Echelon: networking control

Abstract

Distributed manufacturing control offers more functionality than centralised systems, but normally at the cost of coordination and 'intelligence'. Here, the author describes a unique solution from Palo Alto-based Echelon Corporation and its semiconductor partners, Motorola and Toshiba. Instead of simply defining a network protocol, Echelon has developed a sophisticated microcontroller (the Neuron) with networking and interfacing built in. Neuron networks can run on various media, including twisted pair, radio or power lines. The system uses an OSI seven-layer network protocol, involving three microprocessors in a classic multiprocessing environment, using shared memory as their communication link. Advanced manufacturing techniques have integrated the three processors with memory at a cost comparable with an off-the-shelf single-chip microcontroller.