The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) is the
standards organization
A standards organization, standards body, standards developing organization (SDO), or standards setting organization (SSO) is an organization whose primary function is developing, coordinating, promulgating, revising, amending, reissuing, interpr ...
that oversees the development of
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
standards and the licensing of the Bluetooth technologies and
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...
s to manufacturers. The SIG is a not-for-profit, non-stock corporation founded in September 1998. The SIG is headquartered in
Kirkland,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
.
The SIG does not make, manufacture or sell Bluetooth-enabled products.
Introduction
''Bluetooth'' technology provides a way to exchange information between
wireless
Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...
devices such as
PDAs,
laptops,
computers,
printers
Printer may refer to:
Technology
* Printer (publishing), a person or a company
* Printer (computing), a hardware device
* Optical printer for motion picture films
People
* Nariman Printer ( fl. c. 1940), Indian journalist and activist
* Jam ...
and
digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile devices ...
s via a secure, low-cost, globally available short-range
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...
frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is also occasionally referred to as ''temporal frequency'' for clarity, and is distinct from ''angular frequency''. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) which is eq ...
band. Originally developed by
Ericsson
(lit. "Telephone Stock Company of LM Ericsson"), commonly known as Ericsson, is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm. The company sells infrastructure, software, and services in informa ...
, ''Bluetooth'' technology is now used in many different products by many different
manufacturers. These manufacturers must be either Associate or Promoter members of(see below) the Bluetooth SIG before they are granted early access to the ''Bluetooth'' specifications, but published ''Bluetooth'' specifications are available online via the Bluetooth SIG Website bluetooth.com.
The SIG owns the ''Bluetooth'' word mark, figure mark and combination mark. These trademarks are licensed out for use to companies that are incorporating ''Bluetooth'' wireless technology into their products. To become a licensee, a company must become a member of the Bluetooth SIG. The SIG also manages the Bluetooth SIG Qualification program, a certification process required for any product using ''Bluetooth'' wireless technology and a pre-condition of the intellectual property license for ''Bluetooth'' technology. The main tasks for the SIG are to publish the ''Bluetooth'' specifications, protect the ''Bluetooth'' trademarks and evangelize ''Bluetooth'' wireless technology. In 2016, the SIG introduced a new visual and creative identity to support Bluetooth technology as the catalyst for the Internet of Things (IoT). This change included an updated logo, a new tagline and deprecation of the Bluetooth Smart and Bluetooth Smart Ready logos.
At its inception in 1998, the Bluetooth SIG was primarily run by a staff effectively seconded from its member companies. In 2001 Tom Siep served as the group's managing director, and from 2002 to 2004 Mike McCamon led the group as its executive director. In 2004 he was replaced by
Michael W. Foley (Mike). In mid-2012, Mark Powell took the reins as the SIG's current executive director. Beginning in 2002 a professional staff was hired, composed of operations,
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
and
marketing
Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...
specialists. From 2002 to 2004 the Bluetooth SIG was based in
Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park ( ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, Kansas, it is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the most populous suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As ...
, US, and is now based in
Kirkland, Washington. In addition to its professional staff, the SIG is supported by its more than 35,000 member companies who participate in the various working groups that produce the standardization documents and oversee the qualification process for new products and help to evangelize the technology.
Structure
The
SIG members participate in study groups, expert groups, working groups along with committees.
Study groups
The study groups carry out research into their various areas which informs the development of the Bluetooth specifications. They may eventually become working groups in their own right.
Expert groups
The expert groups deal with issues of technical importance to all aspects of ''Bluetooth'' development. As with the Study Groups their work informs the working groups as well as the corporate groups.
Participation in the Expert Groups is restricted to
Promoter members and
Associate members.
Working groups
The working groups develop new Bluetooth specifications and enhance adopted specifications. They are responsible for the vast majority of published standards and specifications. Participation in the working groups is restricted to
Promoter members and
Associate members.
Committees
The committees of the SIG deal with the other aspects of licensing, marketing and review including developing and maintaining the Qualification Process, oversight of the ''Bluetooth'' specifications, and developing, improving and maintaining the test methodology and concepts as well as other strategic functions.
Membership
Any company incorporating ''Bluetooth'' wireless technology into products, using the technology to offer goods and services or simply re-branding a product with ''Bluetooth'' technology may become a member of the Bluetooth SIG. There are three levels of corporate membership totaling more than 20,000 members, and individuals from member companies may also participate.
Promoter members
These members are the most active in the SIG and have considerable influence over both the strategic and technological directions of Bluetooth as a whole.
*
Ericsson
(lit. "Telephone Stock Company of LM Ericsson"), commonly known as Ericsson, is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm. The company sells infrastructure, software, and services in informa ...
(founder member)
*
Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...
(founder member)
*
Nokia
Nokia Corporation (natively Nokia Oyj, referred to as Nokia) is a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, established in 1865. Nokia's main headquarters are in Espoo, Finland, i ...
(founder member)
*
Toshiba
, commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, ...
(founder member)
*
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...
(since 1999)
*
Lenovo (since 2005, replaced founder member
IBM after the divestment of personal computing division)
*
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
(since 2015)
Each Promoter member has one seat (and one vote) on the Board of Directors and the Qualification Review Board (the body responsible for developing and maintaining the qualification process). They each may have multiple staff in the various working groups and committees that comprise the work of the SIG.
The SIG's website carries
full list of members
Associate members
The Bluetooth SIG Associate membership fees have stayed the same since 2006. Associate membership is renewed annually and the yearly fee depends on the individual company's revenue. Companies with annual revenue in excess of $100M US are considered Large Associates and pay annual membership fees of $42,000 US. Small Associates are categorized as those organizations with revenue less than $100M US and join the SIG with an annual membership fee of $9,000 US. Associate members of the SIG get early access to draft specifications at versions 0.5 and 0.7 and are eligible to participate and gain a voting seat in working groups and committees—a key opportunity to work with other Associate and Promoter members on enhancing existing specifications. They are also eligible for enhanced marketing support, receive discounts on product qualification listings and SIG events including Bluetooth World and UnPlugFest (UPF) testing events.
Adopter members
Adopter membership in the SIG is free and entitles members to use published ''Bluetooth '' wireless specifications and ''Bluetooth'' trademarks. Adopter members do not have early access to unpublished specifications and may not participate in working groups or committees to influence the development of the technology.
Individuals
Membership is not currently open to individuals.
Universities
Universities or other educational facilities are not accepted for membership.
Qualification
Next to the development of the technology itself, the qualification process is one of the most important aspects of ''Bluetooth'' technology, supporting interoperability, conformance to the Bluetooth specifications, and to strengthening the Bluetooth brand.
Members of the Bluetooth SIG must complete the qualification and declaration process for their Bluetooth enabled product(s) to demonstrate and declare compliance to th
The primary objective of the qualification process is for members to demonstrate their product(s) compliance to the adopted specifications through testing and documentation. After qualification is completed, members need to complete the declaration process. Members declare their compliance to both the Bluetooth Patent/Copyright License Agreement and Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement (“BTLA”).
An overview of both processes including steps of the processes, types and fees is available on th
Bluetooth SIG public portal
Bluetooth Qualification Experts (BQEs) and Bluetooth Qualification Test Facilities (BQTFs) are available to support members through the processes. Members uncertain or unfamiliar with the qualification process are encouraged to consider using one or both of these service types.
See also
*
WLAN
A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using wireless communication to form a local area network (LAN) within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office buildin ...
*
IEEE 802.15.1
References
External links
*{{Official website, www.bluetooth.com
Bluetooth
Standards organizations in the United States
Organizations based in Washington (state)
Organizations established in 1998
Kirkland, Washington