PrismTech is a strong supporter of open software standards and is a member of a number of initiatives including:
Object Management Group
PrismTech has been an active member of the Object Management Group (OMG) for eighteen years. PrismTech's CEO, Keith Steele, serves on the OMG's Board of Directors. PrismTech's OpenSplice DDS CTO, Dr. Angelo Corsaro, co-chairs the OMG Data Distribution Service (DDS) Special Interest Group.
Founded in April 1989 by eleven companies, the OMG began independent operations as a not-for-profit corporation. Through the OMG's commitment to developing technically excellent, commercially viable and vendor independent specifications for the software industry, the consortium now includes approximately 800 members. The OMG is moving forward in establishing the Model Driven Architecture ™ as the "Architecture of Choice for a Connected World" ™ through its worldwide standard specifications including CORBA®, CORBA/IIOP™, the UML™, XMI™, MOF™, Object Services, Internet Facilities and Domain Interface specifications.
The OMG was formed to create a component-based software marketplace by accelerating the introduction of standardized object software. The organization's charter includes the establishment of industry guidelines and detailed object management specifications to provide a common framework for application development. Conformance to these specifications will make it possible to develop a heterogeneous computing environment across all major hardware platforms and operating systems. Implementations of OMG specifications can be found on many operating systems across the world today.
The OMG's series of specifications detail the necessary standard interfaces for Distributed Object Computing. Its widely popular Internet protocol IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) is being used as the infrastructure for hundreds of technology companies. OMG specifications are used worldwide to develop and deploy distributed applications for vertical markets, including Manufacturing, Finance, Telecoms, Electronic Commerce, Real-time systems and Health Care.
The OMG defines object management as software development that models the real world through representation of "objects." These objects are the encapsulation of the attributes, relationships and methods of software identifiable program components. A key benefit of an object-oriented system is its ability to expand in functionality by extending existing components and adding new objects to the system. Object management results in faster application development, easier maintenance, enormous scalability and reusable software.
Further information about the OMG is available from their website at: http://www.omg.org
Wireless Innovation Forum (Software Defined Radio Forum version 2.0)
PrismTech is an active member and contributor to the Wireless Innovation Forum. PrismTech's Spectra SDR CTO, Dr. Vince Kovarik, serves as a Member at Large on the Wireless Innovation Forum Board of Directors.
Established in 1996, the Wireless Innovation Forum™ (Software Defined Radio Forum version 2.0) is a non-profit "mutual benefit corporation" dedicated driving technology innovation in commercial, civil, and defense communications around the world. Forum members bring a broad base of experience in Software Defined Radio (SDR), Cognitive Radio (CR) and Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) technologies in diverse markets and at all levels of the wireless value chain to address emerging wireless communications requirements through enhanced value, reduced total life cost of ownership, and accelerated deployment of standardized families of products, technologies, and services. The Forum acts as the premier venue for its members to collaborate to achieve these objectives, providing opportunities to network with customers, partners and competitors, educate decision makers, develop and expand markets and advance relevant technologies.
Further information about the Wireless Information Forum is available from their website at: http://www.wirelessinnovation.org.
OBSAI
PrismTech joined the Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (OBSAI) in 2004.
A key challenge facing cellular operators and other mobile telecommunications service providers in the near future will be the rising cost of the infrastructure needed to provide sufficient capacity for advanced mobile Internet services. Large numbers of base stations will need to be deployed, initially to provide coverage as next generation mobile technologies come on line, and then to increase the capacity to meet rising market demand.
OBSAI is a new organization formed among leading base station vendors, module and component manufacturers to create a set of open specifications for base station architecture. By defining a basic modular architecture and the detailed specifications for the internal interfaces between modules, OBSAI aims to create an open market for cellular base stations.
An open market will substantially reduce the development effort and costs that have been traditionally associated with creating new base station product ranges. The availability of off-the-shelf base station modules will enable manufacturers to focus their development efforts on creating further added value within the base station, encouraging greater innovation and more cost-effective products. Furthermore, as product development cycles will be reduced, new base station functions will become available on the market more quickly.
Not only will operators benefit from greater competition among base station vendors, but they will also have the opportunity to bring new and advanced services to market earlier.
End-users will benefit too by having access to mobile services at the price levels they are prepared to pay and earlier than would otherwise be possible.
OBSAI currently has over 100 members. Further information is available at: http://www.obsai.com