Pressroom Contents

Date: February 27, 2008

New mobile service development for MDU residences

 

February 27, 2008 (Tokyo, Japan)—Acrodea, Inc. (CEO and President: Junya Tsutsumi), headquartered in Meguro-ku, Tokyo, has been working on the delivery of new technologies and services that offer enriched lifestyles to consumers, and is now ready to announce the launch of planning, development, and distribution for service comprising a system (see Note 1*) that links between an MDU (multiple dwelling unit) residential intercom and a mobile phone.

Service Outline

Conventional linking systems between intercoms and telephones have been limited to special, fixed-line handsets, or wireless handsets dedicated to intercom usage (see Note 2*). Acrodea has succeeded in creating a system that can exploit mobile phone handsets instead of dedicated wireless intercom handsets. The system linking the intercom and mobile phone is built as a bridge between the entrance unit of the intercom and an on-premises server, to which a mobile phone implemented with intercom software can connect.

Acrodea intends to distribute licenses and systems of the intercom bridge system employing mobile handsets to MDU development companies.

The intercom bridge system for mobile handsets greatly improves on the drawbacks found in conventional systems, and is expected to improve convenience significantly to users by deploying the following basic functions.

(1) By allowing answering from the mobile phone, rather than the fixed phone, Acrodea enables the usage of the intercom bridge system with mobile handsets.
(2) The camera video fed from the intercom entrance unit of an MDU can be viewed on the mobile phone, and voice communication on the mobile phone is enabled (video and voice of a visitor rendered in real time on the mobile phone).
(3) For communication with the entrance unit of an MDU, conventional systems with dedicated handheld intercom units have enabled wireless answering, but the handheld units worked only on the premises. The intercom bridge system for mobile phones connects via on-premises LAN (see Note 3*) for user mobile handsets located on the premises, and via mobile network when the user is away (off of the premises). Thus, even in the latter case, answering the entrance unit via mobile phone is possible.
(4) Voice communication to a concierge (see Note 4*) is enabled from each apartment of an MDU.

Acrodea sees a strong need and an expanding market for such services to MDU residences, and intends to continue the development of bridge systems to mobile handsets, including linking services to home electronic devices, that can offer superior convenience to consumers.

(*1)

The intercom-mobile phone bridge system transmits visitor information as video and voice from the entrance unit of an MDU intercom system to a mobile handset to allow a resident to identify and speak to a visitor.

(*2)

As a specialized unit, a dedicated wireless intercom handset can provide voice communication between a visitor at an entrance unit for an MDU intercom and a resident on the premises. Such a handset cannot provide voice communication between a visitor at an entrance unit and a resident who is away (off of the premises).

(*3)

On-premises LAN connects via fiberoptic cable computers and printers within the same building for data communications.

(*4)

As provided here, the concierge service provides a reception desk for advice and care to attend to requests and guidance from MDU residents.

Intercom-Mobile Phone Bridge System Schematic Diagram

Reception Screen on Mobile Handset for Intercom Entrance Video (Illustration Only)

Period for Business Operations Launch

Launch of sales planned for May 2008.

For inquiries about this press release, products, and technologies, please contact the following:

Marketing Department at Acrodea, Inc.

TEL：+81 3-5768-8603   email: pr@acrodea.co.jp

Public Relations Officer Meguro at SUN, Inc.

SUN Annex Building, 2-7-3 Iwamoto-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0032 Japan
Tel: +81 3-4530-3150 Fax: +81 3-3864-1280 Email: meguro@suninc.jp

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The names of companies and products mentioned in this press release are either trademarks or registered trademarks belonging to the companies associated.