Radio Module Integration - What do I need to do for compliance?

Technology is advancing at an incredible pace and this is particularly evident in the world of radio technology. Radio devices are being incorporated into all manner of products to provide a wide range of benefits and applications; from smart metering so that a consumer can monitor the amount of electricity they (or members of their family!) are using, to medical devices sending remotely gathered patient data, to a near field device that allows you to pay for your train ride.

And this isn't even scratching the surface. So clearly radio technology is permeating all facets of life and makes us wonder what we would have done without it!

We as consumers now take this for granted. We think nothing of what really operates the keyfob for our cars, the wireless controller

Typically, these devices all contain a radio section of some sort, which could operate on a variety of available technologies such as Bluetooth®, ZigBee and GSM to name but a few. The designing of the radio section is in itself a considerable task and for a manufacturer whose traditional product or expertise is not radio, the most practical solution is to buy in a pre-designed and pre-approved module to provide the radio interface. It's as simple as that, isn't it?

Yes! It is quite simple for the manufacturer to buy in a radio module and incorporate it into their product. There are numerous kits available which facilitate this. However, once this is done it opens up a new challenge when it comes to seeking the necessary certification, qualification or regulatory compliance required to place the finished product on the global market. So, to achieve the appropriate level of compliance, what needs to be considered? What needs to be done to make sure nothing is overlooked? At TRaC we are asked these questions daily (in fact, I received a call on this very subject whilst in the...Read the full article