On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:22:44 -0400 (GMT-04:00), Charles Craft wrote:
> Looks like Zigbee has gone the route of USB in requiring membership
> to use their technology:
> http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=13412
>
> "e. Developers incorporating the module into an end product
>
> ZigBee: This type of entity must be a member, as either an Adopter
> or Participant. They must also obtain ZigBee product certification
> if they wish to use the logo on their product. Product testing is
> defined and straight forward. If they are an adopter member, there
> would be an additional $1,000 logo admin fee for the first product
> ($500 thereafter). There is no logo fee for Participant members.
>
> f. Developers incorporating a self-contained ZigBee product within
> a product
>
> ZigBee: If it is contained within the product then this case is
> treated the same as e). If it is already a ZigBee Certified Product
> and can be separately packaged as an accessory and plugged in to a
> PCI slot, USB port or other I/O by the end user, then no membership
> or additional testing is required."

Ouch! IANAL but that last paragraph reads to me that if I embed a
Zigbee Module by soldering it onto my PCB, even though it's a "Zigbee
Certified Product" I must still become a "member" and pay the Zigbee
Gods if I want to use the Zigbee logo. That sure sounds like "double
dipping" on the revenue stream yet again...

Bluetooth at least got this right. You don't have to pay a double tax
if you use a Bluetooth certified device as the manufacturer of the
device has already paid. That was one of our considerations for using
a pre-certified module.

Matt Pobursky
Maximum Performance Systems




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