LonWorks
LonWorks definition
LonWorks is a networking platform that lets devices from different manufacturers communicate and work in a single system. For example, in a smart home, the lights, the heating system, the alarm system, and other devices have to work together, but they’re often made by different companies and don’t understand each other.
LonWorks provides a common language that all devices in a particular network can understand. A building’s lighting system from one manufacturer can communicate and coordinate with an HVAC system from a completely different manufacturer, so long as both are designed to work with the LonWorks platform.
History of LonWorks
LonWorks was developed by Echelon Corporation, a company founded in 1988 by Clifford ‘Mike’ Markkula Jr. Echelon Corporation, based in Santa Clara, California, launched the LonWorks platform in the early 1990s. Since its creation, LonWorks has been widely adopted due to its broad applicability and the openness of its protocol. Its use has grown to include various applications such as lighting, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), elevators, electricity meters, traffic and railway signals, and many more.
In 1999, LonWorks was submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and was accepted as a Control Networking Standard. Later, in 2005, it was also accepted as a standard (ISO/IEC 14908) by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). LonWorks is now used and supported by a range of manufacturers and industries around the world.