| Hideki Kamimaki | 6th Dept., Systems Development Lab., |
| Mika Mizutani | 6th Dept., Systems Development Lab., |
| Kazunori Iwabuchi | 6th Dept., Systems Development Lab., |
| Yasushi Nagai | 6th Dept., Systems Development Lab., |
With the increasing availability of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line), FTTH (fiber to the home), and other always-on high-speed Internet services, the day is fast approaching when not only personal computers but all sorts of home appliances will be connected to the Internet. This rapidly expanding trend has focused much interest on IPv6 (Internet protocol version 6), the next-generation Internet protocol that extends the Internet address space from 32 bits to 128 bits. The IPv6 protocol has numerous advantages that will affect how quickly and how extensively home appliances become connected to the network. For example, IPv6 enables automatic allocation of IP (Internet protocol) addresses by merely connecting a device to the Internet, safe and simple with built-in security features (IPsec) and protection of transaction data, and access to IPv6-based services with little or no user awareness of the network. As evidenced by Japan's commitment to redefine itself as e-Japan, the government is taking a proactive role in promoting public-private R&D collaborations, trials, and demonstrations that will speed up the proliferation and commercialization of IPv6. Hitachi, Ltd. has already established a firm position as provisioner of IPv6 networking technology with its early development and deployment of the gigabit routers. And the company is now making good headway on a range of technologies to build simple, secure seamless networks from the backbone to ordinary homes, and a robust service platform. And Hitachi is also conducting trials of a prototype of mobile viewer that could serve as a general-purpose monitor, thereby contributing to the proliferation and commercialization of next-generation IPv6-based services.
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IPv6 Promotion Council |
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The Hitachi Hyoron (Japanese Only) |
IPv6, home appliance, home network, IPv6-processing LSI
