FiRa Certification Program 2.0: New Standards and Future Prospects for UWB Technology

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Understanding the Importance of the FiRa Certification Program

The FiRa® Alliance recently released version 2.0 of its certification program, which is designed to support the growing scene of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology applications. While this update is certainly exciting news for the UWB technology community, it may also raise two questions: what is the FiRa Certification Program? And, how exactly does the certification program work?

Core Objectives of the FiRa Certification Program

At the heart of the FiRa certification program is ensuring seamless interoperability across all certified products and systems. This means that whether it's an access control system, location-based services, or other applications that require high-precision communications, FiRa-certified devices can work seamlessly across different vendors to provide users with a stable and secure operating experience.

What new features does FiRa Certification 2.0 offer?

With the introduction of the FiRa Certification Program 2.0, not only have all the features from version 1.0 been retained, but certification for Function Sets has been added. A feature set is a combination of specific functional components and one or more device roles.

Depending on the application scenario, the device needs to comply with at least one of the following functional components:

• Two-way ranging (TWR) based on time scheduling
• TWR ranging based on competitive mechanisms
• Unidirectional ranging downlink time difference (OWR DL DToA)
• Angle of Arrival Measurement with One-Way Ranging (OWR AoA)

FiRa Authentication 2.0 also provides authentication for the following key optional features:

• Non-delayed mode bi-directional bilateral ranging (DS TWR)
• Data transmission with distance measurement
• Dynamic Garbled Timestamp Sequence (STS)
• Pre-configured STS

Operational Flow of the FiRa Certification Program

So how exactly does the FiRa certification program work?
First of all, applicants need to become a member of the FiRa Alliance in order to participate in the certification process. Members can do this through FiRa's certification management system and are required to submit the following information:

• Contact information
• Equipment Information
• Protocol Implementation Conformity Statement (PICS)

Next, the member is required to select a testing laboratory from the list of FiRa Accredited Testing Laboratories (ATLs) and send the device to that laboratory for certification testing. The cost of the test is shared between the member and the laboratory.

The results of the test will be sent to the FiRa Alliance. If the device passes the compliance test, the member is required to:

• Payment of equipment certification listing fees
• Obtaining a Certificate of Conformity
• Promotion of certification using the FiRa Certification Mark in accordance with the FiRa Brand Guidelines and the signed FiRa Certification Mark License Agreement
• Authorize FiRa to include the device in the list of certified devices on the FiRa website

Certification process and standards

The FiRa certification program employs rigorous testing processes and technical standards to ensure product quality and reliability. These standards include high-precision Physical Layer (PHY), Media Access Control (MAC) and Link Layer technologies based on the IEEE 802.15.4/4z protocol. Through these tests, devices must demonstrate their performance in real-world applications, as well as their stability and reliability in different environments.

Member cooperation and industry support

The FiRa Alliance brings together many of the world's leading companies, from chip makers to device manufacturers and system integrators, to promote the development and standardization of UWB technology. Through collaboration within the alliance, member companies are able to quickly respond to changes in market demand and promote technological advancements to ensure that UWB technology will be more widely used in the future.

Far-reaching impact on the industry

The FiRa certification program is more than just a technical standard, it is a key tool to ensure product quality and user trust. As more and more companies join the FiRa Alliance and become certified, consumers and business users will be able to enjoy safer and more reliable UWB technology applications. This will have a profound impact on the development of smart cities, smart buildings, retail and other sectors.

concluding remarks

The promotion of the FiRa certification program marks a brand new stage in the application of UWB technology. With the further maturity of the technology and the popularization of the global standard, we can foresee that UWB technology will play a key role in future smart applications. Understanding and participating in the FiRa certification program will be an opportunity that every enterprise that wants to succeed in this field cannot miss.