Japan consortium develops IP distribution system

Japan consortium develops IP distribution system
By Yoshiko Hara, EE Times
January 29, 2001 (10:29 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20010126S0038

TOKYO — The IPHighway Consortium has completed development and verification of an Internet-based intellectual property (IP) distribution system and intends to promote it for possible use by IP trading organizations such as the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance. The consortium will demonstrate the system at the Electronic Design and Solution Fair 2001, which begins Feb. 1 in Yokohama, Japan.

The IPHighway consortium was formed in May 1999 by Fujitsu Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Sony Corp., Toshiba Corp. and Mentor Graphics Japan Co. Ltd. to establish specifications and technologies needed to distribute reusable IP blocks over the Internet for system-on-chip designs.

Rather than establishing a standardized IP format, the consortium sought to set standards for a data format, security format, catalog format, and data transmission and exchange protocols. Based on these specifications, the group developed the Intellectual Prop erty Exchange (Ipex) system, which enables the exchange of IP data between servers within a company's firewall.

The consortium conducted Ipex verification tests using the Internet and 10-Mbit/second leased lines between member companies. The result will be proposed to a standardization body at the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance. The group said it will also offer the Ipex system to the Virtual Component Exchange and to the IP Trading Center in Japan

The consortium's activity was launched with financial support from the Information Technology Promotion Agency, an affiliate of the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), which was reorganized early this year and is now known as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).