Bluetooth-ad-hoc networking in an uncoordinated environment

A new universal radio interface called Bluetooth^TM has been developed enabling electronic devices to connect and communicate via short-range radio links. The technology allows the design of low-power, small-sized, and low-cost radios that can be embedded in a wide range of future products. The Bluetooth system operates in the unlicensed Industrial-Scientific-Medical (ISM) band at 2.4 GHz which is globally available. Bluetooth radios use frequency hopping to spread their signals and to provide resistance against interference from other Bluetooth hoppers and other radio transmitters in the band. This paper addresses the challenges to provide ad-hoc network functions in the Bluetooth system. Both the needs for frequency hopping and the lack of a central controller in ad-hoc radio networks have placed special requirements on the design of the air interface. The paper further describes the coexistence of and bridging between independently hopping piconets, the concept of scatternets, and discusses hop synchronization in general