Project to Test Home & Electric Vehicle Network Standards for CO2 Reduction

Tokyo, Oct 20, 2010; The members of the Smart Network Project - NTT DOCOMO, INC., NEC Corporation, Sekisui House, Ltd., NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. and other participating companies - announced today plans to test and demonstrate communication standards for networked home electronics and electric vehicles (EVs), ultimately aiming to achieve global communication standards that will serve as key building blocks for sustainable low-carbon societies of the future.

The tests and demonstrations will take place in Yokohama city's Minato Mirai 21 district between November 2010 and March 2011.

Initial test facilities are planned to be completed by November 4 in time for inspections by the media and participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, which will be held in Yokohama from November 7 to 14. The facilities are expected to be further expanded and eventually opened to the public.

The Smart Network Project comprises two groups to test network technologies and processes:

I. Home/EV Network Group

NTT DOCOMO

- Management of electricity generated by a home solar-power system and stored in electric vehicles.
- Communication protocols for transmitting electricity stored in electric vehicles to homes.
- Server-integrated femtocell base transceiver station connected to appliances, and electric - vehicles equipped with FOMA(TM) 3G communication modules, to manage power-consumption efficiency.

Sekisui House

- Home network that monitors house/appliance status for CO2 emission reductions.
- Advanced indoor communication technologies for enhanced home life.

II. EV Support Network Group

NEC

- Communication protocols for EV charging stations and servers.
- Unmanned charging stations using remote management/maintenance systems.

NAMCO BANDAI Games

- Communication protocols for transmission of EV data (battery level, location, etc.).

III. EV data monitoring for car-sharing services.

NTT DOCOMO

- In-building power monitoring system to accommodate EV charging stations.
- Communication protocols for transmitting power data from buildings.

The Smart Network Project was adopted by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in June as a part of the Projects to Standardize and Promote Network Integration Control Systems. The goal is to build a sustainable low-carbon society through the development of smart grids, networked home appliances and electric vehicles connected via common communication standards. The project, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, is working with the public/private Japan Smart Community Alliance to accelerate nationwide efforts to develop global communication standards.