1.9 Test and Qualification
The terms of the Bluetooth adopters agreement entitle all signatories to use the essential Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) underpinning Bluetooth free of charge. However, this entitlement for a particular product is conditional on that product passing successfully through the Bluetooth qualification program. To facilitate recognition in the marketplace of approved Bluetooth devices, qualification also entitles a product to use the Bluetooth brand. This mechanism makes it possible for the SIG to take legal proceedings against any nonconformant products which purport to offer Bluetooth functionality but fall short of the specification. The result is that the market should see only products which work reliably with all other Bluetooth products supporting the same profiles.
The requirements for qualification are split into four categories:
- Bluetooth radio link requirements.
- Bluetooth protocol requirements.
- Bluetooth profile requirements.
- Bluetooth information requirements.
In addition to the preceding, manufacturers must also ensure that the radio is tested appropriately to meet local radio emissions standards in the countries where it will be sold.
Interoperability tests must also be carried out to ensure that Bluetooth devices correctly implement the Bluetooth profiles, and can interwork with other devices implementing the same profiles. Devices can then be sold with a statement concerning which profiles they support so that it is perfectly clear to consumers which products they will work with and in what ways.