Entries Tagged 'Bluetooth Explanation' ↓

Constantly evolving, the technology of Bluetooth started off as a basic wireless connection standard but has since then been adapted and proven with many different uses and functions.

A good example is Bluetooth for cell phones. It enables mobile users to connect to their hands free headset without using wires. Bluetooth technology will also allow mobile phone users to connect with their hands free kit as well.

Another handy use of Bluetooth is file sharing. It allows the sharing of files between two cell phones, between a cell phone and computer, which makes the sharing of files a snap. If you have a cell phone and computer, you can easily transfer data between the two.

Say for example you wanted to put an MP3 on your phone from your computer you could do it easily with Bluetooth. All you would need is a Bluetooth adapter for your computer. It doesn’t stop with the swapping of files either,as you can use your computer and phone to synchronise phone books, send SMS messages, and much more.

Although Bluetooth may be dandy for cell phones, it also comes in handy for the home office as well. Utilizing Bluetooth is a great way to set up a home office - two computers, a printer, and even a scanner. They all can be connected using Bluetooth technology with effective ranges of up to 10 meters.

The technology and devices of Bluetooth will be around for years and years to come. As years go by, Bluetooth will provide even better wireless solutions for different applications. Even though Bluetooth has a short range, it has that short range for a reason. Bluetooth is easily the best in wireless technology - which it continues to prove time and time again.

Version 1.1 and earlier

Since the technology of Bluetooth was introduced in 1998, several specification versions have been released. Versions 1.0 and 1.0B had too many issues and problems for manufacturers to develop devices for Bluetooth. The main issue was the lack of communication among the devices.

The core specification version 1.1 is the first successful operating version of Bluetooth. Version 1.1 corrected a majority of the bugs and problems found in earlier versions.

Version 1.2

Many of the newer Bluetooth devices, such as the newer cell phones are being sold with the newer Bluetooth version 1.2. This version offers backward compatability with Bluetooth 1.1, faster transmission speeds, received signal strength, and a host controller interface (HCI) support for 3 wire UART.

Bluetooth version 2.0

It’s true that there may be multiple communication technologies, although they all share one common trait - faster is better. Bluetooth specialists realized this, and therefore worked on improving the speeds of version 1.2. The newest version, version 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) was accounced in 2004 and became available in late 2005.

Version 2.0 delivers data transfer rates of up to three times that of the original version of Bluetooth. Version 2.0 also provides enhanced connectivity. With Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, you’ll be able to run more devices at the same time - with more efficiency.

Computers and even computer related devices are expected to be some of the first devices to encorporate Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, followed of course by audio and imaging devices.

Version 2.0 is backward compatible with previous versions, three times faster, and offers an enhanced data rate of 2.1 MB a second. It also offers broadcast and multicast support, along with a further enhanced bit error rate performance, making it the best Bluetooth has ever seen.

The technology of Bluetooth is nothing new, but in many respects it can still seem like more of a buzz word rather than an accepted technology. You may see the ads for Bluetooth enabled devices, although you still may be wondering what it is.

Capabilities

The Bluetooth definition is a wireless technology that is a worldwide specification for a small form factor, low cost solution that will provide link between mobile devices and other electronic devices.

Similiar to 802.11 b/g wireless and many cordless telephone systems, Bluetooth operates on 2.4 GHz radio signals. The 2.4 GHz band seems to be a bit crowded, with interferences between the devices a bit hard to avoid. Telephones are now being offered at the 5.8 GHz frequency band, which will help to remedy this.

The technical specifications of Bluetooth will indicate a maximum transfer rate of 723 kbps with a range of 65 - 328 feet, all depending on the class of that particular device. The speed is a fraction of what is offered by wireless standards, so it’s obvious that Bluetooth doesn’t really pose a threat to replacing your wireless network.

Applications

There are numerous products that will take advantage of Bluetooth capabilities, such as laptops, PDAs, headphones, and even wireless printer adapters.

A lot of laptops out there will include an onboard Bluetooth adapter which allows the system to connect to any Bluetooth device right out of the box. For computers that don’t have an adaptor built right in, there are several USB adaptors available for Bluetooth.

For an awesome technology, Bluetooth is actually hard to compete with. For short range wireless, Bluetooth is easily one of the best. The standard for Bluetooth keeps getting better and better, making it a wireless technology that will be around for years and years to come.

Below, you’ll find several specifications for the well known Bluetooth:

1. Throughout the United States and even Europe, the range of frequency is 2,400 - 2,483.5 MHZ, with 79 1-MHz RF (radio frequency) channels. The frequency range in Japan is 2,472 to 2,497 MHz with 23 1-MHz RF channels.

2. A data channel of Bluetooth randomly hops 1,600 times per second between the 79 RF channels.

3. Each Bluetooth channel is divided into time slots, with each one being 625 microseconds long.

4. A Bluetooth piconet has one master and up to seven slaves. The master will transmit in even time slots, while the slaves will transmit in odd time slots.

5. The data in a single packet can be up to 2,745 bits in length.

6. Currently, there are two types of data transfer between devices - SCO (synchronous connection oriented) and ACL (asynchronous connectionless).

7. In a Bluetooth piconet, there can be up to three SCO links containing 64,000 bits per second with each one. To help avoid collision and timing problems, the links of the SCO will use reserved slots set up by the master.

8. A master can support up to three SCO links with either one, two, or even three slaves.

9. The slots not reserved for the SCO links can be used for ACL links.

10. A single master and slave can have one ACL link.

11. ACL is either master to one slave (point to point) or it broadcasts to all of the slaves.

12. The ACL slaves will only transmit when it has been requested by the master. If the master doesn’t make the request, the ACL slaves won’t transmit anything at all.

These days, all communication technology faces the issue of privacy and identity theft, with Bluetooth being no exception. Almost everyone knows that email services and networks require security. What users of Bluetooth need to realize is that Bluetooth also requires security measures as well.

The good news for Bluetooth users is that the security scares, like most scares, are normally over dramatized and blown entirely out of proportion. The truth being told, these issues are easy to manage, with various measures already in place to provide security for Bluetooth technology.

It’s true that there has been some Bluetooth phones that have been hacked into. Most devices that are hacked into are normally those that don’t have any type of security at all.

According to Bluetooth specialists, in order to hack into a Bluetooth device, the hacker must:
1. Force two paired devices to break their connection.
2. Steal the packets that are used to resend the pin.
3. Decode the pin.

Of course, the hacker must also be within range of the device, and using very expensive developer type equipment. Most specialists recommend that you have a longer pin, with 8 digits being recommended.

Fundamentals of security

The “pairing process” is one of the most basic levels of security for Bluetooth devices. Pairing, is two or more Bluetooth devices that recognize each other by the profiles they share - in most cases they both must enter the same pin.

The core specifications for Bluetooth use an encryption algorithm, which is completely and entirely secure. Once the devices pair with each other, they too become entirely secure.

Until they have successfully paired, the Bluetooth devices won’t communicate with each other. Due to this pairing process and the fact that it is short range - Bluetooth technology is considered to be secure.

As the news has indicated, experienced hackers have developed ways to get around this level of basic security. There are ways to get around this threat, as you can install software to prevent hackers from getting in.

With Bluetooth becoming more and more popular, it’s really no wonder that security is always in question. As Bluetooth gets bigger and better, security will always be something that no one really takes lightly.

If you’ve been concerned about Bluetooth security in the past, rest assured that newer devices will offer bigger and better security. Preventing hackers from getting in is something every owner is concerned about - and the manufacturer’s are very aware.

The profile found in Bluetooth will describe how the technology is used. Profiles can be best described as vertical slices through the protocol stack. It will define options in each protocol that are mandatory for the profile.

The profile will also define the parameter ranges for each protocol. The concept of the profile is used to decrease the risk of interoperability problems between the different products. These profiles won’t normally define any additions to the Bluetooth specification, which is why you can add new profiles where you need them. The Bluetooth underlying technology is the same, only the specific method that it’s used is defined.

Generally speaking, all profiles of Bluetooth are based on the GAP (Generic Access Profile). There are 9 profiles that fall in the GAP category, and they are below:
1. AVRCP - Audio/Video Remote Control
Profile
2. ESDP - Extended Service Discovery Profile
3. CIP - Common ISDN Access Profile
4. PAN - Public Area Network Profile
5. HCRP - Hardcopy Cable Replacement
Profile
6. GAVDP - Generic Audio/Visual Distribution
Profile
7. A2DP - Advanced Audio Distribution Profile
8. VDP - Video Distribution Profile
9. HID - Human Interface Device Profile

To put it another way, usage models will describe
Bluetooth device applications and the associated
profiles that are used. The usage model focuses
mainly on three categories - voice/data access points,
peripheral interconnects, and PAN (Personal Area
Networking).

The voice and data access points involve connecting
computing devices to communicating devices through
a wireless link. This way, data can be transferred
in a wireless manor, without the need of cables or
other types of connectivity.

PAN is another very important usage model with
strong appeal to business customers. Bluetooth
networks are easy to set up in virtually any type
of environment. An example would be meeting
others at a trade show.

Instead of having contact information beamed via
infrared, business cards can quickly and easily be
transferred via Bluetooth wireless. The fact is
that many documents can be exchanged this very
same way - making the uses and possibilities
virtually endless.

The Bluetooth profile is very important to the
specification, as it enables you to do so much
more. You can use peripherals and devices with
the profiles, and virtually anything else that you
decide.

As Bluetooth expands and gets bigger and better,
you can count on the profiles to expand and get
even more functions. If you have experience with
Bluetooth profiles, you should know exactly what
they are and what you can do with them. If not,
all you need is a Bluetooth device - and a vivid
imagination.

The networking standards of Bluetooth will transmit data via low power radio frequency. Bluetooth communicates on a 2.45 GHz frequency. This very band of frequency has been set aside by international agreement for the use of industrial and medical devices.

Many devices that you already known and use take advantage of this frequency band. Garage door openers, baby monitors, and the next generation of mobile phones all use this frequency within the ISM band. Ensuring that Bluetooth and the other devices don’t interfere with each other is a crucial part of the design process.

One of the ways Bluetooth will avoid interfering with other electronic devices is by sending out weak signals of around 1 mw. In comparison, even the most powerful of cell phones can transmit a signal of 3 watts.

The low power signals will limit the range of a Bluetooth device to around 32 feet, which cut the chances of interference between your computer and other electronic devices. Even though it has low power, Bluetooth doesn’t require a line of sight between the communicating devices. The walls in your home won’t stop the signal, making it great for rooms throughout the house.

Bluetooth can connect 8 devices at the same time. With each of those devices on the same radius, you may think they would interfere with each other, although it’s very unlikely. Bluetooth utilizes a technique known as low frequency hopping, which makes it harder for more than one device to transmit on the same frequency at the same time.

With this technique, a device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within a designated range, which change from one another on a regular basis.

In the case of Bluetooth, the transmitters will change frequency 1,600 times or more every second, meaning that more devices can make full use of the radio spectrum. Since every transmitter of Bluetooth will use spread spectrum automatically, it’s very unlikely that two transmitters will be on the same frequency at the
exact same time.

When the Bluetooth devices come within close range of each other, an electronic conversation will occur to determine whether or not they have data to share or whether one needs to take total control. The user doesn’t have any buttons to press or commands to give - as the conversation will occur automatically.

Once the conversation has occured, the devices will form a network. Bluetooth devices will create a PAN (Personal Area Network) or piconet that may fill a room. Once the piconet has been established, the devices will randomly hop in frequencies.

Below, you’ll find a list of the most used terms in Bluetooth technology. They can serve as a look up, or to help you learn more about Bluetooth terms in general.

2 in 1 handset
The situation where a subscriber’s handset is acting as a remote handset to a base unit that provides a network connection.

3G
Third generation, referring to the next generation of digital phone technology.

802.11 WLAN
A wireless LAN specification defined by the IEEE.

Access code
Each base band packet will start with an access code, which can be one of 3 types - CAC, DAC, and IAC.

ACK
Acknowledge.

ACL
Asynchronous Connectionless Link. This is one of the two types of data links that are defined for Bluetooth.

ACO
Authenticated Ciphering Offset.

Active mode
During the active mode, the unit will actively participate on the channel. The master will schedule the transmission based on traffic demands from the different slaves.

AP
Access point.

Authentification
The process of verifying who is at the opposite end of the link.

Authentification device
A device whose identity has been verified during the lifetime of the current link based on the authentification procedure.

Baseband
This describes the specification of the digital signal processing aspect of the hardware - the controller - which carries out the baseband protocols.

BB
Abreviation of baseband.

BD
Bluetooth device.

BER
Bit Error Rate.

The above is more of an intro to the terms that are used with Bluetooth. Bluetooth currently has hundreds of devices, making it the best wireless solution in the world. With more coming out every day, you can bet that Bluetooth will be around for many years to come.

If you are new to Bluetooth, the terms used can be very helpful. There are hundreds of glossary terms that apply to Bluetooth, many of which describe shortcuts to common terms. You can learn a lot by reading over the meanings, especially if you have never used Bluetooth technology before.

Those of you who have experience with Bluetooth, can look over the glossary of terms to brush up on your knowledge or just check out what an unfamiliar term actually means. Nothing is complicated with the meanings, although they make take some getting used to.

Once you have been around Bluetooth for a while, you’ll find yourself right at home with the terms and meanings to the technology. All you need to do is play around with it, and read books or manuals whenever you get the chance. Before you know it, you’ll be a professional in the vast world of Bluetooth wireless.

Bluetooth is a specification for the use of low power radio communications to wireless phones, computers, and other network wireless devices over short distances. The name Bluetooth is actually borrowed from Harald Bluetooth, a Denmark king more than 1,000 years ago.

The technology of Bluetooth was primarily designed to support simple wireless networking of devices and peripherals, which includes cell phones, PDAs, and wireless headsets. The wireless signals that are transmitted by Bluetooth cover short distances of up to 30 feet, generally communicating less than 1 MPps (Mega Byte per second).

The networks of Bluetooth feature dynamic topology called PAN or a piconet. The piconets contain a minumum of two and a maximum of eight peer devices. The devices will communicate using protocols that are part of the specification.

Even though the Bluetooth standard will utilize the same 2.4 GHz range as 802.11b and 802.11g, the technology isn’t suitable for a Wi-Fi replacement. When compared to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth is much slower, limited in range, and actually supports less devices.

For short range devices, Bluetooth is rapidly becoming the best. The technology is more popular with cell phones, as Bluetooth headsets are the way to go these days. To use Bluetooth, your cell phone will need to have it enabled, or an infared device somewhere on the phone.

Upcoming devices are utilizing Bluetooth as well, such as PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution. The wireless controllers will be Bluetooth enabled, which will give players the cutting edge.

If you own a cell phone or other wireless device, you should look into Bluetooth. The technology is nothing short of spectacular, making it something that will be around for years and years to come. As technology gets bigger and bigger, you can expect Bluetooth to advance as well.

The technology of Bluetooth wireless is a short range communications method intended to replace the cables that connect portable or fixed devices while maintaining the highest levels of security.

The key features offered by Bluetooth include low power and low cost. The specification in Bluetooth defines a uniform structure for a wide range of devices to communicate and connect with one another.

The technology behind Bluetooth has achieved global satisfaction such as enabled devices, almost everywhere in the world. Bluetooth devices will connect and communicate without wires through short range and networks known as piconets.

Each device will simultaneously communicate with up to seven other devices within a single piconet, meaning that each device can also belong to several piconets simultaneously. The piconets are dynamically established as Bluetooth enabled devices enter and leave the proximity of radio.

A fundamental to Bluetooth strength is the ability to handle both data and voice transmissions simultaneously. This will enable users to enjoy varieties of innovative solutions such as hands free talking, printing and fax capabilities, and other applications.

Specifications

Unlike other standards of wireless, the Bluetooth specification gives product developers both a link layer and application layer definitions, which will help support data and voice applications.

Spectrum

The Bluetooth technology operates in the industrial and scientific band at 2.4 to 2.485 GHz, using a spread spectrum, frequency hopping signal.

Interference

The adaptive frequency hopping of Bluetooth technology was designed to reduce interference between wireless technologies that share the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Adaptive frequency hopping (AFH) works well within the spectrum to take full advantage of the frequency available.

AFH hopping allows for more efficient transmission within the spectrum, which provides users with greater performance even if they are using other technologies along with Bluetooth.