Bluetooth Technology Mary Steiger October 2007

Introduction Bluetooth wireless technology is designed to replace cables connecting portable and other short-range communication devices while maintaining a high level of security. Bluetooth’s structure was created to be uniformly available to a wide variety of devices, enabling them to connect and communicate with one another. 1. What are three key features of Bluetooth technology according to their creators?Bluetooth technology

Introduction Bluetooth-enabled electronic devices connect and communicate wirelessly through short-range, provisional networks known as 2. ________. Each device can simultaneously communicate with up to seven other devices within a single one of these. Each device can also belong to several of these little networks simultaneously.short-range, provisional networks

What’s in a name? Bluetooth started as the code name when it was first formed, and the name stuck. The name "Bluetooth" is from the 10th century Danish King, 3. _______________, who was instrumental in uniting warring factions in parts of what is now Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Some say he had an affinity for eating blueberries which stained his teeth. Regardless, the name is significant because Bluetooth technology is designed to allow collaboration between differing industries such as the computing, mobile phone, and automotive markets. The logo combines the runic alphabetic letters for H and B.10th century Danish KingBluetooth

Founders Bluetooth is a specification for wireless technology that was first developed in 1998 by the Special Interest Group (SIG). 4.Which companies were initially part of this group?companies The Bluetooth SIG global headquarters are in Bellevue, Washington, USA. It has local offices in Hong Kong and Malmo, Sweden.

Is it a product or a standard? Bluetooth is a standard for a small, cheap radio chip to be plugged into computers, printers, mobile phones, etc. A Bluetooth chip is designed to replace cables by taking the information normally carried by the cable, and transmitting it at a special frequency to a receiver Bluetooth chip, which will then give the information received to the computer, phone whatever.

What can you do with it? 5. Name at least three things you can do with Bluetooth Technology.Bluetooth Technology

How Bluetooth Works Before any two devices communicate with each other they must agree on several important points: Physical attributes: if they will communicate with or without wires. The 6. ______________, or set of commands and responses that ensure that the message received is the same as the message sent.set of commands and responses

Bluetooth networking transmits data over low- power radio waves. Its frequency is between GHz and GHz, a band known as the ISM band. The ISM band

The ISM band has been internationally agreed upon to be used for the which 3 types of devices? (# 7)ISM band Baby monitors, cordless phones and garage door openers work on this same frequency. In order to avoid interfering with such devices, Bluetooth sends out very weak signals of only 1 milliwatt.For this reason, the range of a Bluetooth device is limited to about 10 meters or 32 feet.

Avoiding interference Unlike devices which depend on infrared waves, Bluetooth doesn’t require a line of sight between devices in order to work. Thus, the walls of your house won’t stop the signals. This makes it possible for Bluetooth to control several different devices in different rooms. Bluetooth uses a technique called 8. ___________ that makes it very unlikely for more than one device to be transmitting on the same frequency at the same time.technique

Avoiding interference In this technique, a device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within the designated range. The transmitters change frequencies 1,600 times every second, meaning that more devices can make full use of this small portion of the radio spectrum. One device provides the synchronization reference and is known as the master. All other devices are known as slaves. A group of devices synchronized in this fashion form a personal-area network (PAN) or piconet.

Bonding or Pairing Bonding or pairing is the process by which two Bluetooth enabled devices create a secure partnership. If you bond your PDA to your cell phone, for example, you can connect immediately without a need to authenticate or share PINs again. It saves time for devices you use frequently. Once you've paired your devices, you can set Bluetooth to be On rather than Discoverable so no one else in vicinity can attempt to connect to your device.

Communication When Bluetooth-capable devices come within range of one another, an electronic conversation takes place to determine whether they have data to share or whether one needs to control the other. The electronic conversation happens automatically. A user doesn’t need to give it a command to do so. Each time devices are in communication with each other, they instantly form a mini-network of their own. Thus several piconets can exist at one time, each relying on a different frequency.

Examples of Use A Bluetooth keyboard could be used with 2 different computers in your home dynamically. Cameras can download pictures wirelessly to your computer. Alerts that you have are sent to your phone. Your PDA, cell phone, and PC automatically exchange files such as calendars, addresses, etc. You can listen to music wirelessly while always being connected to your wireless phone.

Security This frequency hopping builds security into the technology since it is difficult to determine which exact frequency a device is using at any given moment. Bluetooth employs encryption algorithms to further enhance security. Manufacturers of Bluetooth devices determine many of the other security features.

Security SIGSIGmakes some recommendations in regard to security: 1.To prevent others from seeing your device, you can set it to a non-discoverable mode. 2.Just like you would not open your door to a stranger, do not accept content or pair with devices from unknown users. 3.Pair your device in private to make the permanent connection. And if your device comes with a default PIN, change it to only one you know.

Speed Bluetooth transfers data at a rate of 721 Kbps, which is from three to eight times the average speed of parallel and serial ports, respectively. This bandwidth is capable of transmitting voice, data, video and still images.

Bluetooth Products Products using Bluetooth technology can be found almost anywhere today: Target Best Buy Amazon Tiger Direct Radio Shack … and generally anywhere where electronic devices are sold.

Bluetooth Products Cell phones Wireless Headsets GPS systems Keyboards Mice Printers Cameras and camcorders CD players Radios DVD players Hands-free links in cars The Bluetooth standard can be found in a myriad of devices:

Bluetooth Headsets Many cell phone companies today offer Bluetooth headsets compatible with their phones. If you are buying one on your own, here are three that made a showing on several top 10 lists: ManufacturerProsConsSpecsPrice Range Aliph Jawbone Sophisticated look 6 hours of talk time Noise-canceling technology results in good audio quality Hard to press buttons Lacks some fine tuning in volume adjustment (Few details available) See: AmazonAmazon $ $ Plantronics Voyager 510 or 520 comfortable; lightweight compatible with many devices; user-friendly good range & sound quality Doesn’t work well in wind Small volume buttons See: DellDell$40-$99 Jabra BT ( ) Comfortable fit Pairs easily Accessible volume buttons Good sound quality Conventional design makes it very obvious that you’re wearing it See: Brookestone Brookestone $22- $128

USB Connectors Again, many new PCs and notebooks will have Bluetooth technology installed. If you need an adapter for your PC, try one from the following manufacturers: ManufacturerSpecsPrice Range Trendnet Click here$18--$25 Kennsington Click here$26--$33 Iogear Click here$37--$40