BusinessWire
October 20, 2005 06:00 AM US Pacific Timezone

Echelon Displays Future of Ubiquitous Control Networking From Sensors to Enterprise Management at LonWorld 2005

"Echelon delivers technology that impacts the way we live, work and play. Our control networking and embedded platforms are well on their way to becoming omnipresent in everyday life, connecting common machines to each other and the Internet for reasons ranging from significant energy savings to increased safety, comfort and convenience," said Ken Oshman, Echelon's CEO and chairman. "Our new Pyxos embedded control platform further extends that power by solving cost, assembly, and connectivity problems that previously constrained manufacturers from adding advanced control technology to their products. What we're showing at LonWorld 2005 is another major step toward making control networking ubiquitous and an expression of our strategic approach to expanding this market -- achieved through continual reductions in the cost and complexity of our technology while increasing their power and utility and new product development."

        Key demonstrations and products at LonWorld 2005 include:

    --  Smart Metering for Efficient Energy Use
        Echelon is debuting its second generation Networked Energy
        Services (NES) system electricity meter. The redesigned meter,
        already in use in numerous utility trials in Europe,
        incorporates new features such as M-Bus connectivity. M-Bus is
        a common bus used to connect gas and water meters throughout
        Europe. Many utilities provide mixed service -- electricity,
        gas and water -- making a single metering infrastructure
        strategically imperative. An NES system utilizing this
        second generation meter provides a complete metering
        infrastructure for utilities offering mixed services.

    --  Embedding Control Networks Inside Machines
        Echelon's new Pyxos FT embedded control networking platform is
        making its debut at the conference. Featuring very low cost
        ICs, high speed deterministic operation, subminiature
        packaging, and a unique self-organizing feature, the Pyxos FT
        network is ideally suited for industrial, office automation,
        building, and transportation applications. A Pyxos FT network
        can seamlessly integrate with a LonWorks network, host
        computers, or PLCs.

    --  Self-Installing Systems for Home Automation
        Echelon is showing a suite of technologies that can make
        creating and installing home automation products cost
        effective, reliable, and simple enough to meet the demands of
        the mass market for home automation. The new power line
        communication technology and self-installation software will
        be demonstrated in lighting and load control consumer products
        from electronics giant Samsung Electronics. A UPnP(TM) bridge
        is being demonstrated with the Samsung devices and a new,
        consumer friendly graphical user interface. The bridge allows
        Windows Media Center or Windows XP based PCs to automatically
        control and operate LonWorks automation networks. The
        demonstration will also feature Echelon's ISI automatic device
        installation protocol, which enables manufacturers to create
        home products that automatically self-install when plugged
        into a wall, or with the push of a button. ISI enabled devices
        remove the complexity of network installation from consumers
        -- making do-it-yourself, powerful home automation systems
        possible.

    --  Improved Products and Low Prices
        Echelon is also announcing three new products at the show that
        speed and simplify control network installation and remote
        monitoring of LonWorks networks, LonWorks devices, and legacy
        systems.
        --  i.LON(R) 100 e3 Internet Server -- The e3 version of the
            popular i.LON 100 Internet Server includes a ModBus
            interface for use with legacy control systems, an M-Bus
            interface for European utility meters, an astronomical
            clock for perimeter and street lighting applications, and
            a simple, intuitive Web authoring tool that works with
            Macromedia's Contribute web page creation software.

        --  The new LonMaker(R) Installation Tool, Turbo Edition,
            speeds network design and installation through the use of
            wizards and a new streamlined interface.

        --  The new MPR-50 Multi-Port Router allows integrators and
            OEMs to reduce the cost of installing LonWorks networks.
            The novel router design supports five twisted pair
            LonWorks channels, includes a monitoring application to
            remote report router and channel status, and features
            pushbutton configuration to save time.

"In order for control networking to become ubiquitous, we need solutions and technologies that are cost effective, easy to use in all markets, and can truly link the devices found in any industry into control applications," said Oshman. "Our demonstrations and introductions show that we continue to move aggressively toward that goal."

More detailed information can be found about these and other products from Echelon at http://www.echelon.com.

About Echelon Corporation

Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ:ELON) is a pioneer and world leader in control networking -- networks that connect machines and other electronic devices -- for the purpose of sensing, monitoring and controlling the world around us. Echelon's LonWorks platform for control networking was released in 1990 and has become a worldwide standard in the building, industrial, transportation, and home automation markets. Launched in 2003, Echelon's Networked Energy Services system is an open, extensible, advanced metering infrastructure that can bring benefits to every aspect of a utility's operation, from metering and customer services to distribution operations and value-added business. In 2005 Echelon released the world's first embedded control network infrastructure, the Pyxos platform, extending the benefits of networking inside machines to the sensors and actuators that make them function.

Echelon is based in San Jose, California, with international offices in China, France, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Further information regarding Echelon can be found at http://www.echelon.com.

Echelon, LonWorks, LonWorld, LonMaker, i.LON, and the Echelon logo are registered trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States and other countries. Pyxos is a trademark of Echelon Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

This press release may contain statements relating to future plans, events or performance. Such statements may involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with whether developers will adopt Echelon's new products and concepts described in this release, risks associated with whether these new products and concepts will lower costs and perform as designed, including reliably at high speed and low cost; risks associated with market acceptance of any products that are developed using Echelon's technology; risks associated with the size of the market for the LonWorks platform, the Pyxos platform and the NES platform; and other risks identified in Echelon's SEC filings. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Echelon undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.