LON, LonWorks, LonMark



General

LonWorks technology was developed by the Echelon® Corporation. The goals was to develop an industry-standard local operating network for building automation and building control. The network is built around a microprocessor, the Neuron® chip. This microprocessor combines 3 processor units on one single chip. It is the integral component of any LonWorks compatible device. Only devices equipped with this chip can communicate in any LonWorks network.

'LonWorks' includes the physical media layer, the protocol and the data type definition. The Neuron chip is the basic building block for any transceiver and defines the specifications for implementation into any local network.

The LonWorks Interoperability Association defines all standards which ensure the communication and coexistance on the network between devices from different vendors. The LonWorks Interoperability Association also certifies any device branded as a LonWorks device.

LON is used in over 100 million devices worldwide, LonMark has over 600 members.

LonMark is a non-profit, independent member supported, trade organisation and an independent industry association, established in 1994. Nearly half of the MonMark members are america-based, Europe and Asia each sharing about one fourth.

LON network

The schema and transmission technology of of LonWorks is similar to a Local Area Networks (LANs) and doesn't resemble a single-segmented bus-based system as previous systems. This provides larger flexibility in the design of the system topology. In the LonWorks network architecture routers, bridges and repeaters are used. Different physical transport media are used: twisted-pair wiring, twisted-pair with device supply voltage (Link Power), power line A- and C-band, fiber optic links.

For the individual building subsystems as Air Condition (HVAC), Heating, Lighting Control, Ventilation, Lifts, Security, Access-Control, Energy, etc. individual network subsystems are used. The LonWorks standard and definition ensures that all subsystem devices from different manufacturers can communicate flawlessly with each other.



Standards

ANSI/CEA-709.1-B, EN 14908-1:2005, IEEE 1473-L, GB/Z 20177.1-2006

LonTalk Echelon Corporation’s trade name for the ANSI/CEA-709.1-B protocol
ANSI/CEA-709.1-B ANSI standard for the communications protocol underlying LONWORKS networks
LONWORKS Products and applications based on LON technology, description of products
LON Local Operating Network, name mmon way of referring to a device, network, or application based on LONWORKS




Datapoints

Network Variables: XDatapoints with direction, size, resolution, and meaning all defined – a data container

SNVTs: “Standard Network-Variable Types”, Data types for interchange of information

Configuration Properties: Heartbeat and throttling control over datapoints

SCPTs: “Standard Configuration-Property Types”, Data types for setting parameters of a device