Hillsboro, OR — (press release excerpt) — Intel Corporation today announced the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Forum's Internet Gateway Specification, which will enable PCs and smart appliances to communicate with others over the Web via a single Internet connection from the home. The new UPnP specification will simplify the setup, connecting and controlling of Internet Gateway Devices and home networks, allowing PCs and digital appliances, such as home security and entertainment systems, to use the Internet and work together more effectively.

“Universal Plug and Play is an important aspect of Intel's Extended PC vision. Having played a major role in developing the UPnP gateway specification, we are excited to see it become available to gateway manufacturers,” said Kevin Kahn, Intel Fellow and director, Communications Architecture, Intel Architecture Labs. “UPnP will greatly accelerate the ability to offer products with easy-to-use UPnP capabilities and improve the Internet sharing experience for home networked users.”

D-Link and Linksys, leading home network product vendors, have announced support for the specification, and Microsoft has built UPnP support into their Windows* XP operating system. In addition to leading the development effort, Intel also plans to offer future connected products that will support UPnP capabilities.

UPnP was developed in response to the growing appetite for home products that are not only connected, but also reliable and easy to use. To highlight the benefits of today's connected home, Intel is presenting the 25th Annual “Street Of Dreams” — produced by the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland – in Portland, Oregon. Each of the seven custom homes showcases the latest in new home construction, design and technology. For the first time in the event's 25-year history, each home will feature the latest in technology and Internet-connected home products.

Intel is one of the founding members of the UPnP Forum, an association of more than 340 consumer electronics, computing, home automation and security, home appliance, computer networking and other leading companies working together to develop standards for home networking. Last year, Intel released an open source UPnP software development kit (SDK) for Linux-based connected device manufacturers to utilize in incorporating UPnP into their products.

 
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