Universal Electronics Inc

Last updated
Universal Electronics Inc
TypePublic
Nasdaq:  UEIC
S&P 600 Component
IndustryConsumer Electronics
Founded1986;36 years ago (1986) [1]
Headquarters
Scottsdale, Arizona
,
USA
Products IoT Devices, Smart thermostat, Smart Home, Virtual Assistant, Remote controls
Brands
  • QuickSet
  • QuickSet Cloud
  • One For All
  • Nevo
  • Ecolink
  • RCS
Website uei.com

Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) is an American smart home technology provider [2] and manufacturer of universal remote controls, IoT devices such as voice-enabled smart home hubs, [3] smart thermostats, home sensors; as well as a white label digital assistant platform [4] optimized for smart home applications, and other software and cloud services for device discovery, fingerprinting and interoperability. [5] The company designs, develops, manufactures and ships products both under the "One For All" brand [6] and as an OEM for other companies in the audio video, subscription broadcasting, connected home, tablet and smart phone markets. In 2015, it expanded its product and technology platform to include home automation, intelligent sensing and security.

Contents

UEI's global headquarters is located in Scottsdale, Arizona with R&D offices in Santa Ana, California, regional offices in Enschede (The Nederlands), Manaus (Brazil), Hong Kong, Bangalore (India), San Mateo and Carlsbad (California), and Twinsburg (Ohio). [1] [7]

In 2014 UEI was ranked 80 on Forbes' list of "America's Best Small Companies." [1]

Many of UEI's products use different low power wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and Zigbee (or other 802.15.4 communications). UEI is a member of different wireless industry alliances such as ZigBee Alliance, Bluetooth SIG as well as Wi-Fi Alliance. [8] UEI also offer SoCs such as UE878 [9] and SDK to enable multi-protocol communication for different smart home devices such as leading Smart TVs.


Products

UEI is one of the world's largest manufacturers of remote controls, responsible for an estimated 30% global market share in home entertainment remotes. [10] Under its Ecolink brand, it also makes home security and automation products such as motion and door/window entry sensors for DIY and professional home security markets and OEMs such as Interlogix (UTC), Honeywell and Tyco . Many of the control products are made under contract and then sold under the brand name of larger consumer electronic manufacturers such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Yamaha, and Sharp, as well as North American cable and satellite TV providers such as Comcast, Rogers, Cox, Shaw, Charter, DIRECTV and DISH. [10] [11]

UEI makes numerous products that use ZigBee, Bluetooth [12] or Wi-Fi technology. They are a member of the ZigBee Alliance, Bluetooth SIG [13] and Wi-Fi Alliance. [14]

QuickSet Cloud

QuickSet Cloud [15] is Universal Electronics’ software product family including web services and embedded SDK for simplifying discovery and universal control setup and operation in a smart home. QuickSet solution is a widely [16] deployed technology already in over 400 million devices around the world including set-top boxes from Comcast, [17] Dish Network [12] and DirecTV, [18] televisions from Samsung [19] [20] and Sony, game consoles such as Xbox One, [21] and many leading smartphones, [22] [23] and tablets to enable automatic discovery and control of nearly any connected home device.

QuickSet Cloud, part of QuickSet product family, is actively used by millions of devices every week such as Comcast's X1 [24] Platform. This platform is capable of automatically discovering devices through different interfaces such as IP or HDMI based on proprietary fingerprinting algorithms, and controlling these devices through a range of protocols such as IR, IP, HDMI-CEC, ZigBee or Bluetooth

In January 2019, UEI announced [4] a white label digital assistant platform, nevo.ai, in collaboration with Microsoft. This voice assistant is optimized for smart home applications in security and energy management, as well as entertainment control.

Acquisitions

In February 2009, UEI purchased all of Zilog's software & IP assets related to Zilog's universal remote control business, including all ROM code, software, and database of infrared codes. [25] Zilog sold these assets for $31 million cash.

In August 2015, UEI strengthened its position in the smart home market by acquiring Ecolink Intelligent Technology, a wireless home security and automation specialist. [26] In May 2017, UEI further expanded its smart home offering by acquiring RCS Technology, a pioneer in smart thermostats and energy management. [27]

Honors

In 2017, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded UEI a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for its contribution to "Contextual Voice Navigation for Discovering and Interacting with TV Content." [28]

China Labor

In October 2021, Reuters published an article in which it suggested that Universal Electronics, Inc, employed Uyghur workers at one of the Gemstar plants in China and that this employment was “bearing the hallmarks of what one would consider to be forced labor”. While the reporter acknowledged that she never visited the facility or spoke to any of the workers, she did validate with an UEI spokesperson that UEI had indeed hired these 356 Uyghurs to work at the specific Gemstar facility in China. The article and allegations did raise questions by certain customers and public officials. UEI takes these accusations seriously and the company took immediate and swift action.

Two independent audits on the labor practices of the staffing agency as well as the manufacturing plant in question confirmed that there was no evidence of forced labor as defined by the International standards and that these workers were treated in the same humane way as other workers at the facility and that they were receiving the same (above minimum) remuneration as their co-workers with similar employment. After these audits were concluded, and in consultation with customers and labor practice advisory experts, UEI management decided to terminate the relationship with the staffing agency in question and release these specific workers with appropriate severance.

Since then, management has been implementing additional measures to further strengthen their labor practices and processes, which include becoming a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) in early 2022.

Related Research Articles

Home automation Building automation for a home

Home automation or domotics is building automation for a home, called a smart home or smart house. A home automation system will monitor and/or control home attributes such as lighting, climate, entertainment systems, and appliances. It may also include home security such as access control and alarm systems. When connected with the Internet, home devices are an important constituent of the Internet of Things ("IoT").

Zigbee is an IEEE 802.15.4-based specification for a suite of high-level communication protocols used to create personal area networks with small, low-power digital radios, such as for home automation, medical device data collection, and other low-power low-bandwidth needs, designed for small scale projects which need wireless connection. Hence, Zigbee is a low-power, low data rate, and close proximity wireless ad hoc network.

Z-Wave Wireless standard for intelligent building networks

Z-Wave is a wireless communications protocol used primarily for residential and commercial building automation. It is a mesh network using low-energy radio waves to communicate from device to device, allowing for wireless control of smart home devices, such as smart lights, security systems, thermostats, sensors, smart door locks, and garage door openers. Like other protocols and systems aimed at the residential, commercial, MDU and building markets, a Z-Wave system can be controlled from a smart phone, tablet, or computer, and locally through a smart speaker, wireless keyfob, or wall-mounted panel with a Z-Wave gateway or central control device serving as both the hub or controller. Z-Wave provides the application layer interoperability between home control systems of different manufacturers that are a part of its alliance. There is a growing number of interoperable Z-Wave products; over 1,700 in 2017, over 2,600 by 2019, and over 4,000 by 2022.

A universal remote is a remote control that can be programmed to operate various brands of one or more types of consumer electronics devices. Low-end universal remotes can only control a set number of devices determined by their manufacturer, while mid- and high-end universal remotes allow the user to program in new control codes to the remote. Many remotes sold with various electronics include universal remote capabilities for other types of devices, which allows the remote to control other devices beyond the device it came with. For example, a VCR remote may be programmed to operate various brands of televisions.

Home network Type of computer network

A home network or home area network (HAN) is a type of computer network that facilitates communication among devices within the close vicinity of a home. Devices capable of participating in this network, for example, smart devices such as network printers and handheld mobile computers, often gain enhanced emergent capabilities through their ability to interact. These additional capabilities can be used to increase the quality of life inside the home in a variety of ways, such as automation of repetitive tasks, increased personal productivity, enhanced home security, and easier access to entertainment.

Continua Health Alliance

Continua Health Alliance is an international non-profit, open industry group of nearly 240 healthcare providers, communications, medical, and fitness device companies. Continua Health Alliance members aim to develop a system to deliver personal and individual healthcare. Continua was a founding member of Personal Connected Health Alliance which was launched in February 2014 with other founding members mHealth SUMMIT and HIMSS.

Ember was an American company based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, which is now owned by Silicon Labs. Ember had a radio development centre in Cambridge, England, and distributors worldwide. It developed ZigBee wireless networking technology that enabled companies involved in energy technologies to help make buildings and homes smarter, consume less energy, and operate more efficiently. The low-power wireless technology can be embedded into a wide variety of devices to be part of a self-organizing mesh network. All Ember products conform to IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standards.

Silicon Labs Global technology company

Silicon Laboratories, Inc. is a fabless global technology company that designs and manufactures semiconductors, other silicon devices and software, which it sells to electronics design engineers and manufacturers in Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure worldwide.

RF module

An RF module is a (usually) small electronic device used to transmit and/or receive radio signals between two devices. In an embedded system it is often desirable to communicate with another device wirelessly. This wireless communication may be accomplished through optical communication or through radio-frequency (RF) communication. For many applications, the medium of choice is RF since it does not require line of sight. RF communications incorporate a transmitter and a receiver. They are of various types and ranges. Some can transmit up to 500 feet. RF modules are typically fabricated using RF CMOS technology.

GreenPeak Technologies

GreenPeak Technologies was an Utrecht, Netherlands-based fabless company developing semiconductor products and software for the IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee wireless market segment. ZigBee technology is used for Smart Home data communications and to facilitate the Internet of Things, the term used to refer to devices designed to be operated and managed by internet-enabled controllers and management systems.

DECT Ultra Low Energy is a wireless communication standard used to design wireless sensor and actuator networks for smart home applications. DECT ULE originated from the DECT and NG-DECT (Cat-iq) technology. DECT ULE devices are used in home automation, home security, and climate control.

Index of home automation articles

This is a list of home automation topics on Wikipedia. Home automation is the residential extension of building automation. It is automation of the home, housework or household activity. Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC, appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Thread is an IPv6-based, low-power mesh networking technology for Internet of things (IoT) products. Thread is reliable, secure and delivers fast response times, extended coverage and years of battery life to elevate smart home and building experiences. The Thread protocol specification is available at no cost; however, this requires agreement and continued adherence to an End-User License Agreement (EULA), which states that "Membership in Thread Group is necessary to implement, practice, and ship Thread technology and Thread Group specifications."

Logitech Harmony

Logitech Harmony is a line of remote controls and home automation products produced by Logitech. The line includes universal remote products designed for controlling the components of home theater systems and other devices that can be controlled via infrared, as well as newer smart home hub products that can be used to additionally control supported Internet of things (IoT) and Smart home products, and allow the use of mobile apps to control devices. On April 10, 2021, Logitech announced that they would discontinue Harmony Remote manufacturing.

Wink (platform) Home automation platform

Wink is an American brand of software and hardware products that connects with and controls smart home devices from a consolidated user interface. Wink, Labs Inc., which develops and markets Wink, was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from invention incubator Quirky. After Quirky went through bankruptcy proceedings, it sold Wink to Flex in 2015. As of 2016, the Wink software is connected to 1.3 million devices. In July 2017, Flex sold Wink to i.am+ for $59M.

Philips Hue Smart lightbulb brand

Philips Hue is a line of color-changing LED lamps and white bulbs which can be controlled wirelessly. The Phillips Hue line of bulbs was the first smart bulb of its kind on the market. The lamps are currently created and manufactured by Signify N.V., formerly the Philips Lighting division of Royal Philips N.V.

Matter (standard) Smart-home connectivity standard

Matter, formerly Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP), is a royalty-free home automation connectivity standard, with manufacturers only incurring certification costs. Announced on December 18, 2019, Matter aims to reduce fragmentation across different vendors, and achieve interoperability among smart home devices and Internet of things (IoT) platforms from different providers. The project group was launched and introduced by Amazon, Apple, Google, Comcast and the Zigbee Alliance, now Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). Subsequent members include IKEA, Huawei, and Schneider. Matter-compatible products and software updates for existing products are expected to be released in 2022. Although the Matter code repository is open-source under the Apache license, the Matter specification is licensed by CSA.

Home Assistant Home automation software

Home Assistant is a free and open-source software for home automation designed to be a central control system for smart home devices with a focus on local control and privacy. It can be accessed through a web-based user interface using companion apps for Android and iOS, or by voice commands via a supported virtual assistant such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or even "Genie" by Stanford Open Virtual Assistant Lab (OVAL.)

Develco Products Danish wireless technology producer

Develco Products is a B2B wireless technology producer, headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark. The company was established in 2007 and develops white label devices for B2C solution providers and has over 3,000,000 devices deployed worldwide... Their main business areas are home care, security, InsurTech, and smart energy. They are a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance as their main technological expertise lies in Zigbee-based devices that communicate through a mesh network. The company claims their most popular product is the Squid.link gateway.

A smart home hub, sometimes also referred to as a "smart hub", "gateway'", "bridge", "controller" or "coordinator", is a control center/centre for a smart home, and enables the components of a smart home to communicate and respond to each other via communication through a central point. The smart home hub can consist of dedicated computer appliance, software appliance, or software running on computer hardware, and makes it possible to gather configuration, automation and monitoring of a smart house by communicating and controlling different smart devices that consistans for example home appliances, sensors and relays or robots, many of which are commonly categorized under Internet of things.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Universal Electronics on Forbes Lists". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  2. ↑ "QuickSet Cloud Developer Portal". developer.quicksetcloud.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  3. ↑ "Universal Electronics Introduces New Product and Cloud Service to Unify Entertainment Control and Home Automation Experiences". Universal Electronics. 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  4. 1 2 niharikagorur (2019-01-02). "Universal Electronics and Microsoft collaborate on a turnkey digital assistant platform for the Smart Home". QuickSet Cloud. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  5. ↑ Technology, Ecolink Intelligent. "Ecolink Intelligent Technology". Ecolink Intelligent Technology. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  6. ↑ "About Us - One For All". UEI.com. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  7. ↑ "UEI Contact page". UEI.com. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  8. ↑ "Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI)". The ZigBee Alliance. zigbee.org. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  9. ↑ "Universal Electronics' UE878 Dual RF Chip Powers TiVo's New RF4CE Advanced Voice Remote Control Solution" . Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  10. 1 2 "UEI: Global Manufacturing".
  11. ↑ "UEI Cable Remotes Support Website". Urcsupport.com. 2010-06-03. Archived from the original on 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  12. 1 2 "Universal Electronics - Press - Universal Electronics Delivers New Advanced Voice Control Remote for AirTV Player (January 3, 2017)". www.uei.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  13. ↑ "Member Directory | Bluetooth Technology Website". www.bluetooth.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  14. ↑ "Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) - The ZigBee Alliance". www.zigbee.org. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  15. ↑ "QuickSet Cloud Developer Portal". developer.quicksetcloud.com. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  16. ↑ "Universal Electronics - In The News - In The News". www.uei.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  17. ↑ "Universal Electronics Announces Comcast is the First to Deploy QuickSet Cloud™ | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  18. ↑ "UEI and DirecTV Launch Remote Control QuickSet | Archives | Cablefax". Cablefax. 2010-01-11. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  19. ↑ "Think smart TV is dumb? Samsung aims to change your mind by controlling your gear". CNET. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  20. ↑ Fowler, Geoffrey A. (2016-04-20). "Review: Samsung Fixes the TV Remote". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  21. ↑ "Universal Electronics - Press - Universal Electronics Releases UEI QuickSet 2.4 Bringing Next Level of Automation to Universal AV Setup and Control for Millions of Connected Devices Worldwide (January 7, 2014)". www.uei.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  22. ↑ "Universal Electronics' QuickSet® Powers IR Control in Porsche-Designed Huawei Mate 9 | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  23. ↑ "Universal Electronics - Press - Universal Electronics Makes LG Optimus Vu: II "Q Remote" Universal Remote App a Reality (January 14, 2013)". www.uei.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  24. ↑ "Comcast Deploys Quickset Cloud | Light Reading". Light Reading. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  25. ↑ "Zilog Sells Off Two Product Lines (February 19, 2009)".
  26. ↑ "Universal Electronics makes smart home bid with Ecolink acquisition". 2015-08-05.
  27. ↑ Jacobson, Julie. "Universal Electronics (UEI) Grows Home Automation Biz, Acquires Smart Thermostat Maker RCS". www.cepro.com. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  28. ↑ Pedersen, Erik. "Technology & Engineering Emmy Winners Announced". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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