Simplicity - Secure, Internet-able, Mobile Platforms LeadIng CItizens Towards Simplicity

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The vision of Simplicity is to provide a simple and uniform access to network services for everyone - no matter which terminal or carrier network is used.

Wireless communication systems beyond 3G (i.e. UMTS etc.) are characterised by the use of a multitude of different terminals and the heterogeneity of network access methods. However, these characteristics imply an increase of complexity both at the terminal and the network. Flexibility and adaptability are key issues for the design of terminal and network architectures to cope with this complexity.  
The project is focusing on two basic concepts to address these issues. First,  the Simplicity Device and underlying policy-based mechanisms for an integrated and easily extensible brokerage framework across the terminal and networking environment will be developed. The Simplicity Device can interact with a variety of different terminals and allows customising terminal and access of network services to the user's needs and preferences in a uniform way. The key for achieving that is a uniform and simple access to all network services. Simplicity is aiming at providing this key. 
Secondly, the brokerage framework will provide the means to orchestrate and adapt network capabilities (e.g. mobility support, Quality of Service - QoS, security) taking into account user preferences and terminal characteristics. The same mechanisms are used to re-configure terminals by policy-controlled software downloads. The project's main objective is to design, develop and evaluate an architectural framework supporting simple customisation of terminals, services and networks. C-LAB's contributes to

  • including proprietary networks such as home or domestic networks into the Simplicity approach and
  • including non-computer / consumer electronic devices such as TV-sets, VCRs and home appliances. 

The work includes the related aspects of user profiling and user interface generation for personalizied access to these applications. The visible result is a demonstrator - realized by C-LAB - allowing accessing one's own media assets located at home frome elsewhere, e.g. being on the move, with the personal or a foreign device for watching a video - automatically adapted to network and terminal device. This project and its result consitute an element of the C-LAB operation field "Mobility".

Project funded by: EU, STREP
Project duration: 01/2004 - 02/2006
Project partners: Siemens Business Services C-LAB (D), Siemens COM (D), DoCoMo Euro-Labs (D), TriaGnoSys (D), L.-M.-Universität München (D), Siemens PSE (A), RadioLabs (I), Telecom Italia (I), VTT Electronics (SF), University of Lancaster (GB), NTU Athen (GR)
Contact: Matthias Niemeyer, C-LAB
Richard Walker, RadioLabs, Projectmanager