Whitepaper

Embedded Design Compliance & Certification - Wireless & EMI/EMC

Published by Tektronix

This white paper from Tektronix and Vicom guides engineers through the compliance and certification process for embedded products with wireless capabilities such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee. It distinguishes between regulatory certification (country-specific emissions rules allowing the product to be sold) and standard qualification (ensuring interoperability within a wireless ecosystem like Bluetooth SIG or Wi-Fi Alliance). The paper emphasizes that even when using pre-certified wireless modules, integrators must still verify their end product's compliance, as changes to the antenna, RF path, or PCB layout can invalidate prior certifications. It covers the three-step spectrum pre-compliance test for intentional radiators (in-band, out-of-band, and spurious domain checks) and highlights that pre-compliance testing using affordable tools like USB-based real-time spectrum analyzers can catch problems early, avoiding costly failures at test houses where testing can cost $10,000–$15,000 per standard.