Qualcomm and Acuity Brands Collaborate to Commercially Deploy Qualcomm Lumicast Technology for Precise Indoor Location Services in More Than 100 Retail Locations

SAN DIEGO, March 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Atheros, Inc., is working closely with Acuity Brands in the commercial deployment of LED lighting fixtures/services (marketed by Acuity Brands as Bytelight™ Services) that use Qualcomm® Lumicast™ technology to bring indoor positioning capabilities and services to retailers. Unlike RF-based technologies, Lumicast uses visible-light signals transmitted from LED fixtures to deliver indoor positioning. A regular smartphone, using apps enabled by Lumicast software, receives the light signals through the front camera to determine its position and orientation with exceptional precision and speed.

Lumicast has already been deployed in more than 100 store locations by two of North America's top 25 retailers. The technology is designed to deliver precise indoor location services within tens of centimeters of accuracy – a capability that can revolutionize use cases for navigation, advertising and promotions, and customer service, as well as improve operational efficiencies in environments such as retail stores, malls, museums, airports, factories, warehouses, educational and healthcare institutions, and enterprises.

"Indoor positioning technology can change the way we shop, move and work," said Cormac Conroy, vice president of engineering and product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "With Lumicast, consumers will now be able to download applications that truly deliver a precise indoor location experience."

Lumicast technology includes a transmitter specification and mobile software that lighting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can license from Qualcomm Atheros. With the transmitter specification, OEMs can enable Lumicast functionality in their LED driver electronics for LED light fixtures. The mobile software integrates into smartphone applications to provide OEMs and venues with the opportunity to develop and offer indoor location services that consumers will find beneficial from a time, efficiency and cost saving perspective and venues from data and operational efficiencies. The Lumicast mobile software is now available and can be integrated with both Android and iOS applications. 

"We are very excited about the opportunities that Lumicast technology provides and the enthusiastic response from the retail community in North America and Europe," said Steve Lydecker, senior vice president, IoT business unit, Acuity Brands Lighting. "Precise indoor location, enabled by our Bytelight Services in over 12 million square feet of retail space, has made it simpler and easier to get around. And real-time and historic analytics allow the business owner to understand building traffic better than ever before." 

Lumicast technology supports Qualcomm's efforts to create an Internet of Things in which tens of billions of devices and machines intelligently connect to the cloud and each other. Any venue using LED lighting enabled with Lumicast has the opportunity to deliver precise information which makes navigating, locating things, or being offered items of extreme value to consumers possible. Future applications of Lumicast could include advanced use cases such as robotics for operational efficiencies in both automation and inventory management.

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is a North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of indoor and outdoor lighting and energy management solutions. With fiscal year 2015 net sales of $2.7 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 9,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Company's products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting®, Holophane®, Peerless®, Gotham®, Mark Architectural Lighting™, Winona® Lighting, Juno®, Indy™, AccuLite®, Aculux™, NaviLite® and DanaLite, Healthcare Lighting®, Hydrel®, American Electric Lighting®, Carandini®, Antique Street Lamps™, Sunoptics®, RELOC® Wiring Solutions, eldoLED®, Distech Controls® and Acuity Controls™. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Lumicast is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm Lumicast is a product of Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.

Qualcomm Contacts:
Pete Lancia, Corporate Communications
Phone:  1-858-845-5959
Email:  [email protected]

Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated

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