Echelon Mini FX - Manual (Page 15)

2 Introduction
Introduction to the Mini FX Evaluation Kit
The Mini FX Evaluation Kit is a hardware and software platform for evaluating the
L
ON W ORKS
® 2.0 platform and developing L ON W ORKS devices based on the Series 5000
and 3100 Neuron Chips and Smart Transceivers. The Mini kit lets you build Neuron C
applications and download them to L
ON W ORKS devices, and test L ON W ORKS devices.
You can use the Mini kit to develop prototype or production devices, particularly in the
rapidly growing, price-sensitive mass markets of smart light switches, thermostats, and
other simple devices and sensors.
You can use the Mini kit to do the following:
• Compile, build, and download a Neuron C device application to a development
platform or to your own devices.
• Test with prototype I/O hardware on either the FT 5000 EVBs included with the
Mini FX/FT Evaluation Kit and available separately, or with the PL 3150 and PL
3170 EVBs included with the Mini FX/PL Evaluation Kit and available separately, or
build and test your own I/O hardware with your own custom device.
• Create a self-installed L
ON
W
ORKS
network and test how your device interoperates
with other L ON W ORKS devices—or use the Mini kit with a separately purchased
LonMaker ® Integration Tool to create a managed L ON W ORKS network.
• View standard resource file definitions for standard network variable types (SNVTs),
standard configuration property (SCPTs), and standard functional profiles.
• Create your own resource files with user-defined network variable types (UNVTs),
user-defined configuration property (UCPTs), and user-defined functional profiles.
New Features in the Mini FX Evaluation Kit
The Mini FX Evaluation Kit adds support for Echelon’s new Series 5000 chips (the term
used to collectively refer to the Neuron 5000 Processor and FT 5000 Smart Transceiver),
support for Echelon’s new FT 5000 EVB and new PL 3170 EVB, and the following key
features:
• Neuron C Version 2.2 Enhancements
• Hardware Template Editor
• Microsoft Windows Vista support
Series 5000 Chip Support
The Mini FX Evaluation Kit supports Echelon’s new Neuron 5000 Processor and FT 5000
Smart Transceiver, which are designed for the L
ON
W
ORKS
2.0 platform. The Series 5000
chips are faster, smaller, and cheaper that previous-generation chips, as they include the
following new features and functions.
• Improved memory architecture.
• Faster system clock.
• Improved performance for arithmetic operations.
• User-programmable interrupts.
• Additional I/O model support.
• Increased network variable support (NodeBuilder tool required).
• Smaller layout