Ford and Zayante Demonstrate 'Plug & play' multi-media electronics based on the IEEE1394 Serial Bus Standard
16 October 2000
Ford and Zayante Demonstrate 'Plug & play' multi-media electronics based on the IEEE1394 Serial Bus Standard
DEARBORN, Mich.--Oct. 16, 2000--Ford Motor Company is showcasing an IEEE1394-enabled customer convenience port on their multi-media demonstration vehicle at Convergence 2000, the premier automotive show exhibiting the latest in automotive electronics.Developed in collaboration with Zayante, a leader in 1394 technology, the demonstration implements the worlds first 1394 based plug & play technology in a rear-seat entertainment package. Included are a number of 1394 devices embedded within the vehicle, plus connection and operation of portable consumer electronic 1394 devices. The embedded 1394 devices operate over a plastic optical fiber physical layer and the portable consumer electronic devices connect to the system using existing 1394 cable and connectors.
There are three embedded devices in the vehicle: two video displays and one DVD player. In addition, there are multiple 1394 consumer electronic ports for portable devices -- the Sony Playstation II and a Digital Video Camera. Through local control, each passenger can watch any of the three video channels simultaneously or independently. This system is fully scalable and allows any number of video displays to be implemented simply by adding/plugging them into the IEEE1394 network.
"Firewire/i.Link, because it is an open industry standard and a very capable network, is allowing Ford and others to develop this as an automotive plug & play interface. We call the 1394 interface the customer convenience port because it allows our customers to bring popular consumer products into the car. The ability to enjoy high quality audio/video entertainment, the ability to plug in portable consumer electronic devices (eg. Camcorders, portable hard-disk drives, etc), and the ability to use the latest in portable game systems will soon be taken for granted, thanks to the simplicity and high performance of 1394," said Cary Wilson, Director of Ford Motor Company's Electrical Systems/Multi-Media Office. "Ford and Zayante aim to lead the market and have worked together to apply Zayante's 1394 know-how and system integration expertise. Ford has taken a leadership role in the development of 1394 through its efforts with the 1394 Trade Association Automotive Working Group. IEEE1394 is ideally suited for plug & play multimedia applications because of its market penetration, broad industry support, and its technical capabilities (eg bandwidth, expandability, hot-plugging capability, etc)."
"1394 is well established as the digital interface of choice for the home entertainment market and is poised to repeat its success in the automotive market," said Prashant Kanhere, Zayante's President. "We are delighted to be able to help Ford demonstrate the exciting capabilities of 1394 to revolutionize this market."
This demonstration uses 1394 internally to connect the displays and the DVD as well as providing the convenience port. It was developed by Zayante with the assistance of its Japanese partners, Sumisho Electronic Devices Corp and Nippon Technolab Ltd.
"We are honoured to work with Ford and Zayante on this world's first demonstration system project, and we also deeply appreciate the assistance of Nippon Technolab Ltd. to complete the project in a very limited time," commented H.Yoshioka, General Manager of Sumisho Electronic Devices Corp. "We strongly hope that this project will be the forerunner for the huge potential market of 1394 mobile solutions and we eagerly anticipate the opportunities that it brings for new 1394 related business."
Ford Motor Company (www.ford.com) is the world's leading truck manufacturer and the second largest manufacturer of cars and trucks combined. Worldwide revenues in 1999 exceeded $162 billion with net income at a record $7.2 billion. More than 20,000 dealers serve customers in more than 200 markets. Ford's automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, Th!nk, and Volvo. Other major businesses include Ford Credit and Hertz.
In July, Ford Motor Company, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., reported record second-quarter operating earnings of $2.7 billion, the 17th consecutive quarter of improved operating results. Worldwide car and truck sales in 1999 exceeded 7.2 million units.
Zayante (www.zayante.com) has been providing the computing and consumer electronics industry with leading edge 1394 solutions since 1996. IEEE 1394 is Zayante's only focus and Zayante's team consists of some of the world's leading 1394 software and silicon designers. Zayante products include PHY and Link silicon designs (IP) as well as a complete software stack covering all the major 1394 protocols and HAVi. Its complete modular architectural approach together with its unrivaled 1394 networking technology expertise puts Zayante's products in a class of their own.
Ford and Nissan are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Zayante, the Zayante logo, TNF, BridgeWise, Radically Distributed Network Architecture and R/DNA are trademarks of Zayante, Inc. Firewire is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc. i.Link is a trademark of Sony Corporation.