Echelon and Sun Microsystems Collaborate to Connect
Residential and Commercial Service
Providers to Everyday Devices
Companies to Deploy Internet Automation Solution Using i.LONT Internet
Server and JavaT Technology Services
(ORLANDO, Fla. - October 19, 2000) - Sun Microsystems
(NASDAQ: SUNW)
and Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
ELON)
today announced they will collaborate to connect residential and commercial
service providers to everyday devices via the Internet, finalizing a preliminary
agreement announced in May. The companies plan to deploy an Internet automation
solution using Echelon's i.LONT Internet
Server and Sun's JavaT technology services. Under the agreement announced
today, Echelon and Sun will work together to integrate Sun's Java Embedded
ServerT (JES) technology into future releases of the i.LON Internet Server, accelerating the market for value-added
Java technology services in the building, industrial, and residential
markets. Additionally, Sun will develop an add-on package for LonWorks®
connectivity for its JES technology product line to enable JES licensees
to easily build gateways that connect to thousands of different LonWorks
based products and offer a myriad of enhanced services.
LonWorks technology
enables everyday devices such as light switches, appliances, thermostats,
air conditioners, pumps, motors, and valves to be made "smart" and to
communicate with each other and across the Internet to improve the way
we work and live. Millions of LonWorks
devices are already in use worldwide in buildings, factories, trains,
homes, planes, and hundreds of other applications. The i.LON
Internet Server, a Cisco NetWorksT certified product, enables the everyday
devices networked with LonWorks
technology to be managed, monitored, controlled, diagnosed, and updated
over the Internet.
By embedding JES technology into future i.LON Servers, Echelon will enable the delivery of Java technology-based
services to any of these everyday devices, creating new revenue opportunities
for services providers and new ways for businesses to use information
gathered from devices embedded in their buildings and plants to lower
cost, improve quality, and increase efficiency. When used in commercial
buildings, for example, services such as facility management tenant management,
and energy optimization could be accomplished over the Internet via the i.LON Server. Moreover, these services could be dynamically
updated, replaced, or removed as the needs of building occupants and owners
change over time.
"Our partnership with Sun helps bring Internet connectivity
to millions of everyday devices installed in homes, buildings, factories
and other applications around the world," said Jeff Lund, Echelon's vice
president of business development and corporate marketing. "Through the
results of the agreement we have announced today, users of our i.LON
Server products as well as Sun's JES technology licensees will be able
to develop and deploy Java technology-based services to improve the way
people work and live."
"Sun and Echelon are working together to deliver an innovative
technology solution to the automation industry," said Curtis Sasaki, director,
product marketing, Sun's Consumer Technologies. "With the JES 2.0 technology
powering i.LON 2000 gateways, Sun
and Echelon are giving service providers the platform they need to develop
and deploy next-generation services to everyday devices."
As part of the agreement, Sun will develop an add-on package
for LonWorks connectivity
for its JES technology product line and will ship the LonWorks
solution with JES technology-related products. By offering LonWorks
connectivity to its JES licensees, Sun enables its customers to quickly
and easily build products and services that connect with one of the largest
installed bases of smart devices in the world. For example, a residential
gateway based on JES software with a LonWorks
connection could provide value-added services such as energy management
and security monitoring by communicating over a home's existing power
lines to LonWorks energy and
security devices. Or, the residential gateway could recognize when a LonWorks
based home appliance is plugged into a wall outlet and download a Java
technology-based appliance monitoring and repair service on demand.
The Java Embedded Server 2.0 product, a small footprint
framework running in the residential gateway, gives service providers
the ability to deliver network services to remote devices in the home
or commercial environments. JES 2.0 is designed to be fully compliant
with the Open Services Gateway Initiative (OSGi) 1.0 specification and
to pass the OSGi 1.0 compatibility test suite, thus ensuring interoperability
with all OSGi compliant applications. OSGi is a leading industry standard
for delivery of network-based services. To simplify and expedite the development
process for services, Java Embedded Server 2.0 is bundled with a comprehensive
tool set including a customized version of the Forte for Java Community
Edition, an integrated development environment.
About Echelon Corporation
Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON)
is the world leader in networking everyday devices. The company offers
a comprehensive line of hardware and software products for automating
building, home, industrial, transportation, and utility applications using
LonWorks® networks, an
international, cross-industry, open standard for interoperable device
networks. Echelon is Bringing the Internet to Life™ by linking
the millions of everyday devices connected with LonWorks
networks to the Internet.
Echelon is based in Sunnyvale, California with international
offices in China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, and
the United Kingdom. Further information can be found at http://www.echelon.com.
Echelon's LONWORLD2000™
Conference and Exhibition is designed to help end-users, integrators,
service providers, and manufacturers learn how to use the LonWorks
system in their business. Taking place through today (October 19, 2000)
at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, LONWORLD2000
features a series of forums, classes and presentations along with an exhibition
of products and services covering the home/utility, building, industrial,
and transportation markets.
About Sun Microsystems
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision - The Network Is The
Computer™ - has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. to its position
as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services
that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to dot-com their
businesses. With $15.7 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in
more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.
###
Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Java,
JES and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Echelon,
LonWorks, Digital Home, LonMark�, the LonMark logo, and the Echelon logo
are trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States
and other countries. LonWorld2000,i.LON
and Bringing the Internet to Life are trademarks of Echelon Corporation.
Other marks belong to their respective holders.
This press release may contain statements
relating to future plans, events or performance. Such statements may involve
risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties
pertaining to the timing and level of customer orders, demand for products
and services, development of markets for Echelon's products and services,
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.
Contact Information
PDF version
of this release
