Palo Alto, California-based Echelon Corp, Kenneth Osman’s new company seeking to pioneer the concept of the Local Operating Network with its node processors for creating a centralised control system for disparate devices such as electronic and electrical home appliances, has introduced its first control modules for LonWorks-based networks. LonWorks Twisted Pair Control Modules are designed to provide a simple, cost-effective method of adding intelligent distributed control technology to machine and process controls, building management systems, fire and security devices, and other control systems. The control modules consist of a miniature circuit board containing Echelon’s Neuron Chip, a PROM socket, and a communications transceiver for connecting the module to the network. The control modules are small enough to fit on or inside a customer’s product, directly adjacent to the sensors, outputs or displays that they control. The control modules can communicate directly with one another over a commonly shared two-conductor cable and up to 32,000 modules can send signals to, or receive signals from, any other module without a central network computer or server. The Twisted Pair Control Modules come in Twisted Pair-RS-485 for 78Kbps working, Twisted Pair-78 for the same speed in electrically noisy areas, and Twisted Pair-1250 for 1.25Mbps; prices from $35 for the RS-485 module in volume.
