What is a control network and why are LonWorks networks smart networks?
A control network is a group of things (nodes or devices) that communicate with each other to implement an application that senses, monitors, or controls. Each device has one or more sensors or actuators, plus localized computational capability. The devices communicate over one or more media, using a standard protocol. Control networks are more common than you think. For example, your car may have several control networks: in the seatbelt warning system, the ABS braking system, and the engine management system. A LonWorks based control network may have 2 nodes or 32,000, and can range in complexity from a simple alarm controlled by a remote occupancy sensor to a city’s intelligent streetlighting system. What makes a LonWorks based control network different from other control networks is the intelligence built into each LonWorks device. This lets each device respond to external events, act on network conditions, and conduct its own localized function — without needing a central controll
