Bluetooth Technology

ITM100 RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE

Bluetooth Technology

Introduction

Bluetooth technology is set to become the revolutionary communications tool that will affect all our lives in one form or another. It will simplify the operation and installation of both new and existing products. Its functionality will be, for the most part, invisible and seamless. Bluetooth's greatest gift will inevitably be its user-transparency and enhancement of efficiency, productivity and communication.

Hypothesis

How can Bluetooth, the emerging wireless technology, improve efficiency, productivity and communication by sparking consumer interest through altering the way business is done using the innovative products of Bluetooth?

Explanation of the Technology

* What is Bluetooth technology?

o A low-cost, low-power, short-range, radio technology open standard for development of personal area networks (PANs)

o 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

* Brief history of Bluetooth

o The name Bluetooth, is derived from Harald Blatеnd, who was the King of Denmark from approximately A.D. 940 to 985 - "Blatеnd" translates to "Blue Tooth"

o Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was founded in February 1998 by Ericsson, Intel, IBM, Toshiba, and Nokia

o Bluetooth specification version 1.0 was released in July 1999 and version 1.1 in February 2001

* How does Bluetooth work?

o Many Bluetooth-enabled devices operate through a battery; consequently, the power consumption to make the device communicate over radio is very low - hence the radio should emanate low power

o Bluetooth helps in creating a small network of devices that are close to one another - the range is very short, typically about 10 meters

o The range is dependent on the power of the radio transmitter - the higher the power, the higher the range

* System Specifications:

o Operating frequency, operating range, services supported, data rates, network topology: These aspects will be defined in depth in the research paper

* Suppliers and consumers of Bluetooth

o Microsoft Corporation, Nokia Corporation, Intel Corporation, Motorola, Toshiba Corporation, Agere Systems, Ericsson, and IBM Corporation are the main developers of Bluetooth technology

o Devices and products such as desktop PCs, laptops, PDAs, keyboard, mouse, mobile phones, LAN access points, microwave ovens, point of sale terminals and ATMs are developed to supply businesses and consumers

* Trends of Bluetooth:

o The future of Bluetooth and a projection of its expectancy in the approaching business future -paving its way for competition and lowered costs

o Bluetooth's merging abilities of efficient communication upon our society and how its integration with business has changed our economy

o Enhancing a wide range of market segments including software developers, peripheral and camera manufacturers, silicon vendors, mobile PC and handheld developers, consumer electronics manufacturers and the automotive industry

o The current trends will represent how nascent Bluetooth technology is in the research report

Application and Uses of the Technology in Business

* Bluetooth used in organizations today:

o Bluetooth is used for many different ways from transferring information between laptops, desktops, mobile phones, fax machines, printers, PDAs, data sharing and synchronization etc.

o Commercial vehicles with Bluetooth systems for driver communications, hands free calling and data capture

o Hospitals are employing the use of wireless pulse oximeters to reduce the likelihood of a patient accidentally removing the pulse receiver

o More emphasis on Bluetooth uses in business will be in the research paper

* Bluetooth's applications:

o Many applications are developed to encompass Bluetooth - audio, video, desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones etc.

* Strengths of Bluetooth:

o No trouble with cables or compatibility problems with distant devices like notebooks, organizers, scanners, printers, telephones, etc.

o Physically, the gear is small, although size varies - IBM's is about half the size of a ballpoint pen

o Sends and receives data at almost approximately a mega bit per second - said to be ten times as fast as the serial cables or infra-red connections on the back of your desktop or laptop computer

o More strengths and benefits of Bluetooth will be emphasized in the research paper

* Weaknesses of Bluetooth:

o With a radio link, connection times can be unconscious and connection times can be lengthy as transmitters and receivers all need to synchronize before communication can commerce

o Radio links are subjected to interference which can impact both quality of an audio connection or data connection

o 2 delays in setting up a Bluetooth link: (1) It takes time to discover devices in the neighborhood - up to 10 seconds to find all devices in the area; you will only find devices which are willing to report their presence -, and (2) setting up the connection itself - takes up to 10 seconds

* Cost of Bluetooth:

o The cost of Bluetooth varies depending on which company is selling the product - can be as cheap as $2.

* A few instances of Bluetooth usage:

o In the office, all devices can form an ad hoc network whenever they come together - fax machines connected to laptops to submit facsimiles, digital camera connected with desktops and create a printout, synchronize appointments