Why xD-Picture Card™   Memory cards for digital camera stores valuable image data of users. The image data is precious in that there is no reproduction and it cannot be reproduced once it's lost. Thus a high level of reliability and compatibility is required not only to digital camera as recording media but also to the whole compatible products including card readers and printers.   To achieve the satisfactory level of reliability and compatibility of all compatible products, xD-Picture Card maintains standards which licensees are required to meet under license agreement by making the design and structure of their products strictly follow the prescribed specification. Potential compatible products are also required to pass the compliance certification test to prove their reliability and compatibility. xD-Picture Card™ License and Certification   In other words, if you want to make or sell xD-Picture Card compatible products, you need to enter license agreement, obtain directly from licensor the latest specification, design and make compatible products based on the specification and pass the compliance test and acquire certification from any designated certification organization before introducing the products to the market. Similar certification system based on compliance test also exists with respect to card connectors and controller IC, the key components affecting the reliability of memory cards. Using components granted with the certification will ensure licensees to make satisfactorily reliable and compatible products.. How to obtain xD-Picture Card™ License Japanese Translation 1. Those who are interested in the xD-Picture Card License are suggested that they download from the website the forms and file them with the xD-Picture Card License Office. The documents for the application are: 1) Application Form and 2) Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Please enter necessary information and signature if necessary. Fax transmission of these documents is acceptable, provided that a confirmation copy is sent to the Office by post. 1) Application Form 2) Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) 2. Upon receipt of the Application Form and the NDA, the xD-Picture Card License Office will send you a copy of the ﾒLicense Category Form.ﾓ You are requested to choose a right license category from the Form. Fax transmission of these documents is acceptable, provided that a confirmation copy is sent to the Office by post. The xD-Picture Card Office will send you a term sheet from which you will learn terms and conditions of the license agreement. You can decide whether to enter into the license agreement. If you decide not to take the license, the following procedures are no longer applicable. When your interest in the agreement is confirmed, the xD-Picture Card Office will send you a copy of the license agreement in four sets. Upon receipt of the license agreement signed by you, the xD-Picture Card Office will circulate the agreement to the Licensors for countersignature. This procedure will take approximately two weeks. When the countersignature is completed, the xD-Picture Card Office will send you an Invoice of ﾒContract Feeﾓ and ﾒAnnual Royaltyﾓ in accordance with the agreement. After the confirmation of the remittance of the Fee and the Royalty from you, the xD-Picture Card Office will send you the Technical Specifications in a CD-R form. At this stage, you will receive the ID number and the Password to have an access to the Membersﾕ Only Page of our web site. Standard Time Schedule for the License Japanese Translation 1st Step : less than 1week Application; Signature on the NDA and Selection of the License Category 2nd Step : 2-3 weeks Completion of the License Agreement 3rd Step: It depends on you. Payment of the License Fee & Annual Royalty Totally 3-4weeks are necessary to complete the procedure. xD-Picture Card™ Compliance Certification Japanese Translation Any contract products subject to the license agreement have to pass the Compliance Test by the testing laboratory. Testing fees are not covered by the license fee or annual royalty. When a contract product passes the test, the test result will be informed to the xD-Picture Card Office and the Office will issue the certificate of the registered number almost instantaneously. Each licensee who has the certificate of the registered number can start marketing its products Each license who has the certificate of the registered number has an option to decide whether to put the product information on the website. The xD-Picture Card will list the information only when it is so instructed in writing. Categories of the xD-Picture card™ License Japanese Translation   There are four categories for the xD-Picture Card license. Depending on the feature of the products, the license category has to be chosen. Category A:   All equipments with xD-Picture Card slot. (Excluding digital still cameras, card reader/writer for exclusive use with the xD-Picture Card.) For example: printer, projector, photo KIOSK, PCs, mobile information devices, multi-type card reader/writer, etc. Category B:   All equipments with xD-Picture Card slot; Parts and Half finished products. For example: All products covered by categories A, C and D. Digital still camera. Card reader/writer exclusively used for xD-Picture Card. multi-type card reader/writer. Category C:   Parts: Controllers (Controller ASIC and half finished products) Category D:   Parts: Connector Products Not Covered by License Japanese Translation   The xD-Picture Card when used as a memory card in a digital still camera requires supporting devices strict compatibility and reliability. For this reason, all the products subject to the license agreement have to pass the compliance test before they are put on the market. A testing laboratory is different depending on the license category. Passing the compliance test proves its compliance. Needless to say, non-compliant products are not guaranteed in compatibility and reliability. In worst cases, the use of non-compliant products would give irrevocable damage to the data of the user. The Licensors thus make every effort to eliminate such non-compliant products from the market. The Licensors will not hesitate to take measures against them including legal proceedings. FAQ Technical FAQ(as of 12/10/03) Q1: Compliance Test: Other Interfaces xD-Host system shall comply with the xD-Picture Card Compliance Guideline. Some xD-Picture Card Reader/Writers are using the PC Card or USB I/F  to connect with the Host PC. USB ,PC Card or Host Device driver compliance are also required to pass the compliance test ? A1: No , it is not necessary. USB, PC Card or Host Driver ,they have their proprietary test lab. or organization. We recommend that  the xD-Picture Card host comply with other Compliance test, however, the xD-Picture Card compliance test is ONLY for the xD-Picture Card interface. So , for other Host interface compliance is not required in the xD-Picture Card, we think it is the host system vender's responsibility. Q2: Connector Compliant Test We would like to use new connector which is not on the compliant connector list. A2: You may use the new connector if you need . However you and the connector manufacturer are responsible to pass the connector compliance test to pass the Host Compliant test. Q3: Controller Test We are designing the xD- Licensee for the Host Controllers. What shall we do for the Compliance test ? A3: You are not necessary to pass the  Host Compliance test. But we recommend you to pass the Host Compliance test to ensure your host design . Because it makes your customer (Host Vender) to pass their compliance test easily. There are no definition for the controller specific test, so you can test your controller by complotted host system. For example ,USB-xD Controller as USB-reader.   Note: Host vender need to pass the Host compliance test even they use the compliant  controller.