Components Overview
Components are intended to be integrated through the Qualification process to create a new End Product or Subsystem product type. This can only be done through the Qualification Process with Required Testing in Launch Studio. Components give members the flexibility to make changes to the Bluetooth® design and indicate those changes to their design through updates made to the Implementation Conformance Statement (ICS) while still being able to inherit test evidence from the original Component's assessment (see the testing section below for more information and restrictions).
Qualifying With a Component Assessed to an Older TCRL
Because Implementation Conformance Statements can change over time as test specifications are updated and new TCRLs are released, members integrating components need to update the ICS selections to account for changes since the original Component was qualified/assessed. Expedited Errata may also be introduced in TCRLs after the Component's original qualification that would require the member integrating the Component to indicate support for the errata and perform necessary testing for associated test cases.
Testing With a Component
Members integrating Components into their Bluetooth® design need to qualify via the Qualification with Required Testing path in Launch Studio. If the Component was qualified/assessed within three years of the date of the new design being qualified, members may inherit test evidence for conformance test cases (test cases that end in -C) from the original qualification and reference that test evidence when completing their test plan. Interoperability test cases/evidence (test cases ending in -I) cannot be inherited, and test evidence must be provided for these test cases for any new qualifications integrating the Component.
As a result of TCRL changes over time, there may be new test cases introduced for which there is no existing test evidence. Assuming the Component is still within the three-year window, members are not responsible for testing new test cases so long as they are associated with an existing ICS selection or re-executing any test impacted by a TSE introduced in TCRL releases since the original Component's assessment date. Members are always required to ensure their designs are compliant with (and, when necessary, provide test evidence for new test cases associated with) any Expedited Erratum introduced in TCRL releases since the original component qualification.
If you have any questions or concerns about your particular qualification scenario, you can submit a support request or contact a Bluetooth Qualification Consultant.
For more articles on Qualification topics, please see the Qualification Table of Contents.
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