Echelon's Networking Technology Adopted As ANSI Standard

Business Wire, Jan 5, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2000

Echelon Corporation (Nasdaq:ELON), the leader in networking everyday devices, today announced that its free topology networking technology has been adopted as an open American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard under ANSI/EIA 709.3-1999.

Designed to send information between everyday devices like appliances, lighting systems, heating and air conditioning controls, security systems, motors, and pumps, Echelon's free topology twisted pair technology employs advanced digital signal processing that automatically adapts to a wide range of wire types and compensates for different installation methods.

The company's FTT-10A free topology transceiver can substantially reduce the cost of installing cabling that connects together these everyday devices, making the technology attractive for any application in which network cabling must be installed.

This latest ANSI standard closely follows Echelon's October 1999 announcement that the protocol underlying its LonWorks(R) control networks had been approved as an open industry standard by ANSI as ANSI/EIA 709.1-1999.

"We are honored that ANSI and its standards committees selected Echelon's free topology technology for ANSI/EIA 709.3-1999," said Michael Tennefoss, director of product marketing for Echelon. "Our free topology technology has become the de facto standard for building, factory, and transportation automation systems worldwide, and has been field proven in millions of devices by such respected manufacturers as Leviton, Honeywell, Siemens, Bombardier, Hitachi, Philips, and General Electric."

"The Echelon free topology transceiver provides physical layer interoperability between different manufacturers' products and is approved for use in open interoperable LonMark(R) branded products," said Paula Skokowski, executive director, LonMark Interoperability Association. "Many LonMark products already use the Echelon free topology transceiver and we are delighted that Echelon's free topology networking technology is now an ANSI standard."

Copies of ANSI/EIA 709.3 can be purchased on-line from ANSI at http://www.ansi.org or from Global Engineering Documents at 800/854-7179. In support of the ANSI/EIA 709.1 Control Networking Protocol Specification, Echelon is offering a free of charge reference implementation at http://www.echelon.com/protocol.> About Echelon Corporation

Echelon Corporation is the developer of LonWorks networks, recognized internationally as a standard for open, interoperable control networks. With thousands of application developers and millions of devices installed worldwide, LonWorks is the leading cross-industry standard for networking everyday devices in building and home automation, industrial, transportation, and public utility applications.

Echelon offers a full range of off-the-shelf hardware and software products to support the development, installation and management of intelligent, open and interoperable control networks.

Echelon is based in Palo Alto, with international offices in China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Further information can be found at http://www.echelon.com.

About the LonMark Interoperability Association

Since its inception in 1994, the LonMark Interoperability Association has become a major driving force in the establishment of interoperable guidelines for building, industrial, transportation and residential/utility automation. LonMark membership is open to any manufacturer, end-user and system integrator committed to the development and use of open, interoperable products using multi-vendor LonWorks control networks.

Products that have been verified to conform to Echelon's LonMark interoperability guidelines are eligible to carry the LonMark logo, an indicator that a product has been designed to interoperate over a LonWorks network.

Further information on the LonMark Interoperability Association and its members can be found on the LonMark Association web site at http://www.lonmark.org.

About ANSI

Founded in 1918, the American National Standards Institute has served as administrator and coordinator of the U.S. private sector voluntary standardization system for over 80 years. ANSI promotes the use of U.S. standards internationally, advocates U.S. policy and technical positions in international and regional standards organizations, and encourages the adoption of international standards as national standards where these meet the needs of the user community.

The Institute represents the interests of its nearly 1,400 company, organization, government agency, institutional and international members through its headquarters in New York City, and its satellite office in Washington, D.C. More information about ANSI can be found at http://www.ansi.org.

Note to Editors: Echelon, LonWorks, LonMark, the LonMark logo, and the Echelon logo are registered trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other marks belong to their respective holders.