High-Speed LonWorks Communications for Facility Monitoring

118 High-Speed LonWorks Communications for Facility Monitoring--Coactive Aesthetics, Inc., 4000 Bridgeway, Suite 303, Sausalito, CA 94965-1474; (415) 289-1722 Mr. Edward Koch, Principal Investigator Mr. David Gaw, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82399 Amount: $75,000 Sensors to link unattended facilities housing national security materials are needed to assure that these facilities can be monitored remotely. This can be done using LonWorks technology. Unlike information networks that allow desktop computers and servers to communicate, LonWorks networks interconnect control devices in machines, in buildings, and on the factory floor. LonWorks has advanced features that are customized for each control application by means of a special programming language, support for many types of physical connections (e.g., twisted pair, powerline, radio), and low-cost computer chips that make it easy for control devices to communicate on a LonWorks network. Unfortunately, this specialization has come at the expense of the speed of the data throughput needed by many data acquisition applications that could benefit from this technology. An example of such an application is facility monitoring, where control information is accompanied by high volumes of data that are produced by devices such as cameras and spectral data sensors. Phase I of this project will involve researching available networking technologies for use in the lower bandwidths of a proposed high-speed LonTalk device, providing potential design modifications to the LonTalk protocol to support these lower bandwidths on faster hardware platforms, and designing an applications programming interface to allow access to LonWorks from these platforms. In addition, the Phase I work will result in a prototype of a LonWorks node capable of achieving significantly higher network data transmission rates than are currently possible. Phase II of this project will involve developing tools and components for eventual commercial release, which will allow third-party LonWorks developers to use high-speed LonTalk in a "plug and play" manner. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This project will develop technology to improve LonWorks technology in the area of high-speed, high-volume data acquisition applications while maintaining compatibility with existing LonWorks devices. This technical advancement in control networking will allow LonWorks technology to be more effectively used in a wider range of applications.