Wow, thanks, Broke Sheave!
As the immortal Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that"!
Yep...Echelon is sitting on a gold mine. And evertime a system is sold Echelon is paid a licensing fee. The vendors they buy from do not own the technology. They merely license it from Echelon...At least that's my understanding...
Wiki here..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LonWorksWhich may explain why a lot of manufacutrers are going to the CAN networks. Not only does it seem more robust than LON, but as to my understanding there is no licensing fee. Anybody can manufacture a CAN network, and devices as long as it conforms to ISO 11898-1 standards..
Wiki below..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAN_bus how is a can bus system different than a multiplexing system if it is? i get the impression the it is effectively the same with hexidecimal addresses for the buttons ect...
Multiplexing???
Like the RS boards on otis, the 4 bit mics on fujitechs, the floor control boards on Schindler???
If that's what you're talking about basically not much. The deal with these CAN and LON networks, is that you can purchase them off the shelf rather than have to invent your own, in house...
At least that's what I think you're talking about.