• State
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 57 subscribers
  • Views 670 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

ZigBee module developing commercial secrets

nicholas foy
Prodigy 50 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC2533, CC2538, Z-STACK

By this post I invite all the people from this forum to make real comments and to reveal the true about the commercial implications
of developing of "in-house" company RF for use exclusivelly with other company products.
The main RF SoC chips on the market for a ZigBee RF module would be:
CC2533
CC2538 - ARM Cortex-M3
STM32W - ARM Cortex-M3
EMBER25x - ARM Cortex-M3
EMBER35x - ARM Cortex-M3
EMBER45x - ARM Cortex-Mx

The main concern now is what kind of regulation you will need after finish
the developing of the Rf module and when yu want to integrate it with your
existing products on the market ? A CE/FCC test approval is for sure the first
one - that wouldn't implies too much costs for the company. What other cerifies
will be claimed ? The ZigBee Alliance ultra-expensive anual fee? what for ?
as long as the T.I. stack is ZigBee certified and that EmberZNet as well ?
When we buy those chips, is it not also included the ZigBee Alliance tax ?

Please reveal the true in this post!:), otherwise we will be the slaves of the
very big companies which have the monopol in the RF modules production and we'll
be rather forced to buy only from them.

Best Regards

  • 0
    Intellectual 355 points

    My understanding of the licencing rules is that if you make a product that states it uses "ZigBee" you must join the ZigBee Alliance (and pay their dues). One way around the problem is to use a module. As far as I know, you don't need to join the ZigBee Alliance in order to incorporate a ZigBee module in your product, provided the module is from a ZigBee Alliance member. The same does not apply to ICs.

    Here is an older post asking about module licencing: http://e2e.ti.com/support/low_power_rf/f/158/t/54675.aspx

  • 0 in reply to Joe Desbonnet
    Prodigy 50 points

    Thank you Joe for your answer, but it is not the answer we are looking for :)

    So, once again to be "straighter", the expected answer should look like this:

     - 1. develop RF module with CC2533 or EM35X or its "brother" STM32W; cost of that ~___________

    - 2. FCC/EU/etc. certification; cost of that ~___________

    - 3. join to ZigBee Alliance and pay an annual fee for your ZigBNee stack running onto your module; cost of that ~___________

  • 0 in reply to nicholas foy
    TI__Genius 16570 points

    Hi Nicholas,

    this forum covers discussions (most of them on technical subjects) for people using Zigbee TI based solution (HW and SW) and I recommend you contact a local TI sales representative if you want to have pricing information on TI parts. Please note our Zigbee stack product (the Z-stack) is available for download on the website.

    I recommend you also to visit the following links to get your answers straightened out about what's required in terms of membership of the Zigbee Alliance

    http://zigbee.org/Join/MembershipRequirements.aspx and different memberships costs based on the what is your company doing http://zigbee.org/Join/MemberBenefits.aspx 

    Thanks,

    TheDarkSide