Sparkplug Working Group Charter
Version 2.5 Revision History at the end
Vision and Scope
The Sparkplug Working Group will drive the evolution and broad
adoption of the Sparkplug protocol and related technologies that enable the creation
of open, interoperable, Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions.
In particular, the Working Group will encourage the definition of technical specifications and associated implementations that rationalize access to industrial data, improve the interoperability and scalability of IIoT solutions, and provide an overall framework for supporting Industry 4.0.
The Working Group will:
- Promote the "Sparkplug" brand and its value in the marketplace.
- Provide vendor neutral marketing and other services to the Sparkplug ecosystem.
- Leverage the Eclipse Foundation Specification Process to formalize the specifications that are defined within the scope of this working group.
- Define compatibility rules and a compatibility and branding process for implementations of these specifications to ensure application portability.
- Leverage Eclipse-defined licensing and intellectual property flows that encourage community participation, protect community members, and encourage usage.
- Manage the overall technical and business strategies related to its open source projects.
- Establish and drive a funding model that enables this working group and its community to operate on a sustainable basis.
- Manage the overall technical and business strategies for Eclipse Tahu and related projects.
Governance and Precedence
Applicable Documents
The following governance documents are applicable to this charter, each of which can be found on the Eclipse Foundation Governance Documents page or the Eclipse Foundation Legal Resources page:
- Eclipse Foundation Bylaws
- Eclipse Foundation Working Group Process
- Eclipse Foundation Membership Agreement
- Eclipse Foundation Working Group Operations Guide
- Eclipse Foundation Code of Conduct
- Eclipse Foundation Communication Channel Guidelines
- Eclipse Foundation Intellectual Property Policy
- Eclipse Foundation Antitrust Policy
- Eclipse Foundation Development Process
- Eclipse Foundation Specification Process
- Eclipse Foundation Specification License
- Eclipse Foundation Technology Compatibility Kit License
- Eclipse Foundation Trademark Usage Guidelines
All Members of the working group must be parties to the Eclipse Foundation Membership Agreement, including the requirement set forth in Section 2.2 to abide by and adhere to the Bylaws and then-current policies of the Eclipse Foundation, including but not limited to the Intellectual Property and Antitrust Policies.
In the event of any conflict between the terms set forth in this working group's charter and the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws, Membership Agreement, Development Process, Working Group Process, or any policies of the Eclipse Foundation, the terms of the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws, Membership Agreement, process, or policy shall take precedence.
Membership
With the exception of Guest members as described below, an entity must be at least a Contributing Member of the Eclipse Foundation, have executed the Sparkplug Working Group Participation Agreement, and adhere to the requirements set forth in this Charter to participate.
There are four classes of Sparkplug working group membership - Strategic, Participant, Committer and Guest. Each of these classes is described in detail below.
The participation fees associated with each of these membership classes is shown in the tables in Schedule A. These are annual fees, and are established by the Sparkplug Steering Committee, and will be updated in this charter document accordingly.
The fees associated with membership in the Eclipse Foundation are separate from any working group membership fees, and are decided as described in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws and detailed in the Eclipse Foundation Membership Agreement.
Classes of Sparkplug Membership
Strategic Members
Strategic Members are organizations that view IIoT standards and technologies as strategic to their organization and are investing significant resources to sustain and shape the activities of this working group.
Strategic Members of the Sparkplug working group must be at least a Contributing Member of the Eclipse Foundation, and have a minimum of 3 developers participating on Sparkplug projects, and made at least one accepted commit or pull request to a Sparkplug project within the last 12months.
Participant Members
Participant Members are typically organizations that deliver products or services based on open IIoT standards and technologies, or view IIoT standards and technologies as strategic to their organization. These organizations want to participate in the development and direction of an open IIoT ecosystem.
Participant Members of the Sparkplug Working Group must be at least Contributing Members of the Eclipse Foundation.
Committer Members
Committers are individuals who through a process of meritocracy defined by the Eclipse Development Process are able to contribute and commit code to the Eclipse Foundation projects included in the scope of this working group. Committers may become members of the working group by virtue of working for a member organization, or may choose to complete the membership-at-large process independently if they are not, along with completing this working group's Participation Agreement. For further explanation and details, see the Eclipse Committer Membership page.
Guest Members
Guest Members are organizations which are Associate members of the Eclipse Foundation who have been invited for one year, renewable, by the Steering Committee to participate in particular aspects of the activities of the Working Group. Typical guests include R&D partners, universities, academic research centers, etc. Guests may be invited to participate in committee meetings at the invitation of the respective committee, but under no circumstances do Guest members have voting rights. Guest members are required to execute the Sparkplug Working Group Participation Agreement.
Membership Summary
| Strategic Member | Participant Member | Committer Member | Guest Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member of the Steering Committee | Appointed | Elected | Elected | N/A |
Special Interest Groups
A Special Interest Group (SIG) is a lightweight structure formed within the Working Group with a focus to collaborate around a particular topic or domain of direct interest to the working group. SIGs are designed to drive the objectives of a subset of the Members of the Working Group in helping them achieve a dedicated set of goals and objectives. The scope of the SIG must be consistent with the scope of the Working Group Charter.
The creation of a SIG requires approval of the Steering Committee. Each SIG may be either temporary or a permanent structure within the working group. SIGs can be disbanded at any time by self selection presenting reasons to and seek approval from the Steering Committee. Steering Committees may disband a SIG at any time for being inactive or non compliant with the Working Group's Charter, or by request of the SIG itself. SIGs operate as a non-governing Body of the Working Group. There are no additional annual fees to Members for participation in a SIG.
Sponsorship
Sponsors are companies or individuals who provide money or services to the working group on an ad hoc basis to support the activities of the Working Group and its managed projects. Money or services provided by sponsors are used as set forth in the working group annual budget. The working group is free to determine whether and how those contributions are recognized. Under no condition are sponsorship monies refunded.
Sponsors need not be members of the Eclipse Foundation or of the Working Group.
Governance
This Sparkplug Working Group is designed as:
- a member driven organization,
- a means to foster a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem of components and service providers,
- a means to organize the community of each project or component so that users and developers define the roadmap collaboratively.
Governing Bodies
In order to implement these principles, the Steering Committee has been defined (also referred to as the "Body" below) as described below:
Steering Committee
Powers and Duties
Steering Committee members are required to:
- Define and manage the strategy of the working group.
- Define and manage which Eclipse Foundation projects are included within the scope of this working group. This will require acceptance of the specification process by these projects.
- Define and manage the roadmaps.
- Review and approve this charter.
- Define and approve the specification process to be used by the Sparkplug specifications.
- Ensure that all Specification Projects operate in an open, transparent, and vendor-neutral fashion in compliance with the Specification Process.
- Approve specifications for adoption by the community.
- Work with the Eclipse IoT Project Management Committee (IoT PMC) to ensure that the specification process is complied with by all Sparkplug specification projects.
- Review and approve the trademark policy to ensure compatibility of independent implementations of specifications.
- Define the trademark policy and Trademark Usage Guidelines to be used by the Sparkplug specifications.
- Ensure the consistency of logo usage and other marketing materials.
- Establish an annual program plan.
- Define the annual fees for all classes of the working group membership.
- Approve the annual budget based upon funds received through fees.
- Approve (if any) customizations to the Eclipse Foundation Specification Process recommended by the Specification Committee.
- Approve the creation of subcommittees and define the purpose, scope, and membership of each such subcommittee.
- Approve the creation and retirement of Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
Composition
- Each Strategic Member of the working group has a seat on the Steering Committee.
- One seat is allocated to Participant Members. Participant Member seats are allocated following the Eclipse "Single Transferable Vote", as defined in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws.
- One seat is allocated to Committer Members via election. The Committer Member seat is allocated following the Eclipse "Single Transferable Vote", as defined in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws.
- The Committee elects a chair who reports to the Steering Committee. This chair is elected among the members of the Committee. They will serve for a 12 month period or until their successor is elected and qualified, or as otherwise provided for in this Charter. There is no limit on the number of terms the chair may serve.
Meeting Management
The Steering Committee meets at least twice a year.
As prescribed in the Eclipse Foundation Working Group Process, all meetings related to the working group will follow a prepared agenda and minutes are distributed two weeks after the meeting and approved at the next meeting at the latest, and shall in general conform to the Eclipse Foundation Antitrust Policy.
Specification Committee
Powers and Duties
Specification Committee members are required to:
- Define the specification process to be used by all Sparkplug specifications, and refer to it for approval by the Steering Committee.
- Ensure that all specification expert groups operate in an open, transparent, and vendor-neutral fashion in compliance with the specification process.
- Approve specifications for adoption by the community.
- Approve profiles which define collections of specifications which meet a particular market requirement.
- Work with the Eclipse IoT Project Management Committee (Eclipse IoT PMC) to ensure that the specification process is complied with by all Sparkplug working group specification projects.
Composition
- Each Strategic Member of the working group has a seat on the Specification Committee.
- One seat is allocated to Participant Members. Participant Member seats are allocated following the Eclipse "Single Transferable Vote", as defined in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws.
- One seat is allocated to Committer Members via election. The Committer Member seat is allocated following the Eclipse "Single Transferable Vote", as defined in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws.
- Guest members that have been invited by the Sparkplug Steering Committee as observers. Guest members have no voting rights.
- Any additional individuals as designated from time to time by the Executive Director.
- The Committee elects a chair who reports to the Steering Committee. This chair is elected among the members of the Committee. They will serve for a 12 month period, or until their successor is elected and qualified, or as otherwise provided for in this Charter.
Meeting Management
The Specification Committee meets at least once per quarter.
Common Dispositions
The dispositions below apply to all governance bodies for this working group, unless otherwise specified. For all matters related to membership action, including without limitation: meetings, quorum, voting, electronic voting action without meeting, vacancy, resignation or removal, the respective terms set forth in the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws apply.
Appointed representatives on the Body may be replaced by the Member organization they are representing at any time by providing written notice to the Steering Committee. In the event a Body member is unavailable to attend or participate in a meeting of the Body, they may be represented by another Body member by providing written proxy to the Body's mailing list in advance. As per the Eclipse Foundation Bylaws, a representative shall be immediately removed from the Body upon the termination of the membership of such representative's Member organization.
Voting
Simple Majority
Excepting the actions specified below for which a Super Majority is required, votes of the Body are determined by a simple majority of the representatives represented at a committee meeting at which a quorum is present.
Super Majority
For actions (i) requesting that the Eclipse Foundation Board of Directors approve a specification license; (ii) approving specifications for adoption; (iii) approving or changing the name of the working group; and (iv) approving changes to annual Member contribution requirements; any such actions must be approved by no less than two-thirds (2/3) of the representatives represented at a committee meeting at which a quorum is present.
Term and Dates of Elections
This section only applies to the Steering Committee, Specification Committee, and the Marketing Committee.
All representatives shall hold office until their respective successors are appointed or elected, as applicable. There shall be no prohibition on re-election or re-designation of any representative following the completion of that representative’s term of office.
Strategic Members
Strategic Members Representatives shall serve in such capacity on committees until the earlier of their removal by their respective appointing Member organization or as otherwise provided for in this Charter.
Elected Representatives
Elected representatives shall each serve one-year terms and shall be elected to serve for a 12 month term, or until their respective successors are elected and qualified, or as otherwise provided for in this Charter. Procedures governing elections of Representatives may be established pursuant to resolutions of the Steering Committee provided that such resolutions are not inconsistent with any provision of this Charter.
Meetings Management
Meeting Frequency
Each governing body meets at least twice a year. All meetings may be held at any place that has been designated from time-to-time by resolution of the corresponding Body. All meetings may be held remotely using phone calls, video calls, or any other means as designated from time-to-time by resolution of the corresponding Body.
Place of Meetings
All meetings may be held at any place that has been designated from time-to-time by resolution of the corresponding Body. All meetings may be held remotely using phone calls, video calls or any other means as designated from time-to-time by resolution of the corresponding Body.
Regular Meetings
No Body meeting will be deemed to have been validly held unless a notice of same has been provided to each of the representatives at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to such meeting, which notice will identify all potential actions to be undertaken by the Body at the Body meeting. No representative will be intentionally excluded from Body meetings and all representatives shall receive notice of the meeting as specified above; however, Body meetings need not be delayed or rescheduled merely because one or more of the representatives cannot attend or participate so long as at least a quorum of the Body is represented at the Body meeting. Electronic voting shall be permitted in conjunction with any and all meetings of the Body the subject matter of which requires a vote of the Body to be delayed until each such representative in attendance thereat has conferred with his or her respective Member organization as set forth in Section Voting above.
Actions
The Body may undertake an action only if it was identified in a Body Meeting notice or otherwise identified in a notice of special meeting.
Invitations
The Body may invite any member to any of its meetings. These invited attendees have no right of vote.
Sparkplug Working Group Annual Participation Fees Schedule A
The following fees have been established by the Sparkplug Steering Committee. These fees are in addition to each participant’s membership fees in the Eclipse Foundation.
Sparkplug Strategic Member Annual Participation Fees
Strategic members are required to execute the Sparkplug Working Group Participation Agreement.
Strategic members are required to commit to three (3) years of membership.
| Corporate Revenue | Annual Fees |
|---|---|
| Annual Corporate Revenues greater than $1 billion | $20,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues greater than $500 million but less than or equal to $1 billion | $15,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues greater than $100 million but less than or equal to $500 million | $10,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues greater than $10 million but less than or equal to $100 million | $5,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues less than or equal to $10 million | $1,500 |
Sparkplug Participant Member Annual Participation Fees
Participant members are required to execute the Sparkplug Working Group Participation Agreement.
| Corporate Revenue | Annual Fees |
|---|---|
| Annual Corporate Revenues greater than $1 billion | $10,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues less than or equal to $1 billion but greater than $10 million | $5,000 |
| Annual Corporate Revenues less than or equal to $10 million | $500 |
Sparkplug Committer Member Annual Participation Fees
Committer Members pay no annual fees, but are required to execute the Sparking Working Group Participation Agreement.
Sparkplug Guest Member Annual Participation Fees
Guest members pay no annual fees, but are required to execute the Sparkplug Working Group Participation Agreement.
Charter Version History
- v1.0 created Nov 27, 2018.
- v2.0 created Dec 5, 2018
- v2.1 created Dec 14, 2018
- v2.2 created Feb 13, 2019
- v2.3 created Feb 26, 2020
- Approved by the Steering Committee March 19, 2020
- v2.4 created Nov, 2020
- Updates in support of the Eclipse Foundation corporate restructuring
-
v2.5 created Jan 2022
- Add Committer Member as Membership Class and other standard refinements