UPnP Forum Takes IoT to the Next Level at IBC 2015

Amsterdam – 1 September 2015: This year’s IBC Exhibitor Show will witness global home networking standards group, UPnP Forum, unveil its new holistic set of live data models by means of a new web-based tool that automates the process of quickly adding new devices to a network, regardless of location. This innovative data modeling tool will significantly reduce fragmentation in the marketplace, a key obstacle for the Internet of Things (IoT), while providing a seamless standardization process that can be used by any organization or company incorporating device discovery and control capability into any of their devices.

This tool comes as the Forum continues to drive its UPnP+ Initiative forward, creating the building blocks for IoT implementations in a complete, integrated solution that will enable the next major phase of cross-platform device and network functionality. UPnP+ for the IoT is comprised of Cloud capability, integration for content and services, and bridging to non-IP networks to enable a broad range of applications including IoT, health and fitness, energy management and home automation.

UPnP Forum President, Scott Lofgren, remarked: “The IoT is a real game-changer and has the potential to transform and improve our lives, bringing with it the combination of connected devices and intelligent data. However, as exciting as the overall IoT opportunity is, harmonizing the growing marketplace is paramount. Owing to the previous absence of standardization and with convenience and cost in mind, many IoT projects were built vertically with little or no consideration for interoperability with products from other vendors, leading to fragmentation of the market. The lack of compatibility hobbled network flexibility and functionality, ultimately limiting consumer choice in the rapidly emerging market.”

The UPnP+ standard is vendor-neutral and already provides the foundation to complement a variety of management gateways and device control scenarios. It incorporates well-vetted mechanisms for security, discovery, and service advertisement. UPnP+ core technology provides a base for IoT, creating bridges to both wide-area networks and non-IP devices.

“As more and more connected devices join the IoT ecosystem and in order to take it to the next level, co-evolution and collaboration across different sectors and standards is required. IoT is not limited by lack of innovation and imagination, its full potential is hindered by the need for greater interoperability of common standards. Inter-device standardization is a vital requirement. With the free and publically available UPnP IoT Control & Management specifications and new data modeling tool, total interconnectivity and limitless functionality can be achieved, enabling the IoT to reach its promise,” added Lofgren.

UPnP Forum is working with organizations that are contributing to the live data model demonstration. They will also be joined at IBC by the Open Interconnect Consortium with a demonstration of the OIC connectivity framework, and by DLNA, showing their VidiPath demo for premium audio/video content.