Qi

Qi Certification

WPC approval for wireless power transmission

The number of products that support the Qi standard and thus the function of wireless charging is constantly increasing due to the progressive spread of the technology. In addition to the necessary regulatory approval, manufacturers can also apply for approval of their products with wireless charging technology in accordance with the specifications of the Wireless Power Consortium and thus Qi certification.

A Qi certification based on the test plans of the WPC serves as a quality feature of the devices with wireless charging function. Products that use the Qi standard must be rigorously tested to ensure safety, interoperability and energy efficiency. Only products that have passed these independent tests can use the Qi logo and are considered “Qi certified“.

While regulatory testing is necessary and essential for market approval of devices with a wireless charging function, Qi certification by the private Wireless Power Consortium is an additional component in the positioning of the product. Even though Qi certification is not required by regulations, the benefits of such certification in terms of product quality, interoperability and marketing potential cannot be denied.

QI hearing aid in a box

Our services

Official Qi Certification

Within the scope of our services we offer you a comprehensive portfolio of wireless power transmission testing. In addition to a large number of regulatory tests for worldwide market approvals, our laboratory in Essen is the only test laboratory in Europe that offers certification tests according to various Qi profiles.  Our US laboratory in Milpitas was the first Qi ATL in the North America capable of testing products designed for 15w charging capabilities and the first to be accredited for Qi2.0:

  • BPP Baseline Power Profile (commonly called Low Power) for transmitters and receivers with up to 5 Watt power
  • EPP Extended Power Profile (previously known as Medium Power) for transmitter devices with a power of up to 15 watts
  • MPP Magnetic Power Profile technology uses magnets to automatically align the wireless charging transmitter and receiver coils perfectly before wirelessly transferring power.
  • Certification tests for the combination of the Baseline Power Profile (commonly called Low Power) and FOD (Foreign Object Detection)

Our laboratories in Milpitas (Silicon Valley) and Germany are accredited for the latest standard version by the WPC and are able to perform all necessary tests to provide Qi certification according to standard version 2.0.

With the switch from version 1.2.4 to 1.3, there were  significant improvements towards robustness and reliability of the tested products. The Qi v2.0 standard will unify the wireless charging industry under one global standard, eliminating consumer confusion and enabling greater device interoperability. Foremost among the devices coming to market under the Qi v2.0 standard are those labeled Qi2. Qi2 devices feature Magnetic Power Profile technology which aligns devices and chargers perfectly for improved energy efficiency, faster charging, and easier usability. Qi2 products can be identified by a Qi2 logo on the device or packaging.

Pre-Tests

Due to the increased number of products on the market, the pressure on manufacturers to obtain approval promptly and in good time in order to be present on the market is also increasing. In this context, the relevance of pre-tests is increasing. Pre-tests can offer enormous advantages for the approval process both in the development phase of products and shortly before the official certification of the devices:

  • Within the framework of tests accompanying development, the results of pre-tests can provide indications of design improvements. Here, the focus is particularly on the Foreign Object Detection (FOD), which is enormously relevant for wireless charging, and the maximum delivered/transmitted power.
  • Pre-testing helps manufacturers avoid surprises and possible delays due to unexpected results of mandatory testing, so that there is no delay shortly before the planned market launch.
  • Pre-tests can be carried out without the need to provide the large amount of formal information required for official certification, so that the administrative work involved in conducting pre-tests is minimal.
  • Similarly, pre-tests already generate a large amount of technical and administrative information that can be used for the subsequent certification process. Thus, under certain circumstances, the formal effort involved in the official approval process can be reduced.
  • Pre-tests can include tests that go beyond the regulatory requirements. These tests serve to determine “worst case scenarios” and to verify the basic interoperability of the devices.

Pre-tests are therefore a factor not to be underestimated in the context of the approval of devices that use the Qi standards. Especially if the pre-tests are also carried out at an official Qi approval laboratory and all information about the devices under test and pre-test results are already available.

Therefore, we are the ideal partner when it comes to wireless power transmission and can offer you all services from one source.