| General > General Technical Chat |
| Bluetooth device registration is $8000. |
| << < (5/13) > >> |
| Day101:
--- Quote from: nali on February 19, 2021, 04:22:32 pm ---It's basically brand licensing and enforcement. --- End quote --- I think it might be an attempt to trick people into paying a completely arbitrary fee. I think they changed their website to widen the definition beyond branding. AFAIK intellectual property disputes are normally settled with a "reasonable" license fee. Sometimes by agreement prior to sale, but more often retrospectively. And the intellectual property holder needs to raise a case against an infringer. Just as I would have to raise a legal action against anyone who infringes any of my intellectual property. (A very very costly process, especially considering most companies that you attempt to raise litigation against simply disappear, declare bankruptcy etc. and then reincorporate with a different identity, or their cousin does etc.) Perhaps this is what they're trying to circumvent. I believe they previously only levied a charge for use of their Trademark, to register a new company ID, or to do new product testing. None of which I need. The cost is unreasonable so I'm weighing up whether to switch to the Nordic Shockburst protocol and ditching my plan to release an App. But I need to double check that I won't fall foul of FCC regulations (since that's another gigantic money pit.) |
| JohnnyMalaria:
I really think you should contact someone knowledgeable and ask if all of this relates just to a product that you intend to carry the Bluetooth brand or if it covers any product using the technology. BTW, if you think $8000 is outlandish, I was going to develop some video editing software for which I needed the specification for mpeg2 (or maybe mp4, it was 15 years ago). I would have had to pay $20,000 just to get the documents... |
| SilverSolder:
If Bluetooth worked reliably and was stable, it might be worth paying for. As it is, I would choose a piece of physical cable over a Bluetooth connection! |
| Day101:
Looking on waybackmachine I can see that their old wording repeatedly referred to using the Bluetooth Trademarks. But it's a bit contradictory and confusing. See below From 2016 - This page says it's only necessary to pay if you use the Trademarks https://web.archive.org/web/20160403000158/https://www.bluetooth.com/develop-with-bluetooth/qualification-listing/do-i-need-to-list-qualify-my-product --- Quote ---To sell, brand or rebrand a product using Bluetooth technology trademarks, you must complete Bluetooth qualification and declaration/listing to demonstrate and declare your products satisfy the requirements of the Bluetooth license agreements. This is sometimes referred to as “Qualification”, “Listing”, “Bluetooth Certified”, or “Declaration.” Only products completing both qualification and declaration (listing) may display, feature or be offered under the Bluetooth trademarks. If you are a retailer or supplier simply selling or distributing another company’s Bluetooth product and not branding or representing the product as your own, you do not need to qualify or declare the product. --- End quote --- But this page from the same time is a little different. See my emphasis https://web.archive.org/web/20160601122819/https://www.bluetooth.com/develop-with-bluetooth/qualification-listing/declare-your-product --- Quote ---To sell, brand or rebrand a product using any of the Bluetooth trademarks (including the word, Bluetooth), you must Declare that your product(s) satisfy the requirements of the Bluetooth license agreements. This is sometimes referred to as “listing” your product. All members who are implementing Bluetooth wireless technology into a product must complete a Product Listing and Declaration of Compliance (DoC) that references the Qualified Design (QDID) for the product you built, changed, used or branded. --- End quote --- Also on the fees page it seems to suggest ANY product which uses Bluetooth technology, not just one that uses the Trademarks. https://web.archive.org/web/20161229233907/https://www.bluetooth.com/develop-with-bluetooth/qualification-listing/qualification-listing-fees --- Quote ---Declaration Fee: A Declaration fee must be paid for any new, changed, used or branded Bluetooth product : $8,000 Innovation Incentive Program (IIP) : Start-up companies commercializing their first Bluetooth product can qualify for up to two declarations at a reduced price. The company must have annual revenue of less than USD $1 million and no prior QDLs, EPLs or Declarations. : $2,500 --- End quote --- Which, again, suggests that it's "Bluetooth products". And I have no intention of using the name Bluetooth (partly because most people associate Bluetooth with grief) I've asked my contact at my testing house and he said he's not heard anyone else whinging about the $8000 fee, and he spends all day talking to engineers, directors etc But he wasn't sure so he's referred it to their guy who does the Bluetooth testing. |
| Zero999:
What does the law say? Are any of the patents still in place, or have they all expired by now? If they've expired, then there's nothing they can do to stop you. The only issue will be using the trademark. Otherwise, if you can't afford it, there's not much you can do, other then perhaps use a USB and the customer will just have to use a Bluetooth dongle. |
| Navigation |
| Message Index |
| Next page |
| Previous page |