Bluetooth,
the wireless radio technology for short distance mobile
communications, has
become pervasive in mobile computing, used in laptops and
headsets as well as popular smart phones such as the
BlackBerry, and even in
Radio Frequency identification (RFID) readers.
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is a wireless radio technology, based on an industry
open standards set of specifications. The Bluetooth wireless
protocol was designed to exchange data over short distances from
fixed and mobile devices, to create personal area networks (PANs) –
also called piconets. Up to seven Bluetooth devices can be used to
create a
piconet.
Bluetooth was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to
RS232 data cables, and can be used to connect several devices
together, overcoming problems of
synchronisation.
What are Bluetooth’s key features?
The key features of
Bluetooth technology are robustness, low power, and low cost,
and the fact that it has become a universal standard for exchanging
data amongst a range of fixed and mobile devices.
In addition, Bluetooth wireless technology has the ability to
simultaneously handle both data and voice transmissions.
This means that users can use a
variety of applications such as a hands-free headset for voice
calls, printing and fax capabilities, and synchronizing PDAs,
laptop, and
mobile phone applications.
What devices is Bluetooth used in?
Bluetooth technology offers a way to connect and exchange
information between wide varieties of devices.
These include mobile phones, telephones,
laptops,
PCs, printers, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers,
digital cameras, and
video game consoles.
Who created Bluetooth?
The Bluetooth specifications were developed and licensed by the
Bluetooth Special
Interest Group (SIG), and continue to be developed by the
industry partners who make up the SIG.
The Bluetooth SIG consists of companies in the areas of
telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer
electronics.
Why the name Bluetooth?
The word Bluetooth is an anglicized version of Old Norse
‘Blátönn’ or Danish ‘Blåtand’, according to
Wikipedia.
This was the name of the tenth-century king Harald I of Denmark
who united dissonant Danish tribes into a single kingdom. The
implication is that Bluetooth does the same with communications
protocols, uniting them into one universal standard.
How does Bluetooth work?
Bluetooth uses a radio technology which is called
frequency-hopping spread spectrum. It works by chopping up the data
that is being sent, and transmitting sections of it on up to 79
frequencies.
Spread-spectrum is good for several reasons. Firstly, the
signals are very resistant to narrowband interference, which means
the transmissions are more likely to reach their destination
quickly and intact.
Spread-spectrum transmissions can share a frequency band with
many types of conventional transmissions with minimal
interference.
Also, spread-spectrum signals are also very difficult to
intercept, making the technology relatively secure – except for
some early
security issues.
What is the data rate and range of Bluetooth?
The data transfer rate of Bluetooth technology varies depending
on the version. Version 1.2 offers up to 1Mbps.
Version 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) offers up to 3Mbps, and
data can be transferred at up to 24Mbps for
Version 3.0 + High Speed (HS) enabled devices.
Version 3.0 + HS was adopted in April 2009. Version 2.1 + EDR
was adopted in July 2007.
As for the operating range, this also varies depending on the
class of the Bluetooth device.
Class 3 radios have a range of up to 1 metre or 3 feet; class 2
radios, which are most commonly found in mobile devices, have a
range of 10 metres or 33 feet.
Class 1 radios, used primarily in industrial use cases, have a
range of 100 metres or 300 feet.
What is the future of Bluetooth?
The future of Bluetooth looks strong, with initiatives underway
for higher throughput, more
ubiquitous usage and links with
Wifi and Ultra Wideband (UWB) broadcast technology.
Operating systems such as the
Mac OS and Windows continue to have native support for
Bluetooth.
The Bluetooth SIG partners are working on enabling Bluetooth
information points, to enable advertising models based around users
pulling information from ‘information points’, rather than having
to ‘push’ information out.
Other emerging features include Bluetooth in cars; automatic
configuration of piconets; and quality of service (QoS)
improvements, for example enabling audio and video data to be
transmitted at a higher quality.