BluetoothTM: a new radio interface providing ubiquitous connectivity

In the last decades, progress in microelectronics and VLSI technology has fostered the widespread use of computing and communication applications in portable electronic devices. Data transfer between these devices has been relying on cables and infrared. A new universal radio interface called Bluetooth^TM has been developed enabling electronic devices to connect and communicate via short-range radio connections. Bluetooth^TM is regarded as a complement and an extension to existing wireless technologies, addressing the short-range and inter-device connectivity. The technology enables the design of low-power, small-sized, and low-cost radios that can be embedded in a wide range of future products which will eventually lead towards ubiquitous connectivity. The Bluetooth^TM radio operates in the unlicensed 2.45 GHz frequency band and makes use of frequency hopping. The interface supports both synchronous services like voice communications and asynchronous services like file transfer. The voice and data protocols have been optimized to deal with interference present in the unlicensed band. Attention has been paid to low-power modes to maximize battery-life in portable devices. This paper gives an overview of the Bluetooth^TM radio interface. It addresses key design issues that make Bluetooth^TM a unique air interface that differs from existing wireless technologies. Examples are the support for ad-hoc connectivity, the application of an unlicensed band, the low power consumption, and the enabling of single-chip radios. The paper also presents some user scenarios and future developments