks is a networking platform specifically created to address the unique performance, reliability, installation, and maintenance needs of control applications. The platform is built on a low bandwidth protocol created by Echelon Corporation for networking devices over media such as twisted pair, powerlines, fiber optics, and RF. It is popular for the automation of various functions within buildings such as lighting and HVAC; see Intelligent building.
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[edit] Origins
The platform has its origins with chip designs, power line and twisted pair signaling technology, routers, network management software, and other products from Echelon Corporation. In 1999 the communications protocol (then known as LonTalk) was submitted to ANSI and accepted as a standard for control networking (ANSI/EIA709.1-B). Echelon's power line and twisted pair signaling technology was also submitted to ANSI for standardization and accepted. Since then, ANSI/EIA709.1 has been accepted as the basis for IEEE 1473-L (in-train controls), AAR Electro-pneumatic braking systems for freight trains, IFSF (European petrol station control), SEMI (semiconductor equipment manufacturing), and in 2005 as EN14908 (European building automation standard). The protocol is also one of data link/physical layers of the BACnet ASHRAE/ANSI standard for building automation.
[edit] Uptake and usage
The acceptance of the LonTalk protocol as an ANSI standard fostered additional standards in various industries worldwide including, IEEE 1473-L (in-train controls), AAR Electro-pneumatic braking systems for freight trains, IFSF (European petrol station control), and SEMI (semiconductor equipment manufacturing). The protocol is also one of data link/physical layers of the BACnet ASHRAE/ANSI standard for building automation. More recently, in 2005 the European Community released the LonWorks based EN14908 building automation; China ratified the technology as a national controls standard, GB/Z 20177.1-2006 and as a building and intelligent community standard, GB/T 20299.4-2006; and in 2007 CECED, the European Committee of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, adopted the protocol as part of its Household Appliances Control and Monitoring – Application Interworking Specification (AIS) standard.
Two physical layer signaling techologies, twisted pair and power line carrier, are typically included in each of the standards created around the LonWorks technology. Additionally, the LonWorks platform also has an affiliated IP tunneling standard, EIA-852, in use by a number of manufacturers to connect the devices on previously deployed and new LonWorks based networks to IP aware applications or remote network management tools. Most LonWorks based control applications are being implemented with some sort of IP integration, either at the UI/application level or in the controls infrastructure. This is accomplished with web services or IP routing products available on the market.
An 8-bit processor, Neuron chip, is found in the large majority of LonWorks based hardware. Products using a port of the ANSI/EIA709.1 standard to IP based or 32-bit chips are also also available.
By 2006 approximately 60 million devices were installed with LonWorks technology. Manufacturers in a variety of industries including building, home, transportation, utility, and industrial automation have adopted the platform as the basis for their product and service offerings. Statistics as to the number of locations using the LonWorks technology are scarce, but it is known that products and applications built on top of the platform include such diverse functions as embedded machine control, municipal and highway street lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, intelligent electricity metering, subway train control, stadium lighting and speaker control, security systems, fire detection and suppression, and newborn location monitoring and alarming.
[edit] Applications using LonWorks
- Material supply lines
- Semiconductor manufacturing
- Lighting control systems
- Energy management systems
- Heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems
- Security systems
- Home automation
- Consumer appliance controls
- Public street lighting, monitoring, and control
[edit] SNVTs (Standard Network Variable Types)
One of the keys to the interoperability of the system is the standardisation of the variables used to describe physical things to LonWorks, this standards list is maintained by the LonMark Internationaland each standard is known as Standard Network Variable Types (SNVTs, pronounced "snivets") so for example a thermostat using the temperature SNVT is expected to produce a number between zero and 65535 that equates to a temperature between -274 and 6279.5 degrees celsius.
[edit] External links
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The external links in this article may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links. Please remove this tag when this is done. This article has been tagged since January 2007. (talk) |
- Echelon Corporation
- LonMark International
- Circon Systems - LonWorks based manufacturer
- Distech Controls - Manufactures LonWorks based devices
- Cypress Semiconductor Neuron Chip
- Gridlogix - LonWorks Enterprise Integration
- Toshiba Semiconductor Company
- Tridium Inc. - LonWorks Network Management
- LonBrasil - Brazilian LonWorks Forum
- PCVUE - The only standard SCADA communicating DIRECTLY with a LON Network
