Beaverton, Ore, USA – 28 August 2012: UPnP Forum – the global standards body that has paved the way for seamless connectivity between more than a billion devices – today publicly announced its UPnP+ initiative, focused on delivering new technical capabilities to enhance functionality and increase customer satisfaction in today’s ever-changing market of always-on connectivity.
For more than a dozen years, UPnP technology has offered unique capabilities for consumer electronics and computing devices. UPnP+ will focus on expanding these capabilities as new paradigms for mobile connected computing evolve, including cloud-based service delivery, smartphone content sharing, and the Internet of Things. Key areas UPnP+ will address include:
Full integration of IPv6 with seamless backwards compatibility to IPv4
Integration of content and services from the cloud
Access to UPnP devices and services from web browsers
Improved support for low-power and mobile devices
Grouping or pairing of similar devices and services
Bridging to non-UPnP networks (e.g. ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, ANT+) for a broad range of applications including health & fitness, energy management, and home automation
James Brailean, PhD, President and CEO of PacketVideo Corp., says: “As a company, our goal is to create consumer software products that work seamlessly across platforms, operating systems and standards. Part of our solutions include working with the UPnP standard and we look forward to contributing and working with this new UPnP+ initiative. We see this as an opportunity to better integrate solutions beyond devices into the products, apps, cloud and web services that consumers are currently utilizing and demanding. With this new initiative, the ultimate winner will be the consumer.”
UPnP is best known as the set of audio/visual and firewall control standards used in consumer electronics and residential gateways. However many UPnP standards go beyond just media and networking, including standards for connected thermostats, lighting, remote user interfaces, telephony, and device management. Additionally, UPnP standards are being integrated into web browsers and applied in healthcare and energy management applications around the world. UPnP+ builds on all these existing standards with new features and capabilities in a complete, integrated solution that will enable the next major phase of UPnP functionality.
“UPnP Forum has taken a key role in the technologies and standards market for device interoperability,” comments Jinpil Kim, the Team Leader at Standard Technology and Development Team, LG Electronics. “LGE has been contributing to developing UPnP standards and deploying UPnP capable devices: the UPnP based SmartShare is becoming the crucial feature for our various types of high-end devices. UPnP Forum is now stretching its step toward expanding the ecosystem with the UPnP+ initiative and leading the emerging market by covering the Cloud and bridging distinct protocols. We believe that this initiative will provide a great experience for the consumer and create new values and opportunities for members, and we are happily looking forward to participating in the step forward.”
Ralph Brown, CTO, CableLabs, adds: "UPnP home networking provides the basis for discovery and communication between connected cable equipment and other devices in the home. With UPnP+, UPnP Forum is moving beyond media devices in the home to provide connection with cloud services, support for IPv6, integration with new networks of devices (health & fitness, energy management, security, etc.) and implementation in web browsers. We see these features as important strategic ingredients in the development of future cable industry products.”
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Alan Messer, UPnP Forum President and Chairman, says: “We believe that work towards UPnP+ will bring UPnP to the next level and greatly benefit our broad membership base. We aim to move forward quickly, so I would encourage current and potential members who are interested in contributing to the UPnP+ effort to become involved as soon as possible.”
If you are interested in participating in the UPnP+ Task Force, please contact
upnpadmin@forum.upnp.org. The Task Force, working under the direction of the Technical Committee, will review your request to participate as an invited guest. If you are interested in deeper involvement, you can also apply to become a member of the UPnP Forum Steering Committee.
For further information about UPnP Forum please go to
www.upnp.org. For general questions, please e-mail
upnpfeedback@forum.upnp.org.
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