RT-RK

RT-RK is a Serbian research and development company and accredited national research institute focused on real-time embedded systems. Headquartered in Novi Sad, it maintains offices in Belgrade, Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Osijek in Croatia. The company works primarily behind the scenes of finished products, supplying engineering, software, hardware, validation, integration, and technology-transfer capabilities to original equipment manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, semiconductor companies, television and set-top-box operators, and other technology businesses. The company traces its origins to 1991, when a group connected with the University of Novi Sad’s Faculty of Technical Sciences began developing telecommunications and digital-signalling projects, including SS7 and ISDN-related systems. Its early work expanded into industrial automation, including gas-pipeline management for Serbia’s oil sector. The original organization, FTN-IRAM-RT, developed a close relationship with the university and later became part of a broader technology ecosystem involving Micronas. This relationship led to the creation of MicronasNIT, which expanded into digital signal processing, field-programmable gate arrays, and digital television technology. RT-RK’s modern corporate identity emerged as customer requirements and international market opportunities demanded a more independent engineering and delivery model. In April 2009, RT-RK acquired MicronasNIT, becoming one of Serbia’s largest embedded-system design companies. The transaction also gave RT-RK a substantial base of digital television expertise and international customer relationships. The company subsequently broadened its work into automotive electronics, connected television, set-top boxes, home automation, and automated testing. In automotive technology, RT-RK develops software and hardware for real-time applications running on systems-on-chip from semiconductor suppliers such as Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, Renesas, NVIDIA, and Infineon. Its capabilities include AUTOSAR software, functional-safety work aligned with ISO 26262, Automotive SPICE-compliant development, driver-assistance software, human-machine interfaces, instrument clusters, head-up displays, in-vehicle infotainment, communication stacks, and reference hardware. Its automotive machine-vision middleware and ALPHA reference board are intended to help automakers, design houses, semiconductor customers, and algorithm developers prototype advanced driver-assistance systems. Digital television and connected-home engineering remain important parts of RT-RK’s portfolio. The company has worked on television and set-top-box software, broadcast and IPTV integration, Android-based television platforms, DVB middleware, multimedia applications, and operator-specific deployments. It developed and promoted ANDROID4TV, a framework intended to combine Android with broadcast and broadband television functions. RT-RK has also delivered engineering services and products for companies in the television, middleware, semiconductor, and operator ecosystems, including work involving Swisscom, Bouygues Telecom, General Satellite, Zoran, and iWedia as described in published reference material. RT-RK also develops OBLO, a home-automation platform combining a control hub, cloud services, mobile and web applications, and connectivity technologies such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi. Its BBT, or Black Box Testing, activities provide equipment and automated testing services for set-top boxes and multimedia products. These services cover portions of the product lifecycle from development and qualification through production testing. The company has also contributed test cases to HbbTV testing efforts. The Serbian Ministry of Science and Technological Development accredited RT-RK Computer Based Systems LLC as a national research and development institute. The accreditation recognizes its research programs, engineering infrastructure, scientific staff, training activities, and role in transferring knowledge and technology into products and industrial processes. RT-RK’s published profile describes a workforce of more than 600 engineers. In 2015, TTTech acquired a 35 percent stake in RT-RK, creating a strategic relationship in automotive electronics and industrial applications; RT-RK now operates under the TTTech Group umbrella.

RT-RK originated in 1991 within the research and teaching environment of the University of Novi Sad’s Faculty of Technical Sciences. A small group of professors and assistants from the Chair for Computer Engineering began by developing telecommunications and digital-signalling systems, including projects involving SS7 and ISDN protocols. Their work later moved into industrial automation, notably projects for managing gas pipelines in Serbia’s oil industry. The first company established by this group was known as FTN-IRAM-RT. The organization’s close ties with the university helped attract Micronas, a German technology company. Micronas established MicronasNIT in the same environment and with overlapping management relationships. Under Micronas, the business expanded its activities in digital signal processing, FPGA technology, and digital television. In 2001, the group began working with Micronas on digital television software. This relationship developed from a joint development arrangement into a broader system-supplier role, with the company supporting Micronas and its customers in television software and related technologies. MicronasNIT received Serbia’s Exporter of the Year award in the small and medium-sized enterprise category in 2005. International customer demand and the need for a different operating model eventually led to the formation of RT-RK as an independent company. In April 2009, RT-RK acquired MicronasNIT. The acquisition made RT-RK one of Serbia’s largest embedded-system design companies and transferred significant digital television and multimedia expertise into the new organization. The company’s television activities later included software for digital televisions and set-top boxes, Android porting for MIPS-based systems-on-chip, multimedia applications, DVB middleware integration, IPTV products, and hybrid broadcast-broadband systems. RT-RK was credited with helping port a big-endian version of Android to the MIPS architecture for digital television and set-top-box applications. It also worked with Zoran on Android integration for system-on-chip platforms and helped develop deployments for operators and service providers. The company’s ANDROID4TV framework was designed to combine Android application capabilities with broadcast and IPTV functions and was made open source in 2014. RT-RK expanded beyond television into automotive electronics. Its automotive engineering work covers system software for electronic control units, AUTOSAR adaptation, ISO 26262-oriented functional safety, Automotive SPICE processes, driver-assistance systems, infotainment, displays, vehicle communications, and reference hardware. It also developed automotive machine-vision middleware and an ALPHA reference board intended for prototyping and algorithm evaluation. Additional activities include OBLO, a home-automation platform linking hubs, cloud services, applications, and connected devices, and BBT automated testing systems for set-top boxes and multimedia products. RT-RK has supplied testing capabilities across product development, qualification, and manufacturing, and has contributed test cases to HbbTV testing programs. The Serbian Ministry of Science and Technological Development accredited RT-RK Computer Based Systems LLC as a national research and development institute. The accreditation recognized its research staff, facilities, scientific programs, training of young developers, and contribution to technology and knowledge transfer. In 2011, RT-RK became a shareholder in iWedia. In 2015, TTTech acquired 35 percent of the company, creating a strategic partnership in automotive and industrial technology. RT-RK subsequently operated under the TTTech Group umbrella and developed an international footprint with offices in Novi Sad, Belgrade, Banja Luka, and Osijek.

• 2015

  TTTech takes a minority stake

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  TTTech acquired 35 percent of RT-RK’s share capital and formed a strategic partnership with the company.

• 2014

  ANDROID4TV open-sourced

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  RT-RK released its ANDROID4TV television framework as open source.

• 2011

  Investment in iWedia

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  RT-RK became a shareholder of Swiss television-software company iWedia.

• 2009

  Acquisition of MicronasNIT

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  RT-RK acquired MicronasNIT in April, becoming a major Serbian embedded-system design company.

• 2005

  Exporter of the Year recognition

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  MicronasNIT received Serbia’s Exporter of the Year award in the small and medium-sized enterprise category.

• 2001

  Entry into digital television

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  The organization began digital television software work through cooperation with Micronas.

• 1991

  Founding of FTN-IRAM-RT

  [1]RT-RKen.wikipedia.org

  University-linked engineers and researchers established FTN-IRAM-RT to develop telecommunications, digital-signalling, and industrial-automation systems.

A research-led embedded-systems engineering partner that combines software development, hardware design, validation, system integration, and technology transfer for automotive and consumer-electronics manufacturers.

• Digital television software framework

  ANDROID4TV

  ANDROID4TV is an Android-oriented software framework for connected television and set-top-box products. It was intended to combine Android’s application ecosystem with broadcast and broadband television functions, including IPTV and DVB-related capabilities. RT-RK used its experience in Android porting, multimedia integration, and television middleware to support operator and device deployments. The framework was made open source in 2014.

• Home automation platform

  OBLO

  OBLO is a home-automation platform built around centralized control, cloud connectivity, mobile and web applications, and links to connected household devices. It supports technologies including Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi, and can be configured with devices and automation blueprints for lighting, energy management, and other smart-home functions.

• Automated testing equipment and services

  BBT Black Box Testing

  BBT is a family of testing products and services for set-top boxes and multimedia devices. The offering supports development, qualification, production, and lifecycle testing, helping manufacturers automate repetitive checks that might otherwise require substantial manual effort. RT-RK has also contributed test coverage to HbbTV-related validation programs.

• Automotive embedded software

  Automotive machine-vision middleware

  RT-RK’s automotive machine-vision middleware is designed to let advanced-driver-assistance algorithms run across different processing platforms. It addresses the use of multiple inputs, outputs, and processing cores and is intended to support cross-platform development and integration for automotive customers.

• Automotive reference hardware

  Automotive machine-vision ALPHA reference board

  The ALPHA reference board is based on a Texas Instruments automotive system-on-chip and is intended for rapid prototyping, demonstrations, and algorithm development. Its target users include vehicle manufacturers, automotive design houses, semiconductor customers, and other organizations evaluating machine-vision and driver-assistance technologies.

• 2015

  Strategic partnership with TTTechM&A

  Background

  RT-RK’s embedded-systems expertise aligned with TTTech’s activities in robust networked safety controls, automotive electronics, and industrial applications.

  Action taken

  TTTech acquired 35 percent of RT-RK’s share capital.

  Aftermath

  The investment created a strategic partnership and placed RT-RK under the TTTech Group umbrella.

  Equity stake acquired. 35% (2015)

  Source

• 2014

  Open-sourcing of ANDROID4TVStrategy

  Background

  Television operators and device makers needed flexible ways to combine Android applications with broadcast and broadband television services.

  Action taken

  RT-RK released the ANDROID4TV framework as open source.

  Aftermath

  The release was intended to broaden access to the framework and encourage use of Android’s openness and developer ecosystem in television products.

  Source

• 2009

  Acquisition of MicronasNITM&A

  Background

  RT-RK required a business structure capable of serving international customers and supporting a broader technology portfolio after MicronasNIT’s expansion in digital signal processing, FPGA, and digital television work.

  Action taken

  RT-RK purchased MicronasNIT in April 2009 and incorporated its capabilities into the RT-RK organization.

  Aftermath

  The transaction strengthened RT-RK’s position in embedded-system design and gave it a larger base in digital television software and customer support.

  Source

1. 1RT-RKen.wikipedia.org