BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

chalecampb — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 15:40:04 GMT

Occam - I am having the same issue :( I am wondering if it is removed. Can anyone provide the name of the document? I have found the worldwide certification document elsewhere. If it's the same, I think it may have been moved around.

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

Occam Dude — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 23:13:34 GMT

I cannot get access to the application note referenced here (URL = www.nordicsemi.com/.../59645163) - does it not exist or do I not have sufficient privileges?

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

Hung Bui — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:31:23 GMT

@Cocoa,

If you have qualified your module and use the same module in other device, you would not need to do the RF-PHY retest for every product, given that you stated that the module has passed the RF-PHY test before. The module should be a separated board. If you integrate the module into other PCB design, you would need to do the RF PHY test again.

This only applied for Bluetooth certification, if you want to do FCC, you will have to do the unintentional radiator test for every product, regardless that you use the same module.

Other option is to use the 3rd party module, that already Bluetooth qualified. It may cost you less, if you don't have a large volume. You can find the list here: http://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/3rd-Party-Bluetooth-low-energy-Modules

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

cocoa — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:42:06 GMT

@Hung Bui

Supposing that my device isn't look exactly the same ... I need to retest RF-PHY.

But, if I design a BLE module (based on Nordic QDL) and retesting RF-PHY, can I use it in all my future products without the need to retest it again ?

Thank you. -c

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

Hung Bui — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 09:55:28 GMT

@Cocoa:

The QDL B021495 is for the CExx hardware version, which has the WLCSP footprint.
The QDL B020654 is for the QFxx C0 version, which has the QFN48 footprint.

Depend on your chip hardware version you can chose the QDL that match with your hardware.

If your device doesn't look exactly the same as the nRF51822 Development Kit, you would need to do the RF-PHY retest. FCC, CE are needed as well since it's not covered in the Bluetooth QDL.

You would need to contact a test house for information about the RF-PHY re-test & FCC. We suggest AT4wireless and UL lab.

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

cocoa — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:51:28 GMT

Thank you, Ole.

I've some questions yet and I hope you can give me another great help.

I've found two ID registered with Bluetooth SIG :

B021495 and B020654, the last has EPL link. Which of them is to choose to start the procedure ?

A base EP-QDL could be code nRF51822-DF, can you confirm ?

If I adopt the reference design as is, no qualification fee and not assessment and RF PHY re-testing is required, but only FCC-EC etc ...

But, if I change the pcb form factor, or layout or I change only a component I need to re-test RF PHY, right?

Profile subsystem (B020820) , what is this ? Is it included in S100 SoftDevice or is something that i need to include in Application ?

Do you know how is the RF PHY re-test procedure and related costs ? Is it like a FCC Certification ?

Thank you.

-cocoa

RE: BLE SIG Certification, Reference design to be used to obtain EPL

Ole Morten — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 06:22:45 GMT

I'd recommend you to take a look on this page, which should explain what you need.