EMAIL INTERVIEW

Hans-Jörg Schweinzer (LOYTEC),
Serge LeMen (Newron System),
Harald Hasenclever (SVEA) and Gert-Ulrich Vack (SysMik)

answer Ken Sinclair’s questions. 

LonMark IP-852
The IP-852 channel is a standard in Europe (EN 14908-4) and the US (EIA/CEA-852).

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Sinclair:  Why is LonMark/IP-852 using EIA-852 (EN 14908 part 4) so important at this time? 

Hasenclever: Building owners and facility managers demand building automation solutions that are highly manageable, where building data is available in real time and any data point is accessible through a seamless standard IT infrastructure. Utilizing an existing IT network infrastructure staff for maintaining this network can cover the maintenance of the building automation network as well. All this results in  significant cost reduction.

Schweinzer: There is no doubt that today’s building automation systems go more and more IP. The demand for more functionality in devices and thus their need to exchange more data is steadily increasing. Bringing LonMark devices directly onto the IP channel results in best accessibility and integration of data into the world of IP by keeping the advantage of a seamlessly integrated LonMark System. The IP-852 channel is a standard in Europe (EN 14908-4) and the US (EIA/CEA-852).

 Sinclair:  What is the preferred application range for LonMark/IP-852 devices?

Vack: Any kind of application where networked devices need to exchange lots of data between each other. This can be controllers like SysMik’s programmable modular multi-protocol controller, or SVEA’s Integrated Room Controller IRC but also embedded graphical user interfaces like LOYTECs L-VIS color touch display.

Hasenclever: From our point of view this especially applies to room automation where we have to deal with a lot of data points that need to be communicated in real time to control light, sunblind, etc.

 Sinclair:  Is the use of the LonMark IP-852 channel limited to routers?

Schweinzer: Not at all. Even if today most devices utilizing LonMark/IP-852 are routers there is no limitation to such devices. Any kind of device such as smart sensors and actuators, application specific and freely programmable controllers or even embedded graphical user interfaces can get connected. With routers like the LOYTEC LIP family of products such IP-852 devices talk seamlessly to devices connected to a LonMark TP/FT-10 channel.

 LeMen: This is also applies to our suite of integration tools and OPC servers. The PC running the software connects directly to the Ethernet/IP-852 channel. Thus there is no need to carry around any additional network interface card!

 Sinclair:  Can devices using the LonMark IP-852 channel include both LON (ANSI-709) and Web Services?

Schweinzer: Of course. There are no restrictions at all! Devices can directly talk SOAP/XML (e.g. OPC XML-DA) at the very same time as they are a member of the LonMark System connected through the IP-852 channel.

Vack: Even decentralized embedded visualization is possible. The user interface is running in the controller to be accessed by any Internet browser.

Sinclair:  What is the benefit of using IP-852 in BACS compared to other IP-protocols such as BACnet/IP or Profinet?

Hasenclever: It's the LonMark Profiles! LonMark members have developed industry proven profiles for almost all building automation applications over more than a decade. This treasure can be reused in IP-852 devices without any changes. Seamlessly integrated systems from the field level all the way up to the management level are real!

 [an error occurred while processing this directive]Sinclair:  When will devices utilizing LonMark/IP-852 be available?

Vack: They are available and in use today! System integrators do build BMS integrating LonMark FT-10 and IP-852 devices. Those LonMark systems are covering the whole BMS without the need for additional gateways to integrate BACnet-DDC-stations or proprietary protocols. SysMik’s programmable modular multi protocol controller is a good example for a state of the art controller already available.

Schweinzer: Devices are already available and successfully proven in a representative number of projects. As one of the IP-852 pioneers LOYTEC has introduced the first IP-852 Router LIP already 4 years ago. The LOYTEC LVIS color touch display is another good example being on the market for more than 3 years and now supporting IP-852 and TP/FT-10 in the very same device.

Hasenclever: At the light+building fair, SVEA has introduced an Integrated Room Controller and a DALI Gateway that both support LON/IP-852. Both products will be available in October 2006.

LeMen: Our integration tools NL220 and NLFacilities as well as the NLOPC OPC server have been supporting IP-852 for many years now. Proven in many installed systems IP-852 is the recommended media to connect integration tools and OPC-Servers.

Sinclair:  Can devices utilizing LonMark/IP-852 be managed by standard integration tools?

LeMen: Using the same standard tools for integrating TP/FT-10 and IP-852 devices is one of the most important benefits of LonMark/IP852. This means that every system integrator used to install TP/FT-10 devices has already the staff and the tools in house to install IP-852 devices - what a great benefit!

 Sinclair:  Where can I find out more about LonMark IP-852 and EIA-852?

Schweinzer: At BuilConn in Amsterdam there will be several tracks focusing on LonMark/IP-852. Attendees will get a comprehensive insight of how it works, benefits, availability of solutions and what can be expected in the future. Another good source are the WEB sites:
www.loytec.com
www.newron-system.com
www.svea-bcs.com
www.sysmik.com

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