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Australon
AUSTRALON Pty Ltd is a new corporation, formed by Advanced Communications Technologies (Australia) Pty. Ltd. (70% equity) and Unilon Pty. Ltd (30% equity). Unilon was originally formed by two University professors in Melbourne, Australia and has had 5 years of experience in the controlled systems and LonWorks environment. Unilon is also the only accredited LonWorks Independent Developer (L.I.D) in Australia, and one of only 16 L.I.D's worldwide.
The primary technology base employed by AUSTRALON is LonWorks. LONWORKS is a new technology developed by the USA based Echelon Corporation. The heart of this technology is the Neuron® Chip, developed by Echelon, and originally manufactured by Motorola. Toshiba and Cypress now also manufacture the chip. LONWORKS technology has an extensive installed base of proven products and applications in most industrial regions throughout the world. The main applications of the control systems are for transportation, home and utility control, industrial automation, building automation, and other intelligent control applications. The New York City subway system is controlled by a LONWORKS based application. Companies like CISCO, Phillips, Motorola, Toshiba, Raytheon, and HPM support LonWorks technology. CISCO recently acquired a substantial equity position in Echelon Corporation, and has adopted LONWORKS as its Internet integration technology of choice.
LONWORKS technology is Internet ready. Net-Washing and e-Cooking, are new buzzwords evolving from the exciting new applications in connecting smart LONWORKS appliances to the Internet. Merloni has recently introduced the Ariston Digital™ family of LONWORKS refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and other home appliances that communicate with one another over the home's power lines and to the Internet over a residential gateway. The involvement of Cisco has further solidified the positive applications the Internet brings to LONWORKS technology. AUSTRALON is poised to integrate all of our applications so that they can be controlled or monitored via an Internet gateway. This further enhances the attraction of a LONWORKS solution for control applications.
One of AUSTRALON's most significant advantages is that it has developed a Neuron generic interface card module based around the LONWORKS technology. This module/card allows AUSTRALON to rapidly build and deploy specifically designed independent units for control applications in spread distribution, embedded control systems for industrial automation and control systems monitoring applications. Depending upon the nature of the specific use, custom-built units can be quickly and simply produced by simply adding minor hardware and software modifications to the generic module. The generic module/card has been extensively tested and installed at various locations. Some of the sample installation sites include wineries, where the card is monitoring the outside temperature relative to maintaining a constant temperature in the cooling tanks in the wine production area. Using the generic module/card AUSTRALON has developed an extensive suite of new distributed embedded control system network products that can be rapidly built on a very cost effective basis. By utilizing this technology, AUSTRALON is able to dramatically increase the monitoring flexibility and intelligence of control networks, while dramatically lowering the cost and design complexity of distributed control systems. An AUSTRALON application can also be deployed more rapidly than conventional control system products because of the “state of the art” technology behind the generic interface module/card.
One of AUSTRALON's major marketplaces is in the field of process control systems in industrial and commercial environments. Typical applications for AUSTRALON products are:
Smart office buildings can turn lights on and off, open and lock doors, start and stop elevators, and connect all functions to a central security system.
Homeowners can program a vast array of products and conveniences, from sprinkler systems to VCRs, with a touch-tone phone from any remote location or via the Internet.
Controlling factory conveyor belts, product inventory, and distribution systems for optimum efficiency and flexibility.
Switching pumps and valves on and off, data logging and remote monitoring of agricultural, power and water systems.
Monitor and control conveyor belts, stackers, reclaimers, dredgers, emergency stop systems, fire control systems remotely in mining industries.
Control a distributed network of marine navigation beacons from a central location, with alarm and fault diagnostics.
Performance and fault diagnosis information for computing and communications equipment.
By utilizing LONWORKS technology, the AUSTRALON suite of products employ a level of intelligent distributed control that was previously only available in very high-end automation applications.
The AUSTRALON/LonWorks applications can now interface a degree of interoperability between products from different manufacturers that can now be more easily achieved by utilizing some simple design rules and using Standard Network Variable Types (SNVTs). This means that an AUSTRALON device can be placed into an existing control system, whilst at the same time adding a level of intelligence not yet seen in conventional control systems.
Some of the key advantages that an AUSTRALON control system has over existing systems are:
Cost-effective implementation of reliable distributed sense and control networks. An AUSTRALON network has highly reliable and flexible communications protocols built in to it, allowing for a close application fit. This means that an AUSTRALON application can be easily developed and maintained. In essence, a control network can be easily installed that does not rely on a centralized controller. If one node on the network fails, the rest of the network will still function correctly, and can diagnose and possibly rectify the node that died. An AUSTRALON network can still be centrally monitored, but it no longer has a central point of failure.
Flexible reconfiguration capability after network installation. All AUSTRALON control devices are software configurable. A network manager can modify and control the installation and functionality of all network nodes. Using the Neuron-C programming language, device control code can be dynamically uploaded to network devices across the network. This means that once an application has been installed, it can then be reprogrammed to alter its functionality. The end user, or customer can do this, without the need for a specialized programmer.
An AUSTRALON control system uses an event-driven paradigm. Traditional control networks operate with a polling approach. Moving to an event driven paradigm gives inherent efficiency and performance benefits for communications, whilst still maintaining link diagnostic features and the system reliability of a polled network.
The ability to create an interoperable distributed control system. Because of the open standards and communication protocols implemented by the LonWorks environment, all AUSTRALON products are easily integrated with other manufacturers products.
Existing control systems are hard to program, difficult to integrate with other products, and are not adequately suited to network installations. A LONWORKS based AUSTRALON system overcomes all of these shortcomings.
One distinct new advantage that complements the AUSTRALON product range, is that Cisco's new association with Echelon is that all LONWORKS enabled devices are now Internet ready. This means that an AUSTRALON system can be easily controlled and/or monitored from the Internet. Seamlessly linking LONWORKS and IP networks is a logical step in extending the Internet to the control industry, further enabling competitive advantage from the Internet Revolution. By integrating control networks in factories, buildings and homes with IP-based data networks, businesses and utilities will be able to migrate away from expensive leased line phone networks and increase network management visibility into critical business process control systems. This will open up a range of new customer driven applications for the control industry. Echelon system integrators and developers will be able to expand into new markets by creating integrated applications for the enterprise, utility, building, industrial and home automation markets.
AUSTRALON has reached an agreement with Echelon for the Australian and New Zealand distribution rights for Echelon's LONWORKS based product range and applications. Being the official LONWORKS distributor would definitely complement the credibility of AUSTRALON's suite of applications and products. A condition of such a distributorship would require AUSTRALON to establish a distribution center for LONWORKS devices, training facilities, testing and support networks, and a focused marketing and integration plan to expand AUSTRALON/LONWORKS technology sales into Australasian developers.
AUSTRALON is currently negotiating with several companies worldwide for the marketing and distribution rights to their LonWorks products. These companies include: Merloni, Ariston, Seibe, Arigo (IBM), CTE Systems and several others.
AUSTRALON has also been appointed an official beta tester for CISCO's iLon LonWorks Internet gateway. Developed and certified under the Cisco NetWorks™ program, the i.LON 1000 is a breakthrough new product that can bring billions of everyday devices into the Internet - or any Internet Protocol (IP) based intranet, LAN, or WAN. Already the i.LON 1000 IP Server enables millions of everyday devices networked worldwide with Echelon's LONWORKS® technology in homes, buildings, factories, and transportation systems to become part of the Web, delivering cost, revenue, quality, and productivity improvements today and paving the way for a wide range of new markets and applications for industry and consumers alike.
Industry leaders have dubbed LONWORKS technology the most significant development in semiconductors since the microprocessor. AUSTRALON has been established to bring this technology to market. AUSTRALON is well positioned to exploit this revolution in control systems, by continuing to develop an extensive suite of intelligent networking products, and forming strategic alliances with product suppliers to thereby expand the horizons of the traditional control system marketplace.
©1999 Advanced Communications Technologies (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
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