Thread Group, OCF to enhance device connectivity in homes

Wireless networking and connected devices firm, The Thread Group, and the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF), an IoT software linking provider have inked a liaison agreement with a view to further cross-application interoperability and device connectivity in connected homes. Both the companies are invested into the Internet of Things space and with this agreement, are planning to merge their efforts in uniting a fragmented market. Grant Erickson, President,Thread Group, said: “Thread Group members identified and prioritised OCF as a strategically important application layer to run over the Thread wireless mesh network. In order for consumers to put their faith in the connected home, their experience must be simple, reliable, and effortless.”

This agreement takes us one step closer to our common goal of ensuring that consumers will have smart home devices that seamlessly work together out of the box, regardless of their brand or function.

According to the Thread Group, it is developing a low-power, secure and scalable IPv6-based wireless mesh network layer that is designed to enable IoT devices to connect more easily to the internet and each other, while the OCF is developing an application layer that would run on top of the network. Mike Richmond, Executive Director, OCF, said:

We work every day to unlock the opportunity of IoT that interoperability will enable. But this collaboration with Thread is special. With Thread, we are able to provide both of our members with a joint solution that enables companies to more easily develop solutions for the connected home.

The companies claim that their offerings would support low-power technologies and facilitate the scale up from the internet of small things to the internet of larger things. The duo is working towards providing a comprehensive product experience and a functional connected home framework that is convenient to use from setup and configuration to application-to-application interactions.