1.6 Qualification
Bluetooth Qualification, as its name suggests relates to the requirement that all Bluetooth products are developed in accordance with the current set of Bluetooth Specifications, as required by the Bluetooth Adopters agreement. The base establishment of the rules and procedures surrounding the qualification of a product is called the Bluetooth Qualification Programme (BQP). All guidelines and practices of the BPQ are formalised by the Blue-tooth Qualification Review Board (BQRB), which in turn, is chartered by the Bluetooth SIG via the Programme Directive (PD). Promoters of the Bluetooth SIG will select delegates to join the BQRB when required to do so. The process of qualification has been devised with the developer in mind and holds strong the mission of protecting rather than of stifling its natural evolution.
In general, product qualification can be accomplished using the following steps, as laid out within the current qualification guidelines; this is also summarised in Table 1-5. In Figure 1-9, we illustrate the hierarchal delegation of the qualification programme.
Table 1-5 The steps undertaken as outlined by the qualification guidelines.
Qualification |
The applicant forms an agreement with the Bluetooth SIG to become a Member |
The Memeber sources information relating to relevant test specifications; test case reference lists; test case mapping table; a program reference document and ICS?IXIT Proforma. |
The Memeber appoints a Bluetooth Qualificaton Body (BQB) to assist them in the qualification process. |
The Memeber's material is submitted for the Compliance Folder to the BQB. |
Prepare and submit an application for each Bluetooth product to the BQB. |
The Member performs all test cases by an accredited Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility (BQTF) where test reports are submitted to the compliance folder. |
Figure 1-9 The authoritative delegation for the Bluetooth Qualification Programme.