SmartMove Open Technology Framework Can Bring Office, Home, Vehicle Together

Nov. 1, 2000
Imagine being able to check the oil and fuel level of a motor vehicle, or defrost its windows, heat the interior, and check traffic - all while sitting

Imagine being able to check the oil and fuel level of a motor vehicle, or defrost its windows, heat the interior, and check traffic - all while sitting at one's kitchen table. Or consider turning on a home air-conditioner or microwave while driving home.

Belgium-based SmartMove has brought this vision one step closer with creation of a full-service delivery chain for Open Services Gateway Initiative (OSGi)-compliant services bundles. A nonprofit corporation, OSGi provides a forum for creation of open specifications for delivery of multiple services over wide-area networks to local networks and devices. The San Ramon CA-based consortium has 70 member organizations worldwide.

Fully compliant with OSGi's Specification Release 1.0, the SmartMove Open Telematics Framework allows information and services to be exchanged between providers and an in-home or in-office gateway, the same way it does with the vehicle, thus bringing together total wireless communications between office, home, and vehicle.

This permits accessing, downloading, and using services offered for in-home use, both at home and in a vehicle's mobile environment, and the other way around. Banking applications, web browsing, on-demand navigation, remote diagnostics, and online shopping all stand to benefit from this technology.

The OSGi Mobility Expert Group is working to define a standard application programming interface to obtain the location of the gateway and provide location information to applications.

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