Panasonic is making some of its own software and patents royalty free in an effort to boost the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) software and services.
Panasonic has a significant presence in IoT business-to-business (B2B) solutions and client applications. The tech giant has sold IoT software and hardware for years now (such as home-monitoring systems or tech used in retail applications).
It will make its device-to-cloud software technology and patents more available for developers to access in the hope that they can find new ways of making it worth with other IoT components.
Spurring growth in the industry should result in more “things” being able to transmit information to each other.
Panasonic is contributing the intellectual property to the OpenDOF Project, a non-profit group created by the firm group open to anyone.
An open source community ultimately improves software, says Panasonic executive
Panasonic Corporation of North American Chief Technology Officer, Todd Rytting, said:
“Open sourcing a proprietary technology invites the open source community to evaluate, work on and ultimately improve the software.”
“In a market full of incompatible, proprietary offerings, this initiative brings a powerful tool to developers and equipment makers to help them create what the market wants in the IoT: interoperable and flexible services and applications leveraging data from connected devices and most importantly value to the customer,”
He said that he is excited about contributing technology to developers.
“We are excited to contribute some of our technology and expertise to the effort already underway at the AllSeen Alliance.”
“We hope our IoT initiative will inspire other global companies to contribute intellectual property and ideas to making networks work together through this alliance,”
Panasonic is on the board of an IoT nonprofit called AllSeen Alliance
Panasonic serves on the board of AllSeen Alliance, a *nonprofit consortium that focuses on enabling the adoption of products, systems and services that support the Internet of Everything with “an open, universal development framework supported by a vibrant ecosystem and thriving technical community.”
* A nonprofit organization focuses on activities other than profit-making ones. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, human rights groups, education, training, improving poor people’s standards of living, etc.
Philip DesAutels, PhD, Senior Director, IoT, AllSeen Alliance, commented:
“As a well-respected member of the Alliance with deep experience in the IoT market, Panasonic is making a strong statement with this announcement,”
“The power of IoT comes from the scale of the network of interconnecting things. The more things that seamlessly connect using open protocols, the more individuals, businesses and communities can do. With this announcement Panasonic is extending the reach and power of AllJoyn to deliver an Internet of Everything.”