Echelon LonMaker - Manual (Page 394)

378 Appendix G – Glossary
Glossary
Acknowledged Service
A service of the LonTalk protocol that ensures a message was received by the addressee(s). After a
configurable number of retries, failures are logged in a status register in the device, which can be
accessed by network management tools.
Actuator
Any component that affects a physical variable of the system under control or indicates the values of
system variables for human operators. Some examples are pumps, fans, heaters, alarm annunciators,
and operator displays. This term may apply only to the component that converts electrical or pneumatic
control signals into a physical force that causes a mechanical component such as a damper or valve to
move, or it may apply to both components as a unit.
Ad-Hoc System Scenario
An installation scenario in which physical devices are configured and commissioned on-line as
network data is entered. The network database is built simultaneously.
Alias Network Variable
An alias network variable behaves like a shadow copy of a network variable. An alias shares the value
of the original network variable, but it maintains its own NV selector. In addition, an alias maintains
its own address table index if it is an alias for an output network variable or polling input network
variable. Alias network variables are used to overcome connection limitations of non-alias network
variables.
Application Configuration
A process by which the application program in each physical device is tailored to the desired
functionality by selecting the appropriate configuration properties. L
ON W ORKS Network Services
(LNS) provides a platform for manufacturers to create easy-to-use graphical configuration interfaces,
called plug-ins, that are compatible with any other LNS-based network tool.
Application Device
A LonWorks device that runs a LonTalk Application (OSI Layer 7). The application may run on a
Neuron Chip, in which case the device is called a “Neuron Chip-Hosted” device.
Application Image
Device firmware that consists of the object code generated by the Neuron C compiler from the user’s
application program and other application-specific parameters, including the following:
• Network variable fixed and self-identification data
• Network variable external interface data (XIF file)
• Program ID string
• Optional self-identification and self-documentation data
• Number of address table entries
• Number of domain table entries
• Number and size of network buffers
• Number and size of application buffers
• Number of receive transaction records
• Input clock speed of target Neuron Chip
• Transceiver type and bit rate
Application Program
The software code in a LONWORKS device that defines how it functions. The application program,
also referred to as the application or the application layer, may be in the device when you purchase it,