The connector already communicates with home devices such as appliances and lights by simply plugging them into an electrical outlet. The new enhancement makes it easier to include home systems such as hvac and security, which might be better suited to a wired connection.
The Coactive Connector provides a continuous Internet connection to multiple devices. It enables appliances and devices to talk to each other as well as to communicate with their owners. That means consumers have access to everything in their homes from anywhere they are. So commuters can turn on the heat so the house warms up before they arrive home, but it doesn’t stay on all day.
Consumers can use a Web browser from work to change the setpoints on their programmable thermostat, or use a mobile phone to turn on the porch lights. A security alarm not only notifies the resident away from home but can be programmed to turn on lights throughout the house.
“Delivering on the promise of the residential gateway means enabling the Internet to reach every electronic device in the home,” said Tricia Parks, president of Parks Associates, a Dallas, TX-based market research and consulting firm focused on the home networking and broadband industries. “Coactive’s gateway products facilitate this important process.”
The dual powerline and twisted pair option will be available on the Coactive Connector 2000 Series residential gateway during the first quarter of 2000. For more information, visit www.coactive.com.
