■Who is T-Engine Forum?

T-Engine Forum is an NPO with the activity of international scope to promote the standards to improve the efficiency of realtime embedded systems development, and to develop the infrastructure for context-awareness to implement ubiquitous computing environment.

• T-Engine Forum writes the specification of ucode, which is the universal number to identify "physical objects" and "places" as well as conducts the specification creation, utilization, and promotion of ubiquitous ID architecture, which is an application of ucode.
  
  • Operates Ubiquitous ID Center which is in charge of issuing/managing ucode.
  • Conducts standardization activities toward achieving ubiquitous computing environment, and plays a coordinating role among governmental/international organizations.
• T-Engine Forum conducts the followings: creation of the specification of real-time OS based on open architecture "T-Kernel," distribution of its open source code, promotion of the distribution of middleware implemented on T-Kernel, and specification creation and dissemination promotion of standard development environment T-Engine.
  

■Policy of T-Engine Forum

• The specifications created through the forum activities will be released to the public worldwide in an easy to access manner to anyone after review process by members. For example, the source code of real-time OS "T-Kernel" has been downloadable for free since January 2004.
• The Forum does not perform just technical specification creation but the study of intellectual property rights (IPR) system suitable for the embedded industry. For example, the studies are reflected in the license system such as “T-License” established in consideration of how open and free OS specifications can be utilized in business scene or how the rights of users (companies) can be protected without causing any problems after the use of specifications, etc.

■Various Meetings

• Executive Committee [Only Executive Committee members can participate.]
  • Decision-making body of T-Engine Forum consisting of Executive Committee members
• Committee [A- and Executive Committee members can participate.]
  • T-Engine Platform Committee and Ubiquitous Committee are held. This is where the WG activities are reported.
• Working Group [A- and Executive Committee members can participate.]
  • Studying particular topics
• Sub-Working Group [A- and Executive Committee members can participate.]
  • Conducting tasks such as the drafting/reviewing of specifications on particular topics

■Activities of T-Engine Forum

●Participation in Seminars

• Members-only seminars related to T-Engine, T-Kernel, ubiquitous ID technologies are held.
  [applicable to each membership type]

●General Meeting

• The general meeting is held four times a year to report the Forum activities to members, introduce the products of members, and promote exchanges of information among members. Members can attend a speech by Ken Sakamura, Chair of T-Engine Forum. [General meetings for A- and B-members and for A- and e-members are respectively held, which those having respective memberships can attend.]

●Obtaining Information

• Members will obtain information on T-Engine, T-Kernel, ubiquitous ID technologies through websites and mail magazines.
• Members will obtain the information below at the members-only webpage: (However, available information is different depending on membership types. Separate contracts or applications may be required for some types of information.)
  • The latest and updated information of T-Kernel, µT-Kernel, T-Kernel Standard Extension, MP T-Kernel, selectable adaptation patch, and tool, etc. prior to the public release
  • Activity reports of general meetings, committees, and selectable WGs
  • Seminar texts or sample codes, etc.
  • Members can widely disseminate information on their own products related to T-Engine and/or T-Kernel to the public.

●Cooperation for Various Feasibility Study Experiments

• T-Engine Forum has participated in the activities of “Free Mobility Assistance Project” across Japan, including “Tokyo Ubiquitous Technology Project in Ginza.” It has conducted a variety of preparations and coordination and has worked together to improve the experiment environments.

■The TRON Engineer Certification Examination

Many problems are generated due to the lack of criteria to measure technical skills objectively when development work is outsourced. Such outsourcing happens often due to the scarcity of embedded engineers. To resolve them, T-Engine Forum conducts the “TRON Engineer Certification Examination.” The purposes of the examination are to objectively measure the technical skills of engineers who use embedded real-time OS such as T-Kernel and ITRON, etc., improve the position of engineers with high technological skills, and stimulate the entire embedded systems industry.

• The examination is for embedded real-time systems development engineers in companies that utilize or consider utilizing TRON specification OS such as T-Kernel and ITRON, etc.
• The examination time is 90 minutes.
• The perfect score is 100 points, and a pass/fail judgment is not made.
• T-Engine Forum members can take the examination at a discount.

■Ubiquitous ID Center

• T-Engine Forum operates Ubiquitous ID Center that issues and manages ucodes.
• Developing and certifying the following core technology for applying ucodes:
  • Data carrier devices to store ucodes (RFIDs, Smart cards, Active chips, etc.)
  • Devices that communicate with data carrier devices (Ubiquitous Communicators)
  • Communication infrastructure that can retrieve information associated with ucodes
  • Secure wide-area distribution systems for ucodes and information associated with the ucodes
• Supporting overseas branches of Ubiquitous ID Center, which issue and manage ucodes abroad
• Collecting and providing information toward the realization of ubiquitous computing environments
• Conducting standardization activities and coordinating with government agencies or international organizations toward the realization of ubiquitous computing environments
  

■PR Activities

● Exhibit

• The Forum introduces T-Engine, T-Kernel and ubiquitous ID technologies to the public, hosting TRONSHOW and making presentations at various exhibits.

● Information for the Media

• The Forum disseminates information on T-Engine, T-Kernel, and ubiquitous ID technologies to the press and cooperates with the media for news gathering activities.

■T-Engine Forum membership types

●Executive Committee member

• Members can participate in the decision-making processes for policies and strategies of T-Engine Forum.
• Executive Committee members can participate in executive committees, committees, working groups, general meetings, and seminars.
• Executive Committee members have all the privileges that A-, B-, and e-members have and can browse all of the members-only web pages.

●A-member

• Companies that manufacture hardware, develop various middleware, or provide its development environment in the embedded systems industry can participate in the T-Engine Forum. Also, companies that provide products related to ucode tag such as RFID tags or QR codes, etc. and their reader devices related to ubiquitous ID technologies or web services using ucodes can participate in the Forum.
• Those that develop products using T-Engine and/or T-Kernel and would like to be deeply involved in the specification creation and development of T-Engine and/or T-Kernel find A-member type suitable to their needs.
• Those that develop ubiquitous-related technologies and/or products and would like to be deeply involved in the specification creation and development of ubiquitous ID technologies, etc. and provider services find A-member type suitable to their needs.
• A-members can access the information of T-Engine, T-Kernel, and ubiquitous ID technologies, etc. prior to the releases to B-and e-members.
• A-members can participate in committees, working groups, general meetings, and seminars.
• A-members can make appeals for their own products or services related to T-Engine, T-Kernel, and ubiquitous ID technologies to other members by showcasing at general meetings.
• A-members have the privileges that B- and e-members have and can browse all of the members-only web pages.
  

●B-member

• Companies that manufacture hardware, develop various middleware, or provide its development environment in the embedded systems industry can participate in the T-Engine Forum.
• Those that consider developing products using T-Engine and/or T-Kernel find B-member type suitable to their needs.
• B-members can access the information of T-Engine and T-Kernel, etc. prior to the releases to the public.
• B-members can participate in general meeting for B-members and seminars.
• B-members can browse the B-members-only web page.

●e-member

• Companies that provide products related to ucode tag such as RFID tags or QR codes, etc. and their reader devices related to ubiquitous ID technologies or web services using ucodes can participate in the Forum. Furthermore, the users of such products in all industry and government sectors such as food industry, retail industry, distribution industry, construction industry, contents industry, local governments, and government agencies, etc. can participate.
• Those that use ubiquitous ID technologies and eTRON find e-member type suitable to their needs.
• e-members can access the information of ubiquitous ID technologies prior to the release to the public.
• e-members can conduct various feasibility study experiments using the Experimental Activity Procedure (EAP).
• e-members can participate in general meeting for e-members and seminars.
• e-members can browse the e-members-only web page.

●Academic member

• Academic parties that use T-Engine, T-Kernel, ubiquitous ID technologies, and eTRON can participate in the Forum.
• Academic members can participate in unit of university, faculty, department, or individual laboratory.
• Academic members can participate in seminars.
• Academic members can browse the academic members-only web page.

●Supporting members

• For those that provide financial support for the activities of T-Engine Forum.
• Supporting members are not involved in the formulation or approval of Forum standards.
• Supporting members can participate in general meeting and seminars.
• Supporting members can browse the supporting members-only web page.

Membership Type/Activity contents	Executive Committee members	A- members	B- members	e- members	Academic members	Supporting members
Participation in Executive Committee	○	×	×	×	×	×
Participation in General Meeting	○	○	○	○	×	○
Participation in Committees	○	○	×	×	×	×
Participation in WGs	○	○	×	×	×	×
Participation in Seminars	○	○	○	○	○	○
A-members-only web page	○	○	×	×	×	×
B-members-only web page	○	○	○	×	×	×
e-members-only web page	○	○	×	○	×	×
Academic members-only web page	○	×	×	×	○	×
Supporting members-only web page	○	×	×	×	×	○

■T-Engine Forum Annual Fee and Validity Period of Membership

• T-Engine Forum's activities are held on an annual basis from April 1st to March 31st. Irrespective of the timing of participation, the membership will be valid only for the current activity year. Only a corporation can operate in T-Engine Forum, and individuals cannot join the Forum.
  • Executive Committee members
    A-members that pay 3,000,000 yen or more
    (please pay three shares or more)
  • A-members
    one share 1,000,000 yen/year
    (please pay one share or more)
  • B-members
    one share100,000 yen/year
    (please pay one share or more)
  • e-members
    one share 100,000 yen/year
    (please pay one share or more)
  • Academic members
    Free/year
  • Supporting members
    one share 1,000,000 yen/year
    (please pay three shares or more)