Designed for control system
developers, integrators,
specifying engineers, educators,
and students, Mini FX combines
a flexible hardware platform with
sample Neuron® C applications
and a Neuron C compiler.
Mini FX
Evaluation Kit
A Low-Cost Tool for
Evaluating and Developing
LONWORKS® Devices for
Control Networks
In just a matter of minutes, you can easily set
up and demonstrate twisted pair or power line
control networks, as well as write, compile,
and load new applications of your own design.
FEATURES
Description
• Introduces developers to LonWorks
Mini FX makes it affordable for anyone to
understand and harness the power of the
popular LonWorks platform, and to develop
new devices for the rapidly growing, pricesensitive sensor/actuator mass market.
Use Mini FX standalone to create devices
that install themselves, or use Mini FX
with a network installation tool such as
the LonMaker Integration Tool to create
devices that are installed in managed
networks. If you need a more full-featured
development environment, upgrade to the
NodeBuilder FX Development Tool, which
uses the same Neuron C programming
language, includes the LonMaker
Integration Tool, and also includes many
productivity enhancements such as a
debugger, project manager, integrated
development environment, code editor,
code wizard, plug-in framework, and
network management API.
control networking using ISO/IEC
14908-1 with a simple evaluation
and programming environment.
• Includes example applications for
device networking.
• Can be used without any separate
network installation tools for running
self-installed examples or creating
self-installed devices.
• Can be used with the LonMaker®
Integration Tool (Standard or Professional Edition) to develop and test
devices for managed networks.
• Speeds development of control
networks with the powerful Neuron C
programming language and a
compiler that supports up to 32
network variables.
• Downloads compiled Neuron C
applications to target hardware over
the control network.
• Provides easy resource and hardware
definition and editing with built-in
resource and hardware template
editors.
• Includes two evaluation boards, I/O
hardware, and USB interface for fast
plug-and-play setup.
• Provides easy migration to the powerful
NodeBuilder® Development Tool.
• Available in free topology twisted pair
(FT) and power line (PL) versions.
FT 5000 EVB
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There are two versions of Mini FX:
Mini FX/FT for developing devices
that communicate using twisted pair
cable, and Mini FX/PL for developing
devices that communicate over existing
power lines. Both versions include two
evaluation boards with example I/O
hardware, a USB network interface for
attaching a Windows PC to the LonWorks
network, and power supplies. The USB
network interfaces are low-cost, highperformance LonWorks interfaces for
USB-enabled computers and controllers.
Mini FX/FT includes two FT 5000 EVB
Evaluation Boards. The FT 5000 EVB
is a complete Series 5000 LonWorks
device that you can use to evaluate
the LonWorks 2.0 platform and create
LonWorks 2.0 devices. The FT 5000 EVB
includes an FT 5000 Smart Transceiver
with an integrated free topology twisted
pair transceiver, an external 10 MHz
crystal (you can adjust the internal
system clock speed from 5MHz to
80MHz), an FT-X3 communication
transformer, 64KB external serial
EEPROM and flash memory devices,
and a 3.3V power source. The free
topology twisted pair transceivers
implement the ISO/IEC 14908-2
communication standard for TP/FT-10
channels and eliminate wiring
topology restrictions for twisted pair
communication, a severe limitation of
older technologies such as RS-485.
The FT 5000 EVB features a compact
design that includes the following I/O
components, which you can use to
develop prototype and production devices
and test the FT 5000 EVB example
applications:
• 4-line x 20-character LCD display
• 4-way joystick with center push button
• Two push-button inputs
• Two LED outputs
• Light-level sensor
• Temperature sensor
munication by signaling over any AC or
DC power circuit, eliminating the need
for any new wires for communication.
The plug-in power supplies provided with
the power line evaluation boards pass
the network signals directly into the AC
power lines over the same two wires
that power the evaluation boards. The
power line version of the Mini FX allows a
control network to be created by simply
plugging the evaluation boards into
electrical outlets.
Mini FX PL includes two MiniGizmo I/O
boards that provide I/O components that
you can use to develop prototype and
production devices and test the PL EVB
example applications. The MiniGizmo
I/O boards include eight push buttons,
eight LEDs, a temperature sensor, and a
piezo transducer.
The FT 5000 EVB Evaluation Board and
PL Evaluation Boards also include an
EIA-232/TIA-232/RS-232 interface that
you can use to connect the board to your
development computer and perform
application-level debugging. The FT
5000 EVB also includes a USB interface
that you can use instead of the RS-232
interface for a serial interface to your
development computer.
Mini FX/FT also includes a U10 USB
Network Interface. This connects directly
to a TP/FT-10 free topology twisted pair
LonWorks channel through a compact
removable connector.
PL 3150 EVB and MiniGizmo
Mini FX/PL includes one PL 3150 EVB
Evaluation Board, one PL 3170 EVB
Evaluation Board, and two MiniGizmo I/O
Boards for use with the two EVBs. The
PL 3150 EVB includes a PL 3150 Smart
Transceiver with an integrated power line
transceiver, an external 10 MHz crystal
(with an internal system clock speed of
5MHz), 64KB external flash memory, and
a 5V power source. The PL 3170 EVB
includes a PL 3170 Smart Transceiver
with an integrated power line transceiver,
on-chip ROM with Neuron firmware and
self-installation support, an external
10MHz crystal (for an internal system
clock speed of 5MHz), and a 5V power
source. The power line transceivers
implement the ISO/IEC 14908-3
communication standard for PL-20
C-Band channels and provide network
Mini FX/PL also includes a U20 USB
Network Interface. This connects to a
PL-20 C-Band power line LonWorks
channel through an included power
supply with integrated power line
coupler. The U20 USB Network Interface
can also be connected directly to
10.8-18VDC power systems (such as
those in automobiles, trucks, and buses)
without a coupling circuit, or to virtually
any powered line through a customersupplied coupler/power supply.
Simplify Your Development
Mini FX includes software for Windows
that lets you create and test applications
for LonWorks devices based on an
Echelon Series 5000 or 3100 Neuron
Processor or an Echelon Series 5000
or 3100 Smart Transceiver. Using
the Mini FX software, you write your
device applications using the Neuron
C Version 2.2 programming language,
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a high-level language based on ANSI
C with extensions to simplify network
communication, hardware I/O, and
event-driven processing. For Series
5000 applications, Neuron C Version
2.2 also introduces support for
application-specific interrupt handlers
and a hardware semaphore that can be
used for interrupt task synchronization.
Interrupt sources include signals on any
of the 12 I/O pins (rising edge, falling
edge, either edge, positive or negative
level), the high-performance on-chip
timer and counter units, and a dedicated,
configurable, high-performance, periodic
system timer.
You can use the Neuron C compiler
included with Mini FX to compile
applications with up to 32 network
variables, and that require up to
12K compiled instructions (resulting
in approximately 32KB of compiled
application code). To develop larger
applications or to develop applications
that require more network variables,
you can upgrade to the NodeBuilder
FX software, which includes support
for up to 254 static network variables,
up to 127 network variable aliases,
and no code limit other than available
memory.
If the standard resource files do not
include the resources you need, a
powerful resource editor lets you view
standard types and functional profiles, and
create user-defined types and profiles.
Built-in Examples Shorten
Design Time
Mini FX includes working example
applications that let you evaluate the
benefits of the LonWorks platform without
writing any code. These applications
demonstrate how control devices
can interact with I/O hardware and
exchange data over a control network.
They also demonstrate how control
networks can be created without the
use of any installation tools through a
simple process called self-installation.
The applications are compatible with
standard LonWorks installation tools such
as the LonMaker® Integration Tool, letting
you evaluate the capability of devices
to be used in control networks with or
without network installation tools.
All examples are provided in both
executable images and source code.
An example application is pre-loaded into
each Mini EVB Evaluation Board, allowing
new users to get a control network up
and running within minutes.
You can use the Mini FX software to
modify the Neuron C examples, create
new applications based on the Mini
FX examples, or create new examples
from scratch. You can use the powerful
self-installation library (included with the
examples) in custom applications that
do not require the use of any installation
tools, and yet are fully compatible with
standard LonWorks installation tools such
as the LonMaker Integration Tool.
Specifications
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP.
Minimum Hardware
Intel Pentium® III 600MHz processor;
2GB RAM for Windows Vista, 512MB
RAM for Windows XP; CD-ROM drive;
1024 x 768 display with at least 256
colors; mouse or other Windowscompatible pointing device; 120 to
350MB free hard-disk space.
Compatible LNS Network Interfaces
and IP-852 Routers
OpenLDV-compatible local and
remote network interface or IP-852
router. Compatible local network
interfaces include the U10/U20 USB
network interface (a U10 is included
with Mini FX/FT and a U20 is included
with Mini FX/PL); PCC-10, PCLTA-20,
or PCLTA-21 network interfaces; and
the SLTA-10 Serial LonTalk Adapter.
Compatible remote network interfaces
include the i.LON® SmartServer
and i.LON 600 LonWorks IP Server.
Compatible IP-852 routers include the
i.LON SmartServer with IP-852 routing
and the i.LON 600 LonWorks IP Server.
If you are using an IP-852 router, your
computer must have an IP network
interface such as an Ethernet card or
modem with PPP software. In addition,
the i.LON software must be installed on
your computer, and the IP-852 channel
must be configured using the LonWorksIP Configuration Server application
software.
Neuron C Version 2.2
Neuron C I/O Objects
Bit, byte, nibble input/output
Bitshift input/output
Dallas Touch input/output
Dual slope input (for low-cost A/D)
Edge divide output
Edgelog input.
Frequency output.
Infrared input
Infrared pattern output
I2C input/output
Level detect input
Magcard bitstream input
Magcard track 1 and 2 input
(for ISO 7811 input)
Muxbus input/output
(multiplexed address/data)
Neurowire input/output
(National Semiconductor Microwire and
Motorola SPI compatible)
Oneshot output, ontime input, period
input, pulsewidth output
Parallel input/output
Pulsecount input/output
Quadrature input
SCI (UART) serial input/output*
SPI serial input/output*
Serial input/output
Total count input
Touch input/output (Maxim/Dallas
1-Wire® protocol-compatible)
Triac and stretched triac** output
Triggered count output
Wiegand input
Neuron C Network
Communication Extensions
Functional blocks
Network variables
Configuration properties
Application and foreign-frame messages
* For Series 5000 and 3100 Smart
Transceivers and Neuron Chips with
hardware SCI and SPI support only
** For Series 5000 Smart Transceivers
and Neuron Chips with stretched triac
support only
FT 5000 EVB
Processor
FT 5000 Smart Transceiver.
Processor Input Clock
10MHz (5MHz to 80MHz internal
system clock).
Processor Memory
64KB on-chip RAM, 16KB on-chip ROM,
64KB external serial flash memory, and
64KB external serial EEPROM mapped to
64KB Neuron memory space based on
hardware template definition.
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Operating Input Voltage
+9 to 12VDC unregulated.
External I/O Power
Combined +5V and +3.3V current not to
exceed 100mA.
External Power Supply
100 to 240VAC; 50 or 60Hz.
Operating Temperature
0 to +45°C
Non-operating Temperature
-20 to +70°C
Dimensions
140mm x 105mm x 30mm
EMC Compliance
EN 55022 Class A.
PL 3150 and PL 3170 EVB
Processor
PL 3150 EVB: PL 3150 Smart
Transceiver.
PL 3170 EVB: PL 3170 Smart
Transceiver.
Processor Input Clock
10MHz (5MHz internal system clock).
Processor Memory
PL 3150 EVB: 56KB flash memory
and 2KB on-chip RAM.
PL 3170 EVB: 4KB on-chip flash memory
and 2KB on-chip RAM.
Operating Input Voltage
+11 to 17.8VDC unregulated.
Operating Input Current
250mA max, not including external I/O.
External I/O Power
+5V current not to exceed 100mA.
External Power Supply
100 to 240VAC; 50 or 60Hz with power
line coupler.
Operating Temperature
0 to +40°C
Non-operating Temperature
-20 to +65°C
Dimensions
114mm x 70mm x 32mm
(excluding connectors)
EMC Compliance
EN 55022 Class A.
Documentation
Ordering Information
FT 5000 EVB Examples Guide
078-0389-01
Mini FX/FT Evaluation Kit
10000R-40-24
FT 5000 EVB Hardware Guide
078-0390-01
I/O Model Reference for Smart
Transceivers and Neuron Chips
078-0392-01
Introduction to the LonWorks Platform
078-0183-01
ISI Programmer’s Guide
078-0299-01
ISI Protocol Specification
078-0300-01
LonWorks USB Interfaces User’s Guide
078-0296-01
Mini FX/FT Quick Start Guide
078-0418-01
Mini FX/PL Examples Guide
078-0394-01
Mini FX/PL Hardware Guide
078-0395-01
Mini FX/PL Quick Start Guide
078-0419-01
Mini FX User’s Guide
078-0398-01
Neuron Assembly Language Reference
078-0399-01
Neuron C Programmer’s Guide
078-0002-02
Neuron C Reference Guide
078-0140-02
Neuron Tools Error Guide
078-0402-01
NodeBuilder Resource Editor User’s Guide
078-0194-01
NodeBuilder Resource Report Generator
User’s Guide
078-0260-01
PL 3120/PL 3150/PL 3170 Smart
Transceiver Data Book
005-0193-01
Series 5000 Chip Data Book
005-0199-01
Mini FX/PL Evaluation Kit
10000R-40-27
Both kits include 100-240VAC 50/60Hz
power supplies with both US/Japan and
Europlugs (CEE 7/16).
Copyright © 2005-2010, Echelon Corporation. Echelon, LON, LonWorks, LonMark, NodeBuilder, LonTalk, Neuron, 3120, 3150, LNS, i.LON, LonMaker, the Echelon
logo, and the LonUsers logo are trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States and other countries.
Other trademarks belong to their respective holders. Content subject to change without notice.
P/N 003-0472-01B
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