LonWorks to Silent Knight QuickServer Gateway

A set of services is offered by the LonWorks Protocol that enables all devices in the network to transmit and receive messages to and from other devices via their application program— requiring no acquaintances with network topology or the other devices’ names, addresses, or functions. Besides, LonWorks Protocol can be made to deliver authentic, high priority messages within delimited transaction times. Moreover Network management services allow remote network management tool’s interaction with devices over the network; making them capable to reconfigure network addresses and parameters, download application programs, report network problems and Start/stop/reset device application programs. Consequently it’s relatively easy to employ LonWorks network over any medium, including power line, twisted pair, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), coaxial cable, and fiber optics.

Lonworks is another communications protocol useful in building automation applications. The protocol was developed by the Echelon Corporationin the late 1990s. Lonworks originally transformed from Echelon’s earlier “Lontalk”, and was submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for acceptance. Lonworks was designed on a low bandwidth platform for networking devices through powerlines, fiber optics, and other media.

The entire Lonworks package consists of the following components by the Echelon Corporation:

• Lonworks – communications protocol (ANSI/EIA 709.1, and others).
• Echelon’s “Neuron” chip (Three 8-bit inline processor). Two are used by Lonworks, and one as a general application processor.
• Twisted-pair and/or powerline transceivers to transmit Lonworks protocol.
• LNS Network Operating System is the required software.
• Internet connectivity through Standard Network Variable Types (SNVTs) or with LonMark profiles.
• LonMaker allows interoperability among devices.

Lonworks has various advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include:

• Less architecture at the device level.
• Numerous developers of Lonworks products in the market.
• Lonworks devices are close to “plug & play” ability, but still far from achieving interconnectivity in today’s computers using Microsoft Windows.

The disadvantages of Lonworks are presented in the following list:

• Less architecture causes controlled devices and variables to be connected to a separate control device. Most designers do not recommend this type of architecture because network interruptions could eventually produce system failures.
• The protocol is proprietary, and not truly open to the public. Only actual members, mostly manufacturers are included in standard development(s).
• Extensions within Lonworks are allowable only through the LonMark Consortium.
• Hardware specific, and requires the Neuron chip for network movement of the protocol.

Amongst the extensive range of LonWorks technology applications the vital nine are listed below:

• 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
• Gas station control

A P2P (peer to peer) architecture is undoubtedly the preeminent way to build control networks. Being exclusive of a single master control, P2P-based control network confers high reliability and high performance to its users. Unlike other control networks, in P2P architectures, there is absolutely free and open communication between network devices which automatically puts a stop to the system collapses that could occur whenever the master stops working.

A processor identified as Neuron chip embracing three 8- bit inline processors designed by Echelon is well optimized for control network devices. Out of three processors: two are committed for the communications protocol and one is a general-purpose applications processor. Standardization of the variables used to illustrate physical things to LonWorks is maintained by LonMark International and each standard is known as Standard Network Variable Types (SNVTs). LNS Network Operating System is a mandatory software component of open control systems which ensures an open environment for extending, maintaining, and managing LonWorks based system

LonWorks is not just a protocol or physical layer for communication but an exclusively designed networking technology platform to install, maintain, monitor and sense various automation and control applications. Essentially LonWorks was established for a range of automation functions within buildings such as lighting and HVAC. Invented by Echelon Corporation, the fundamental communications platform, twisted pair signaling technology, power line signaling technology, and IP tunneling method constitutes a global standard documented ISO/IEC 14908.

LonMaker is a Windows GUI based network/device management tool for Echelon LonWorks. It can be used for initial network setup and functioning as a management console on a completed network.

Purchase from Echelon.

The communications between all Lonworks devices is done by means of a proprietry chip (The Neuron chip) made according to one design by one company according to one standard which it wrote on its own. It’s obvious that there are so many less aspects of the data communications process that can go wrong when there is a single entity involved. When a device vendor implements a Lonworks System Interface he simply has to implement the application layer of the data communication process. For almost all other protocols the device vendor must implement the physical layer, data link layer, the Network Layer, The transport Layer, The Session Layer, the Presentation Layer and the Application Layer. You can see how many more areas of risk there are.

When Echelon released the standard, their license terms required anyone who implements it to implement the full standard. The fact that other vendors can’t cherry pick features and services means that even when implemented by other vendors you still have the same strong chance of success.

Lonworks – a wide ranging term generally applied to describe the whole technology developed by Echelon. It is used frequently and ambiguously.
LonTalk – A registred trademark belonging to Echelon. They use it as the name of the protocol used for data communications in a Lonworks system. Ie. It is the brandname protocol. Echelon released this protocol so it could be adopted as a standard – ANSI-approved standard EIA/CEA-709.1-A-1999 – SO/IEC Standard 14908 or European standard EN14908.

How to Commission and Bind using Lonmaker. CAS can configure Lonworks gateways so Commissioning and Binding can be avoided. Call our Tech Sipport for more info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_mzAdszviI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3QeimYx94I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H76n1-lcrhI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEcAx6xy3is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFyyKNmGVB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Cs1clgNzM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29cuWwVKNdA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm2Ss72C5bg

Another useful utility is XIFDUMP. It is a report generator (DOS), and it allows you to generate reports (text file) from a XIF files.

Download XIFDUMP:

XIFDUMP