Techsol's Gateway Product Certifications

Techsol is a world leader in Linux on ARM technology. The Gateway product line is a collection of low-power, embedded computers that are rich with communications capabilities. Gateways either include a Medallion Computer Module or they incorporate the same Hardware Platform enabling them to leverage Techsol's vast Software expertise and features.

Here is more information on Cerfitifications and Approvals for Techsol's Gateway devices.

UL Certifications of the Gateway

For safety reasons, all electrical devices that use, produce, or modulate electrical signals with an EMF of 45 volts or higher MUST be certified for compliance with UL standards by a UL certified lab. (Its actually a "CUL lab" nowadays, ever since CSA and UL harmonized their codes)
However, devices operating at less than 45 volts are excempt from the safety testing procedures. This is why your car (even though it could be a hazard, depending on usage) does not have a UL certification on it. You will not be injured by it from an electrical malfunction.
Similarly, we cannot get a lab to test the Gateway for compliance because it does not fall within the realm of devices to which UL safety regulations apply.

There is another class of standards for control equipment.
These relate to equipment that is modulating power (such as a motor drive or lighting dimmer).
Again, since the Gateway is not generating, consuming, or modulating high-levels of power, we have been rejected from attempts to have it certified under these regulations on the grounds that it is exempt.

We have been told that getting our device UL approved is akin to getting a chocolate bar UL approved.
Because it operates at low-voltages and uses so little power, there are no electrical parameters of the Gateway device that pose any electrical safety risk.
Thus it does not fit within the realm of any current UL regulations designed to minimize safety risks.

UL Certifications of the Components of the Gateway

There are rules related to the generation of lethal gases during the combustion of a device (in the event of a fire).
These apply to the plastics in the connectors in the Gateway, and also the bare PCBs for the Medallion and also the Gateway I/O board.
That UL standard is UL-94.
Here is the summary:

1 Scope

1.1 These requirements cover tests for flammability of plastic materials used for parts in devices and appliances. They are intended to serve as a preliminary indication of their acceptability with respect to flammability for a particular application.

1.2 The methods described in this Standard involve standard size specimens and are intended to be used solely to measure and describe the flammability properties of materials, used in devices and appliances, in response to heat and flame under controlled laboratory conditions. The actual response to heat and flame of materials depends upon the size and form, and also on the end-use of the product using the material. Assessment of other important characteristics in the end-use application includes, but is not limited to, factors such as ease of ignition, burning rate, flame spread, fuel contribution, intensity of burning, and products of combustion.

1.3 The final acceptance of the material is dependent upon its use in complete equipment that conforms with the standards applicable to such equipment. The flammability classification required of a material is dependent upon the equipment or device involved and the particular use of the material. The performance level of a material determined by these methods shall not be assumed to correlate with its performance in end-use application.
1.3 revised July 10, 1998

1.4 If found to be appropriate, the requirements are applied to other nonmetallic materials.
1.4 revised June 10, 1997

1.5 These requirements do not cover plastics when used as materials for building construction or finishing.

1.6 A product that contains features, characteristics, components, materials, or systems new or different from those covered by the requirements in this standard, and that involves a risk of fire or of electric shock or injury to persons shall be evaluated using appropriate additional component and end-product requirements to maintain the level of safety as originally anticipated by the intent of this standard. A product whose features, characteristics, components, materials, or systems conflict with specific requirements or provisions of this standard does not comply with this standard. Revision of requirements shall be proposed and adopted in conformance with the methods employed for development, revision, and implementation of this standard.
1.6 revised June 8, 2000

Here is more information on Techsol's Software Approvals.

Gateway Java-2 Micro-Edition, Connected Device Configuration

Techsol's Gateway-2 features a port of IBM's J9 Java Virtual Machine.
This supports J2ME/CDC or "Java-2 Micro-Edition, Connected Device Configuration".
This port has been tested and certified by Sun Microsystems to be J2ME compliant.