| Specifications and Features | | | | links to change their encryption keys periodically, |
| The Bluetooth specification was developed in 1994 | | | | increasing security, and also allowing role switches |
| by Sven Mattisson and Jaap Haartsen, who were | | | | on an encrypted link |
| working for Ericsson Mobile Platforms in Lund, | | | | Extended Inquiry Response - provides more |
| Sweden.[1] The specifications were formalized by | | | | information during the inquiry procedure to allow |
| the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The | | | | better filtering of devices before connection. This |
| SIG was formally announced on May 20, 1998. | | | | information includes the name of the device, and |
| Today it has over 6000 companies worldwide. It | | | | a list of services, with other information. |
| was established by Ericsson, Sony Ericsson, IBM, | | | | Sniff Subrating - reducing the power consumption |
| Intel, Toshiba and Nokia, and later joined by many | | | | when devices are in the sniff low-power mode, |
| other companies as Associate or Adopter | | | | especially on links with asymmetric data flows. |
| members. Bluetooth is also known as IEEE | | | | Human interface devices (HID) are expected to |
| 802.15.1. | | | | benefit the most, with mice and keyboards |
| Bluetooth 1.0 and 1.0B | | | | increasing the battery life from 3 to 10 times |
| Versions 1.0 and 1.0B had many problems and the | | | | those currently used. |
| various manufacturers had great difficulties in | | | | QoS Improvements - these will enable audio and |
| making their products interoperable. 1.0 and 1.0B | | | | video data to be transmitted at a higher quality, |
| also had mandatory Bluetooth Hardware Device | | | | especially when best effort traffic is being |
| Address (BD_ADDR) transmission in the | | | | transmitted in the same piconet. |
| handshaking process, rendering anonymity | | | | Simple Pairing - this improvement will radically |
| impossible at a protocol level, which was a major | | | | improve the pairing experience for Bluetooth |
| setback for services planned to be used in | | | | devices, while at the same time increasing the use |
| Bluetooth environments, such as Consumerium. | | | | and strength of security. It is expected that this |
| Bluetooth 1.1 | | | | feature will significantly increase the use of |
| Many errors found in the 1.0B specifications were | | | | Bluetooth.[3] |
| fixed. | | | | Bluetooth technology already plays a part in the |
| Added support for non-encrypted channels. | | | | rising Voice over IP (VOIP) scene, with Bluetooth |
| Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) | | | | headsets being used as wireless extensions to the |
| Bluetooth 1.2 | | | | PC audio system. As VOIP becomes more |
| This version is backwards compatible with 1.1 and | | | | popular, and more suitable for general home or |
| the major enhancements include | | | | office users than wired phone lines, Bluetooth |
| Adaptive Frequency-hopping spread spectrum | | | | may be used in Cordless handsets, with a base |
| (AFH), which improves resistance to radio | | | | station connected to the Internet link. |
| frequency interference by avoiding the use of | | | | The version of Bluetooth after Lisbon, |
| crowded frequencies in the hopping sequence | | | | code-named Seattle, has many of the same |
| Higher transmission speeds in practice, up to 721 | | | | features, but is most notable for plans to adopt |
| kbps, same as 1.1 | | | | Ultra-wideband radio technology. This will allow |
| extended Synchronous Connections (eSCO), | | | | Bluetooth use over UWB radio, enabling very fast |
| which improves voice quality of audio links by | | | | data transfers, synchronizations and file pushes, |
| allowing retransmissions of corrupted packets. | | | | while building on the very low power idle modes |
| Host Controller Interface (HCI) support for 3-wire | | | | of Bluetooth. The combination of a radio using little |
| UART | | | | power when no data is transmitted, and a high |
| HCI access to timing information for Bluetooth | | | | data rate radio used to transmit bulk data, could |
| applications | | | | be the start of software radios. Bluetooth, given |
| Bluetooth 2.0 | | | | its worldwide regulatory approval, low power |
| This version is backwards compatible with 1.x. The | | | | operation, and robust data transmission capabilities, |
| main enhancement is the introduction of Enhanced | | | | provides an excellent signalling channel to enable |
| Data Rate (EDR) of 3.0 Mbps. This has the | | | | the soft radio concept. |
| following effects: | | | | On 28 March 2006, the Bluetooth Special Interest |
| 3 times faster transmission speed up to 10 times | | | | Group announced its selection of the WiMedia |
| in certain cases (up to 2.1 Mbit/s). | | | | Alliance Multi-Band Orthogonal Frequency Division |
| Lower power consumption through a reduced | | | | Multiplexing (MB-OFDM) version of Ultra-wideband |
| duty cycle. | | | | (UWB) for integration with current Bluetooth |
| Simplification of multi-link scenarios due to more | | | | wireless technology. UWB integration will create a |
| available bandwidth. | | | | version of the globally popular Bluetooth wireless |
| Further improved BER (bit error rate) | | | | technology with a high speed/high data rate |
| performance. | | | | option. This new version of Bluetooth technology |
| Bluetooth 2.1 | | | | will meet the high-speed demands of synchronizing |
| A draft version of the Bluetooth Core | | | | and transferring large amounts of data as well as |
| Specification Version 2.1 + EDR is now available | | | | enabling high quality video and audio applications |
| from the Bluetooth website. | | | | for portable devices, multi-media projectors and |
| Future of Bluetooth | | | | television sets, wireless VOIP. At the same time, |
| The next version of Bluetooth technology, | | | | Bluetooth technology will continue catering to the |
| currently code-named Lisbon, includes a number | | | | needs of very low power applications such as |
| of features to increase security, usability and | | | | mice, keyboards and mono headsets, enabling |
| value of Bluetooth. The following features are | | | | devices to select the most appropriate physical |
| defined: | | | | radio for the application requirements, thereby |
| Automatic Encryption Change - allows encrypted | | | | offering the best of both worlds. |