HomePlug is an alliance established to provide a spec for the use of powerline based home networking systems. The core specification will be chosen in 2nd Qtr 2000. This, imho has ELON written all over it. Without looking any deeper, look at the founding members of the Alliance and consider the following:
Starting with 3Com whose solutions are built by Coactive Networks whose products are built on a LonWorks platform. echelon.com Bob Finocchio now on Elon's Board was the President of 3Com from the early 90's thru 1997. 3Com is a founding member of Universal Plug and Play (UpnP) as is Compaq, as is Intel (also the Arthur Rock connection), as is Texas Instruments, as are Connexant, Intellon, S3 Diamond Multimedia, AMD, and Cisco. (Motorola and Matsushita-Panasonic have existing relationships with ELON.)
As sponsors of Microsoft Upnp it's doubtful that these companies would be sponsoring another std that conflicts with UpnP on whose steering commitee sits little ol' Echelon. Funny, in a conversation I had a while back with Gibson Andersen (Elon VP of Human Resources and an engineer under Oshman at ROLM) I really wanted to talk about the iLon and he kept stressing to look out for developments in powerline networking....hmmmm.
"Consumers are seeking hassle free, reliable and cost-effective home networking solutions," said Jawad Khaki, Vice President of Windows Networking at Microsoft. "Microsoft applauds the HomePlug Powerline Alliance in its efforts to create standards that will help make the digital home a reality." homeplug.org
All the talk of power companies becomming ISP's (see Enron), having right of way access, George Gilder Powercosm (maybe?), etc etc get's a little more interesting.
Q: What is HomePlug?
A: HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit corporation established to providea forum for the creation of specifications for worldwide home powerline networking products and services; and, to accelerate the demand for these products and services through the sponsorship of market and user education programs.
Q: Why was HomePlug formed?
A: HomePlug was formed to enable and promote rapid availability, adoption and implementation of cost effective, interoperable and specifications-based home powerline networks and products enabling the connected home.
Q: What technology does the Alliance support?
A: HomePlug is in the process of selecting a technology to serve as the core specification for the Alliance.
Q: How is the technology being selected?
A: HomePlug is evaluating various powerline networking technologies through an industry-wide, open evaluation process. One technology will be chosen in second quarter 2000 as the baseline technology for the initial HomePlug specification.
homeplug.com
The launch of the alliance comes as a clear signal that its member companies are committed to meeting an unmistakable market demand for a reliable, easy-to-use specification that can make the connected home a reality - and committed to meeting it sooner rather than later. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance is moving quickly to reach their goal of enabling and promoting rapid availability, adoption and implementation of cost effective, interoperable and specification-based home powerline networks and products.http://www.homeplug.org/whitepaper/index.html
The solution must....Coexist peacefully with already-popular devices that use residential power lines to communicate (including X-10, CEBus and LonWorks) homeplug.org the core specification must be......Enabling technology that meets requirements for performance, cost, and is scalable to future generations. homeplug.org
Sounds like LonWorks to me. jmho
HomePlug Link: homeplug.org
P.S. with respect to Ethernet note this list of processor engines using LonWorks. The AMD engine application is for Building Blocks for Embedded PC's with LonWorks, Ethernet and PCMCIA Interfaces. Microsoft Windows CE Operating System. echelon.com |
