Posts Tagged: "Internet of Things"

The speedy evolution of what defines IoT is why the phrase is frequently called a concept, although it is best to say that the IoT describes the not too distant future where ordinary, everyday objects are connected to the Internet. That means that those objects, which can range from wearable devices to washing machines to lamps and coffee makers, will not only be able to relate to the user, but will be able to relate to one another and act in unison. It is against this backdrop that ICAP Patent Brokerage is going to be holding an Internet of Things auction on April 23, 2015. This auction will sell patent portfolios relating to wearables, smart-home technology, medical records and medical data collection, shipping and retail logistics/data, Big Data (including distributed storage architecture), sensors (MEMS and motion sensors), and the standards that drive the connectivity between them (802.11, NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, Zigbee, and PLC).

The Federal Trade Commission is hoping to take a lead role in shaping best practices for privacy and security in the growing Internet of Things. Near the end of January, the FTC issued a staff report entitled Internet of Things: Privacy & Security in a Connected World. In it, the agency spells out a need for companies designing IoT products to establish appropriate data privacy and cybersecurity practices and tools to protect consumers.

There were 900 exhibitors at the 2015 CES who introduced products and services in the Internet of Things sector; by 2020, the market for this industry alone is expected to rise to $7.1 trillion. Just about every conceivable consumer product was featured with IoT circuitry, from home appliances to bicycle pedals to tennis rackets. There were even light bulbs developed by Sengled which double as Bluetooth speakers and WiFi repeaters. Corporate alliances within the Internet of Things sector have been growing in recent months. The Work With Nest developer program created by Google for its Nest home product connectivity platform announced an additional 15 partners in its program. Samsung has also been building up its SmartThings platform and Apple, which hasn’t presented at CES in more than two decades, has its HomeKit platform for which some CES exhibitors touted product compatibility.

Recently the ICAP Patent Brokerage announced that at the end of July 2014 it will auction via sealed bid several patent families in the area of remote, over the air (OTA) mobile end point management… It should be noted, however, that this portfolio does not include the patent asserted by Mformation against RIM – U.S. Patent No. 6,970,917… Mformation has appealed that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, seeking reinstatement of the jury verdict. The appeal remains pending.

Expert technology analysts have forecasted that, by the year 2050, there will be a total of 50 billion devices operating worldwide which are connected to the Internet. According to this article published by LATimes.com, that equals about 5 devices for every human being that will be living at that time. The “Internet of Things” is a topic that has taken the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show by storm. There are many firms that exhibited smart appliance options that either provide some form of Internet control or data analysis to owners. By connecting data sensors, objects and electronic devices, consumer electronic manufacturers are hoping to market the idea that consumers can live even easier lives through Internet cloud services.