DOMOSYS and OPENSUGAR partner to offer OSGi services on smart devices

Quebec City, Canada – November 14 2002 – Domosys and Opensugar announced today a strategic partnership to offer an OSGi-based solution for monitoring and controlling devices via the power line. Based on the open model defined by the OSGi Alliance, this end-to-end Java solution will enable integrators to quickly and easily create customized applications for large installations of remote devices.

The first application to be demonstrated is the real-time monitoring of residential energy consumption and temperature setpoints. Utilities will be able to initiate energy curtailments during periods of peak electricity demand by changing the heating/cooling setpoint, and split the cost savings with the customer. Customers will also benefit from a web interface to monitor their energy consumption, and a more intuitive way of programming their intelligent thermostat to maximize their comfort level and energy savings.

Three components are used to enable this application:

OPSManager: Based on Sun’s Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), this is a distributed, fault-tolerant, high-availability server for remote monitoring and administration of large numbers of users and services. It provides the interface between the residential end user, and the service provider’s legacy billing and CRM applications.

OPSCube: This is an OSGi framework, linked to Domosys’ PowerBus OSGi driver (for communicating with other PowerBus devices over the power lines), and OSGi device drivers (initially thermostat and energy management control applications).

Thermostat: This is a Honeywell programmable thermostat with a PowerBus power line communications interface. This partnership agreement coincides with Opensugar, prizewinner for Best OSGi Application at the last OSGi World Congress, releasing its new OPSManager platform. “This agreement with Domosys enables us to offer our respective clients an environment based on the open OSGi standard, perfect for developing services to monitor and control remote devices,” explains Hervé Hoff, Opensugar’s Director of Sales & Marketing.

“Domosys is proud to partner with Opensugar on innovative OSGi solutions,” adds Evan Price, president of Domosys. “The combination of our leading-edge power line control networking technology with Opensugar’s award-winning solution is a natural fit. The use of an open standard such as OSGi opens the doorway to simple and cost-effective interoperability with other OSGi-compatible products.”

The OPSManager, OPSCube, Programmable Thermostat, and the Domosys OSGi drivers are currently available and can be obtained by contacting either Domosys or Opensugar.