Question
Does Echelon have a year 2000 compliance statement on Echelon's products?
Answer
Echelon's Y2K statement is posted on Echelon's web site. From Echelon's home page follow the Y2K link, which takes you to the URL:
http://www.echelon.com/Support/y2k/Default.htm You can track current Y2K compliance status of Echelon's products at the following URL:
http://www.echelon.com/Support/y2k/productlist.htm

Question
Is there an alternative to UV-eraseable or non-erasable EPROMs when developing code for Control Modules?
Answer
Flash parts (Atmel model AT29C256) can be used in non-flash control modules. This is advantageous because erasable EPROMs, with windows, are expensive and hard to find. Flash parts also can be reprogrammed in the programmer without the UV erasing process needed for EPROMs. You may choose to use flash for development and then change to EPROMs for shipping units. (You cannot download applications over the network to non-flash Control Modules containing flash memory.) For safety, the software data protect feature should be enabled. See your programmer documentation for details on how to do this. You can then export the .NRI file and burn reusable flash parts for the modules.

Note: The flash is guaranteed to hold data for ten years without refreshing and is guaranteed for 1000 writes.

Use the module application interface (MAI) during early debugto access the Neuron Chip Emulator features. The MAI is part of the Application Interface Kit (Echelon model 27810).

Note: The flash control modules have a part (29C257) that is not compatible with regular non-flash modules. TP/XF-78 control modules can't load over the network to flash since the write enable circuitry is not on the EPROM-based control modules. If you are using TP/XF-78 control modules, you can switch to TP/XF-78F control modules, which contain flash memory. TP/XF-78F control modules can be loaded over the network using any standard network management tool.

Question
Is it possible to design a node that can look and act on every packet that appears on the network?
Answer
No, this is not possible. The Neuron Chip firmware automatically filters out and discards messages that are not destined to the target node. This analysis, performed by the Neuron Chip's network processor, is based on the packet's destination address (Neuron ID, subnet node, group, subnet broadcast, domain broadcast) and, in the case of network variable updates, the value of the network variable selector.
To monitor all packets on the network, you will need to use the Protocol Analyzer software.

Question
How can I design my node so the application can be modified by downloading over the network?
Answer
An application can be modified by downloading over the network if you provide some form of write-able non-volatile memory for the node. You must define 16KB (64 pages) of ROM in the device definition to force the Neuron C linker to place the application image in external memory. The non-volatile memory must be large enough for the entire application program to fit.

The Neuron Chip supports the following non-volatile memories:
Flash
EEPROM
NVRAM
Battery-backedSRAM

In addition, if you use flash memory, you may force both the Neuron Chip system image and your application image to reside in a single flash memory chip. This option allows for a single memory chip node design while allowing application downloading over the network. Refer to the LonWorks Custom Node Development and the Neuron 3150 Chip External Memory Interface Engineering Bulletins for more detailed information.

Note: flash memory provides secure storage of application images. Flash memory uses a memory locking algorithm to protect your data from corruption. This feature is not available from firmeare in EEPROM, NVRAM, and Battery-backed SRAM. . In addition, with EEPROM, application updates over the network will be very slow, because of the required 10ms per byte of data.

Question
How can I route network data through an Ethernet LAN?
Answer
Extending LonWorks networks over Ethernet is an attractive alternative for applications requiring a high-speed backbone or even those wishing to take advantage of existing infrastructure like the Internet. Echelon realizes the potential of this alternative and produces the i.LON 1000 web server and internet router. See www.echelon.com/ilon for details.

Implementing LonWorks over Ethernet physical architecture allows the entire system to be LonWorks based and LonMark compatible within a flat, logical architecture, while still benefiting from the advantages of Ethernet. The key to enabling this pure LonWorks architecture is routing the LonTalk protocol over Ethernet. Proprietary implementations of such LonTalk/Ethernet tunneling routers are currently available from several vendors. Contact Echelon if you need help in locating one. Standardization and interoperability issues are currently being addressed within the LonMark Interoperability Association (http://www.LonMark.org).

Question
What's the easiest way to estimate network traffic during system design?
Answer
Echelon suggests two methods for estimating traffic, and demonstrates how to use the LonManager Protocol Analyzer (LMPA) software to measure traffic on a segment in the LonManager Protocol Analyzer User's Guide. The first method involves printing the drawing and marking which connections will result in network traffic.

The second involves making a spreadsheet from a LonMaker Browser file to determine which connections will result in network traffic. Then, two calculations are performed for each connection that result in network traffic - one based on the throttle rate (worst-case) and another based on the heartbeat rate (typical). The traffic on a segment is the sum of the traffic to and from nodes on that segment, including acknowledgements. Reference your LonWorks Network Design training manual for further details.

Question
What is the part number for the orange Weidmuller connector that is used with the SMX transceivers and network interface cards?
Answer
The FT-10, TP-78 and TP-1250 SMX transceivers can use BLA-2 or BLA-2 B Weidmuller connectors. SLA-90-2 or SLA-90-2 B adapters will also allow you to connect two BLA-2 connectors together.

Description and specifications for the Weidmuller connectors are available from Weidmuller's web site: http://www.weidmuller.com.

Question
When Implementing File Transfer, am I limited to files of types 0, 1, and 2?
Answer
The types 0, 1 and 2 are reserved for configuration parameter usage, but the other file indices are available for user files.

Question
Do I need to change a node's Program ID to allow my device to support changeable network variable types?
Answer
For a node that changes its data type a special bit must be set in the Standard Program ID. The most significant bit in the sixth byte must be set to 1. Please refer to the LonMark Application Layer Interoperability Guidelines, Chapter 5, for more details. As of March 2000, the current version of the document is 3.2. It is available from the LonMark organization web site at: http://www.LonMark.org.

Question
What guidelines are followed to achieve LonMark certification?
Answer
All LonMark-certified devices go through the same certification process. You can get the certification details from the LonMark web site (www.LonMark.org). If you have questions about specific devices, or find that specific devices do not comply with the standards, notify the LonMark Association via the contact link on the web site.

Question
Where can I get updated SNVT definitions?
Answer
The SNVT definitions contained in the snvt.typ file are updated by the LonMark Interoperability Association. To get the latest version, download the file from the products section of the LonMark web site: http://www.LonMark.org

Unzip the file, and follow the instructions in its readme.txt file. This file contains instructions for NodeBuilder, LonBuilder, LNS, and LNS based applications, like LonMaker for Windows and LNS DDE Server.




LONWORKS - FAQ