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Trademark Licenses & Qualification Requirements by Product Scenario

Bluetooth Support
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Introduction

Bluetooth SIG, Inc. ("Bluetooth SIG") exclusively owns the Bluetooth® trademarks, which include the BLUETOOTH word mark, "B" Design figure mark, and BLUETOOTH & "B" Design combination mark (the "Bluetooth Trademarks"). To use the Bluetooth Trademarks in connection with products or services, a company must become a Bluetooth SIG member and have a license from the Bluetooth SIG. One requirement of the Bluetooth SIG trademark licensing program is that Members must qualify their products (see the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement for more details). The trademark license granted to a Bluetooth SIG Member is not sub-licensable and is nontransferable. A company representing a product as its own must obtain its own license to use the Bluetooth Trademarks and properly qualify its own product. A supplier cannot qualify a product on behalf of a customer, and a supplier cannot transfer its license to use the Bluetooth Trademarks to a customer.

Who must qualify, by product scenario

The following table describes the three most common product scenarios and identifies which party is responsible for qualifying the product in each case.

Product scenario Who must qualify?

Building my own product

My company creates the product that will be offered under my company's brand. My company may create the product with components that were previously qualified by suppliers or may create the product entirely from my company's own components. The product may be manufactured by my company or by a supplier.

Diagram of the Building my own product scenario

 
 My company must qualify the product.

Contract Manufacturing

My company contracts supplier(s) to create and manufacture and/or label the product that will be offered under my company's brand:

  • Full Custom: my company provides the supplier(s) with complete specifications for the product.
  • Partial Customization: my company provides the supplier(s) with details of the customizations needed to an existing product.
  • Re-branding: my company provides the supplier with details of the branding customizations needed to an existing product.

Diagram of the Contract Manufacturing scenario

 
 My company must qualify the product. The supplier may decide to qualify the product as well, but their qualification does not apply to my company.

Re-selling

My company is selling another company's product that my company has not changed and does not use my company's brand.

Diagram of the Re-selling scenario

 
 The company that is representing the product as their own must qualify the product. My company should make sure that it is only selling qualified products.

Still need help

Submit a support request and include a description of your product scenario and any relevant supplier or customer relationships.

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This KBA is intended to provide Bluetooth SIG members with helpful information and address frequently asked questions. Governing documents, membership agreements, policies, and other Bluetooth SIG rules and guidelines can be found on the Bluetooth SIG governing documents page.

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