Echelon Elected To UPnP Forum Steering Committee; Vote Acknowledges Importance of Popular, Interoperable LonWorks Networks Built on Open Standards.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Embedded Systems Conference San Francisco 2003

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003

Echelon Corporation (Nasdaq:ELON), the creator of the LonWorks(R) device networking platform for connecting everyday devices to each other and the Internet, today announced at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) being held in San Francisco, California, that it has been elected to the Steering Committee of the UPnP(TM) Forum. Comprised of more than 575 companies in consumer electronics, computer networking, and mobile products, members of the UPnP Forum design and publish device descriptions designed to allow data, multimedia, and control devices to connect transparently in home and corporate environments using open, Internet-based communication standards. The Steering Committee defines the future technology focus and guiding principles of the Forum. UPnP Forum Steering Committee members participate in the approval process of UPnP Device Control Protocols and other UPnP technology submittals to be published for public review. Echelon joins 19 existing Steering Committee members that include Broadcom, Canon, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Philips, Pioneer, Ricoh, Samsung, Siemens and Sony.

"Echelon's election to the UPnP Forum Steering Committee reflects both our longtime leadership in device networking and our close partnership with UPnP technology since its debut," said Ken Oshman, Chairman and CEO of Echelon. "We are pleased to be involved at the highest level with this key effort to bring networking across a broad range of applications, from PCs to consumer electronics to home control. We believe that Echelon's expertise in robust, low-cost control networks and IP connectivity, in combination with UPnP technology's success in high-speed data and infotainment applications, will provide a complete solution for home and small office networking."

According to Salim AbiEzzi, Chair of the UPnP Forum Steering Committee, "Echelon's participation with UPnP technology at the Steering Committee level is a win for both organizations. Echelon's long history and market-proven track record of delivering device networking to the building and home markets opens the door to bridging UPnP devices to the simplest electronic devices easily and reliably."

"Echelon brings with it a huge installed base of devices and a wealth of field-proven technology for home and consumer product applications," said Pete Jarvis, Microsoft Group Program Manager. "The UPnP Device Architecture allows data, entertainment, and control devices to be networked with PCs of all form factors, and as a major supplier of device networks used in automation applications, Echelon is ideally positioned to enhance and extend UPnP applications. We look forward to Echelon's active participation in the Steering Committee and their continued involvement with UPnP Forum Working Committees."

At the UPnP Forum Summit Product Showcase in October 2002, Echelon demonstrated a prototype of a LonWorks-to-UPnP bridge application that dynamically linked LonMark(R) certified devices to UPnP devices. The bridge has the potential to map virtually any LonWorks device to its matching UPnP Device Control Protocol. Echelon has been an active participant on the UPnP Forum's Home Automation Working Committee since its inception, and has worked closely with Microsoft developers on testing of UPnP device profiles.

The Embedded Systems Conference San Francisco is the world's largest embedded exhibition and premier educational forum for engineers and engineering managers developing leading-edge products that incorporate embedded technology. The Embedded System Conference series is well known for showcasing the most innovative technological breakthroughs in embedded electronics design.

About Echelon Corporation

Echelon Corporation is the creator of the LonWorks platform, the world's most widely used standard for connecting everyday devices such as appliances, thermostats, air conditioners, electric meters, and lighting systems to each other and to the Internet. Echelon's hardware and software products enable manufacturers and integrators to create smart devices and systems that lower cost, increase convenience, improve service, and enhance productivity, quality, and safety. Thousands of companies have developed and installed LonWorks products and more than 30 million LonWorks enabled processors have been shipped for use in homes, buildings, factories, trains, and other systems worldwide.

The protocol underlying LonWorks networks and the signaling technology used by Echelon's power line and free topology transceivers have been adopted as standards by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Echelon is also a founding member of the LonMark(R) Interoperability Association, an open industry forum of hundreds of leading manufacturers, integrators, and users dedicated to promoting the use of interoperable LonWorks devices. More information is available at http://www.lonmark.org. Further information regarding Echelon can be found at http://www.echelon.com.

Echelon is a sponsor of the LonWorld(TM) Exhibition, the world's largest event devoted to the networking of everyday devices, to be held October 15-16th 2003 in Munich, Germany. The show is being organized by TEMA AG. Concurrent with the LonWorld Exhibition, Echelon will hold an international developers' conference. More information on the show can be found at http://www.lonworldexpo.com or http://www.tema.com. Contact Echelon for more information about the developers' conference.

Note to Editors: Echelon, LonWorks, LonMark, the LonMark logo and the Echelon logo are registered trademarks of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States and other countries. LonWorld is a trademark of Echelon Corporation registered in the United States and other countries. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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; risks associated with market acceptance of UPnP, successful integration of the LonWorks networking platform with UPnP networks and the ability of LonWorks based devices or networks and UPnP devices or networks to function as planned, Echelon's overall impact on UPnP Forum activities; 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.