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Types of wireless technologies

Wireless data networks exist in such number and variety as to be difficult to categorize and compare. Some wireless data networks run over wireless voice networks, such as mobile telephone networks. CPDP, HSCSD, PDC-P, and GPRS are examples. Other wireless networks run on their own physical layer networks, utilizing anything from antennas built into handlheld devices to large antennas mounted on towers. 802.11, LMDS, and MMDS are examples. A few wireless networks are intended only to connect small devices over short distances. Bluetooth is an example. Wireless networks which run over other wireless networks often utilize the lower layer networks to provide security and encryption. Stand-alone wireless networks either provide their own security and encryption features or rely upon VPN's (Virtual Private Networks) to provide those features. In many cases, multiple layers of security and encryption may be desirable. Some wireless networks are fixed, meaning that antennas do not move frequently. Other wireless networks are mobile, meaning that the antenna can move constantly. This is sometimes a feature of the specific implementation and antenna design, instead of an inherent limitation of the wireless network specification. Wireless networks may operate on licensed or unlicensed portions of the frequency spectrum.

Common Wireless Network Types


Major types of wireless networks include: CDPD HSCSD PDC-P GPRS 1xRTT Bluetooth IrDA MMDS LMDS WiMAX 802.11 Cellular Digital Packet Data High Speed Circuit Switched Data Packet Data Cellular General Packet Radio Service 1x Radio Transmission Technology

Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service Local Multipoint Distribution Service Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access Wi-Fi

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Infrared / IrDA
Fixed/Mobile Circuit/Packet Max Bandwidth Range Frequency Host Network Definer Mobile Point to Point 16Mb 1M Infrared None The Infrared Data Association

URL

http://www.irda.org/

IrDA defines a standard for an interoperable universal two way cordless infrared light transmission data port. IrDA is utilized for high speed short range, line of sight, point-to-point cordless data transfer - suitable for HPCs, digital cameras , handheld data collection devices, etc... The IrDA standards does not specify any security measures.

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Use of infrared

Smart Weapons
The Sidewinder AIM-9 (air intercept missile 9) is classified as a short-range, air-to-air missile. Simply put, its job is to launch from an airborne aircraft and "kill" an enemy aircraft (damage it to the point that it goes down). Missiles like the Sidewinder are called smart weapons because they have built-in seeking systems that let them home in on a target.

Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force

The Sidewinder is a short-range missile for air-to-air combat.


The technology of smart weapons really got going in the decade following World War II. Most early guided weapon prototypes were built around radar technology, which proved to be expensive and problematic. These missiles had their own radar sensors, but obviously could not carry their own radar transmitters. For the guidance system to lock on an enemy plane, some remote radar system had to "illuminate" the target by bouncing radar beams off of it. In most cases, this meant the pilot had to keep the aircraft in a vulnerable position after firing in order to keep a radar lock on the enemy until the missile could find it. Additionally, the radar equipment in the missile was large and expensive, which made for a high-cost, bulky weapon. Most of these missiles had something around a 90 percent failure rate (nine shots out of 10 missed their targets). In the next section, we'll see how this failure rate was addressed in the building of a new targeting system.

Infrared
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search

For other uses, see Infrared (disambiguation).

Image of two human bodies in mid-infrared ("thermal") light (false-color)

Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light (400-700 nm), but shorter than that of terahertz radiation (100 m - 1 mm) and microwaves (~30,000 m). Infrared radiation spans roughly three orders of magnitude (750 nm and 100 m). Direct sunlight has a luminous efficacy of about 93 lumens per watt of radiant flux, which includes infrared (47% share of the spectrum), visible (46%), and ultra-violet (only 6%) light. Bright sunlight provides luminance of approximately 100,000 candela per square meter at the Earth's surface.

Contents
[hide] 1 Overview 2 Origins of the term 3 Different regions in the infrared 3.1 CIE division scheme 3.2 Astronomy division scheme 3.3 Sensor response division scheme 3.4 Telecommunication bands in the infrared 3.5 Heat 4.1 Infrared filters 4.2 Night vision 4.3 Thermography 4.4 Other imaging 4.5 Tracking 4.6 Heating

4 Applications

4.7 Communications 4.8 Spectroscopy 4.9 Meteorology 4.10 Climatology 4.11 Astronomy 4.12 Art history 4.13 Biological systems 4.14 Photobiomodulation 4.15 Health hazard

5 The Earth as an infrared emitter 6 History of infrared science 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Overview
Infrared imaging is used extensively for both military and civilian purposes. Military applications include target acquisition, surveillance, night vision, homing and tracking. Nonmilitary uses include thermal efficiency analysis, remote temperature sensing, short-ranged wireless communication, spectroscopy, and weather forecasting.. Infrared astronomy uses sensor-equipped telescopes to penetrate dusty regions of space, such as molecular clouds; detect cool objects such as planets, and to view highly red-shifted objects from the early days of the universe.[1] Humans at normal body temperature radiate chiefly at wavelengths around 10m (micrometers).
[2]

At the atomic level, infrared energy elicits vibrational modes in a molecule through a change in the dipole moment, making it a useful frequency range for study of these energy states for molecules of the proper symmetry. Infrared spectroscopy examines absorption and transmission of photons in the infrared energy range, based on their frequency and intensity.[3]

[edit] Origins of the term


The name means below red (from the Latin infra, "below"), red being the color of the longest wavelengths of visible light. IR light has a longer wavelength (a lower frequency) than that of red light, hence below.

[edit] Different regions in the infrared


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Objects generally emit infrared radiation across a spectrum of wavelengths, but only a specific region of the spectrum is of interest because sensors are usually designed only to collect radiation within a specific bandwidth. As a result, the infrared band is often subdivided into smaller sections.
[edit] CIE division scheme

The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) recommended the division of optical radiation into the following three bands:[4]
IR-A: 700 nm1400 nm IR-B: 1400 nm3000 nm IR-C: 3000 nm1 mm Near-infrared (NIR, IR-A DIN): 0.75-1.4 m in wavelength, defined by the water absorption, and commonly used in fiber optic telecommunication because of low attenuation losses in the SiO2 glass (silica) medium. Image intensifiers are sensitive to this area of the spectrum. Examples include night vision devices such as night vision goggles. Short-wavelength infrared (SWIR, IR-B DIN): 1.4-3 m, water absorption increases significantly at 1,450 nm. The 1,530 to 1,560 nm range is the dominant spectral region for long-distance telecommunications. Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR, IR-C DIN) also called intermediate infrared (IIR): 3-8 m. In guided missile technology the 3-5 m portion of this band is the atmospheric window in which the homing heads of passive IR 'heat seeking' missiles are designed to work, homing on to the IR signature of the target aircraft, typically the jet engine exhaust plume. Long-wavelength infrared (LWIR, IR-C DIN): 815 m. This is the "thermal imaging" region, in which sensors can obtain a completely passive picture of the outside world based on thermal emissions only and requiring no external light or thermal source such as the sun, moon or infrared illuminator. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems use this area of the spectrum. Sometimes also called the "far infrared." Far infrared (FIR): 15-1,000 m (see also far infrared laser).

A commonly used sub-division scheme is:[5]

NIR and SWIR is sometimes called "reflected infrared" while MWIR and LWIR is sometimes referred to as "thermal infrared." Due to the nature of the blackbody radiation curves, typical 'hot' objects, such as exhaust pipes, often appear brighter in the MW compared to the same object viewed in the LW.
[edit] Astronomy division scheme

Astronomers typically divide the infrared spectrum as follows:[6]


Near: (0.7-1) to 5 m Mid: 5 to (25-40) m Long: (25-40) to (200-350) m

These divisions are not precise and can vary depending on the publication. The three regions are used for observation of different temperature ranges, and hence different environments in space.
[edit] Sensor response division scheme

Plot of atmospheric transmittance in part of the infrared region.

A third scheme divides up the band based on the response of various detectors:[7]
Near infrared: from 0.7 to 1.0 micrometers (from the approximate end of the response of the human eye to that of silicon). Short-wave infrared: 1.0 to 3 micrometers (from the cut off of silicon to that of the MWIR atmospheric window. InGaAs covers to about 1.8 micrometers; the less sensitive lead salts cover this region. Mid-wave infrared: 3 to 5 micrometers (defined by the atmospheric window and covered by Indium antimonide [InSb] and HgCdTe and partially by lead selenide [PbSe]). Long-wave infrared: 8 to 12, or 7 to 14 micrometers: the atmospheric window (Covered by HgCdTe and microbolometers). Very-long wave infrared (VLWIR): 12 to about 30 micrometers, covered by doped silicon.

These divisions are justified by the different human response to this radiation: near infrared is the region closest in wavelength to the radiation detectable by the human eye, mid and far infrared are progressively further from the visible regime. Other definitions follow different physical mechanisms (emission peaks, vs. bands, water absorption) and the newest follow technical reasons (The common silicon detectors are sensitive to about 1,050 nm, while InGaAs' sensitivity starts around 950 nm and ends between 1,700 and 2,600 nm, depending on the specific configuration). Unfortunately, international standards for these specifications are not currently available. The boundary between visible and infrared light is not precisely defined. The human eye is markedly less sensitive to light above 700 nm wavelength, so shorter frequencies make insignificant contributions to scenes illuminated by common light sources. But particularly intense light (e.g., from lasers, or from bright daylight with the visible light removed by colored gels) can be detected up to approximately 780 nm, and will be perceived as red light. The onset of infrared is defined (according to different standards) at various values typically between 700 nm and 800 nm.

[edit] Telecommunication bands in the infrared

In optical communications, the part of the infrared spectrum that is used is divided into several bands based on availability of light sources, transmitting/absorbing materials (fibers) and detectors:[8]
Band Descriptor Wavelength range

O Original band

12601360 nm

E Extended band

13601460 nm

S Short band wavelength

14601530 nm

C Conventional band

15301565 nm

L Long wavelength 15651625 nm band

U Ultralong band wavelength

16251675 nm

The C-band is the dominant band for long-distance telecommunication networks. The S and L bands are based on less well established technology, and are not as widely deployed.
[edit] Heat Main article: Thermal radiation

Infrared radiation is popularly known as "heat" or sometimes "heat radiation", since many people attribute all radiant heating to infrared light and/or to all infrared radiation to being a result of heating. This is a widespread misconception, since light and electromagnetic waves of any frequency will heat surfaces that absorb them. Infrared light from the Sun only accounts for 49%[9] of the heating of the Earth, with the rest being caused by visible light that is absorbed then re-radiated at longer wavelengths. Visible light or ultraviolet-emitting lasers can char paper and incandescently hot objects emit visible radiation. It is true that objects at room temperature will

emit radiation mostly concentrated in the 8 to 25 micrometer band, but this is not distinct from the emission of visible light by incandescent objects and ultraviolet by even hotter objects (see black body and Wien's displacement law).[10] Heat is energy in transient form that flows due to temperature difference. Unlike heat transmitted by thermal conduction or thermal convection, radiation can propagate through a vacuum. The concept of emissivity is important in understanding the infrared emissions of objects. This is a property of a surface which describes how its thermal emissions deviate from the ideal of a black body. To further explain, two objects at the same physical temperature will not 'appear' the same temperature in an infrared image if they have differing emissivities.

[edit] Applications
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[edit] Infrared filters Main article: Night vision

Infrared (IR) filters can be made from many different materials. One type is made of polysulphone plastic that blocks over 99% of the visible light spectrum from white light sources such as incandescent filament bulbs. Infrared filters allow a maximum of infrared output while maintaining extreme covertness. Currently in use around the world, infrared filters are used in Military, Law Enforcement, Industrial and Commercial applications. The unique makeup of the plastic allows for maximum durability and heat resistance. IR filters provide a more cost effective and time efficient solution over the standard bulb replacement alternative. All generations of night vision devices are greatly enhanced with the use of IR filters.
[edit] Night vision Main article: Night vision

Active-infrared night vision : the camera illuminates the scene at infrared wavelengths invisible to the human eye. Despite a dark back-lit scene, activeinfrared night vision delivers identifying details, as seen on the display monitor.

Infrared is used in night vision equipment when there is insufficient visible light to see.[11] Night vision devices operate through a process involving the conversion of ambient light photons into electrons which are then amplified by a chemical and electrical process and then converted back into visible light.[12] Infrared light sources can be used to augment the available ambient light for conversion by night vision devices, increasing in-the-dark visibility without actually using a visible light source.[12] The use of infrared light and night vision devices should not be confused with thermal imaging which creates images based on differences in surface temperature by detecting infrared radiation (heat) that emanates from objects and their surrounding environment[13]
[edit] Thermography Main article: Thermography

A thermographic image of a dog

Infrared radiation can be used to remotely determine the temperature of objects (if the emissivity is known). This is termed thermography, or in the case of very hot objects in the NIR or visible it is termed pyrometry. Thermography (thermal imaging) is mainly used in military and industrial applications but the technology is reaching the public market in the form of infrared cameras on cars due to the massively reduced production costs. Thermographic cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (roughly 90014,000 nanometers or 0.914 m) and produce images of that radiation. Since infrared radiation is emitted by all objects based on their temperatures, according to the black body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to "see" one's environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature, therefore thermography allows one to see variations in temperature (hence the name).
[edit] Other imaging

Infrared light from the LED of an Xbox 360 remote control as seen by a digital camera.

In infrared photography, infrared filters are used to capture the near-infrared spectrum. Digital cameras often use infrared blockers. Cheaper digital cameras and camera phones have less effective filters and can "see" intense near-infrared, appearing as a bright purple-white color. This is especially pronounced when taking pictures of subjects near IR-bright areas (such as near a lamp), where the resulting infrared interference can wash out the image. There is also a technique called 'T-ray' imaging, which is imaging using far infrared or terahertz radiation. Lack of bright sources makes terahertz photography technically more challenging than most other infrared imaging techniques. Recently T-ray imaging has been of considerable interest due to a number of new developments such as terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.
[edit] Tracking Main article: Infrared homing

Infrared tracking, also known as infrared homing, refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared (IR) is just below the visible spectrum of light in frequency and is radiated strongly by hot bodies. Many objects such as people, vehicle engines and aircraft generate and

retain heat,and as such, are especially visible in the infra-red wavelengths of light compared to objects in the background.
[edit] Heating Main article: Infrared heating

Infrared radiation can be used as a deliberate heating source. For example it is used in infrared saunas to heat the occupants, and also to remove ice from the wings of aircraft (de-icing). FIR is also gaining popularity as a safe method of natural health care & physiotherapy. Far infrared thermometric therapy garments use thermal technology to provide compressive support and healing warmth to assist symptom control for arthritis, injury & pain. Infrared can be used in cooking and heating food as it predominantly heats the opaque, absorbent objects, rather than the air around them. Infrared heating is also becoming more popular in industrial manufacturing processes, e.g. curing of coatings, forming of plastics, annealing, plastic welding, print drying. In these applications, infrared heaters replace convection ovens and contact heating. Efficiency is achieved by matching the wavelength of the infrared heater to the absorption characteristics of the material.
[edit] Communications

IR data transmission is also employed in short-range communication among computer peripherals and personal digital assistants. These devices usually conform to standards published by IrDA, the Infrared Data Association. Remote controls and IrDA devices use infrared lightemitting diodes (LEDs) to emit infrared radiation which is focused by a plastic lens into a narrow beam. The beam is modulated, i.e. switched on and off, to encode the data. The receiver uses a silicon photodiode to convert the infrared radiation to an electric current. It responds only to the rapidly pulsing signal created by the transmitter, and filters out slowly changing infrared radiation from ambient light. Infrared communications are useful for indoor use in areas of high population density. IR does not penetrate walls and so does not interfere with other devices in adjoining rooms. Infrared is the most common way for remote controls to command appliances. Free space optical communication using infrared lasers can be a relatively inexpensive way to install a communications link in an urban area operating at up to 4 gigabit/s, compared to the cost of burying fiber optic cable. Infrared lasers are used to provide the light for optical fiber communications systems. Infrared light with a wavelength around 1,330 nm (least dispersion) or 1,550 nm (best transmission) are the best choices for standard silica fibers. IR data transmission of encoded audio versions of printed signs is being researched as an aid for visually impaired people through the RIAS (Remote Infrared Audible Signage) project.

Bluetooth
is a specification for short distance wireless communication between two devices.

Bluetooth Specifications
Fixed/Mobile Mobile Circuit/Packe Both t Max Bandwidth Range Frequency Host Network Definer 1Mb 10 meters 2.40GHz-2.483.5Ghz (U.S. and Europe) or 2.472Ghz2.497Ghz (Japan) None Bluetooth SIG

Bluetooth technology is named after Harald Bluetooth, a Danish king who managed to consolidate Denmark and a part of Norway in the 1900s. The choice for the name of this technology is a manifestation of how influential and central the companies from this region are to the telecommunications industry. Bluetooth is a networking technology that does not rely on user control or large amounts of power. By keeping the transmission power to an extremely low setting (1 milliwatt), Bluetooth is ideal for mobile battery operated devices. Moreover, Bluetooth does not rely on the user since it can automatically detect and communicate with other Bluetooth devices without any user input. Bluetooth technology relies on two things, a radio frequency technology and the protocol software enabling it to transmit data to other devices. Bluetooth-capable devices can transmit data to other devices not within the line of sight of the user. It also enables different devices to communicate using certain rules such as the amount of data that will be sent, the type of communication between the devices and the radio frequency or frequencies this communication will take place. These protocols ensure that Bluetooth devices experience the least amount of interference from other Bluetooth capable objects while communicating with each other.

Bluetooth RF Properties
Low energy radio waves are the principal transmission system in Bluetooth networking. The frequency of Bluetooth capable devices ranges from 2.402 GHz to as high as 2.480 GHz, a frequency range specifically reserved by international agreement for ISM or medical, industrial and scientific devices.
Transmission Capabilities

Other devices in the market that use the same ISM band are garage door openers, cordless phones, baby monitors, etc and all these devices contribute to the increase in the risk of interference among Bluetooth devices. To avoid this, Bluetooth devices only use about 1

miliwatt of power in transmitting its signals. This makes the effective range of a Bluetooth device about 32 feet or ten meters and thus limits the chances of interference from other nearby devices. Nevertheless, the low transmission power requirement of Bluetooth devices make them capable of communicating with other Bluetooth devices not within their range of sight. This means that a Bluetooth device can still connect to a personal computer for file transfers even if the computer is in an entirely different room in the house. Bluetooth is not a one-on-one data transmission technology so it can communicate with up to eight devices within its transmission radius at one time. A Bluetooth device will use at most 1600 different and randomly chosen frequencies every second within the course of its transmission to minimize the probability of other devices using the same frequency and to minimize interference time when it does coincide with another device using the same frequency.

Piconets or Personal Area Networks


A Bluetooth-capable device coming into range with another one will first determine if it has data to share or commands to transmit. This happens automatically and without any user input. Bluetooth-capable devices communicating with each other within an area form a piconet or personal area network where devices integrate and synchronize their frequency-hopping to keep in touch with each other. With the use of a specific device addresses in Bluetooth capable devices, it is possible to create multiple piconets or personal area networks within the same area. This means that since a cordless phone base unit and handset communicate with each other using a specific address range range, they will not interfere with Bluetooth-capable devices in the same room. The Bluetooth network ignores any transmission from devices outside of its assigned address range. The addresses of these devices and the program that instructs these devices to listen and respond using a specific address range are programmed by the manufacturer to lessen interference and increase the efficiency in data transmission of Bluetooth devices. Since each device in a piconet is synchronized in frequency-hopping, the risk of two piconets interfering with each other by being in the same frequency at the same time is very minimal. Moreover, since the piconets change frequencies 1600 times every second, a collision between two piconets will last only a fraction of a second. Corrective software in these Bluetooth devices will also correct any interference-consequent errors, thereby increasing the efficiency of network communication.

Bluetooth Power Classes


Bluetooth provides three types of power classes, although class 3 devices are not in general availability.
Type Class 3 Devices Class 2 Devices Power Level 100mW 10mW Operating Range Up to 100 meters Up to 10 meters

Class 1 Devices

1mW

0.1-10 meters

Bluetooth Security
Bluetooth security is based upon device authentication, not user authentication. Each device is either trusted or untrusted. Bluetooth devices are identified by unique 48-bit identifiers, much like Ethernet MAC addresses.
Bluetooth Security Modes

Bluetooth features three security modes.


Mod e 1 2 3 Name Non-secure Service-level security Link-level security Description No security is implemented Access is granted to individual services Security is enforced at a common level for all applications at the beginning of the connection

Bluetooth Security Levels

Bluetooth features three possible security levels.


Mod e 3 2 1 Description No authentication or authorization is required Authentication is required; authorization is not required Authorization and authentication are required

Bluetooth Security Weaknesses

Bluetooth weakness include:


The Bluetooth challenge-response key generation is weak. This scheme may use a static number or a number for a period of time, which can reduce the effectiveness of the authentication. Bluetooth's challenge-response is simplistic. A one-way challenge for authentication is susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks. Mutual authentication via user verification should be used.

The keys used by Bluetooth are weak. The initialization key needs to be more robust and the unit key is a public-generated key that can be reused. A set of keys should be used instead. The master key is shared between Bluetooth connections. This key is a broadcast and should have a better scheme than what is used. The encryption algorithm scheme utilized in Bluetooth uses a single algorithm and allows repeat authentication. A more robust method that limits authentication and increases the encryption should be used. Bluetooth implementations normally limit the PIN number range. A PIN number is usually only four digits and the scalability for large environments is difficult.

Additional Sources of Information on Bluetooth Security

For more information on Bluetooth security, read Bluetooth Security at BlueTomorrow, Bluetooth Protocol and Security Architecture Review by Korak Dasgupta, or Overview of Ad Hoc and Bluetooth Networks.

Bluetooth versus Infrared


The major advantages of the Bluetooth technology over other communication technologies are its being cheap, wireless and automatic. A data transmission technology comparable to Bluetooth is IrDA or infrared communication much like what your remote control devices use to control the TV, stereo, air conditioner etc. The big drawback of this type of technology, however, is the requirement that the two devices establishing a connection must be within sight of one another for transmission to take place. You can only control infrared devices by pointing the remote directly at the device or lining up the infrared ports of both IR capable devices. Bluetooth devices can communicate with one another even when they are not in the same room. In fact, even in its low power setting, a Bluetooth device can communicate with another device that is within its ten-meter radius regardless of walls, windows, or other physical obstructions. Infrared technology limits the device communications to one on one. Thus, an IR remote control can control only one electronic device at a time. On the other hand, Bluetooth devices are capable of communicating with multiple devices at any given time. Infrared devices, however, are less susceptible to interference than Bluetooth devices. This means that you can be sure that the data will be sent to the intended recipient without any distortion or inaccuracies. Improvements in the Bluetooth technology however minimizes this problem by enabling the Bluetooth devices to hop frequencies and communicate within a specific frequency range. Therefore, although there is still risk of interference, the chances of it happening are very minimal. If such occurs, it will happen only in a very brief period of time and a software will be available to correct any consequent distortion

Introduction
Bluetooth is an open wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs). It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization.

Contents
[hide] 1 Name and logo 2 Implementation 3 Uses 3.1 Bluetooth profiles 3.2 List of applications 3.3 Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 in networking 3.3.1 Bluetooth devices 3.3.2 Wi-Fi

4 Computer requirements 4.1 Operating system support 5 Mobile phone requirements 6 Specifications and features 6.1 Bluetooth 1.0 and 1.0B 6.2 Bluetooth 1.1 6.3 Bluetooth 1.2 6.4 Bluetooth 2.0 6.5 Bluetooth 2.1 6.6 Bluetooth 3.0 6.7 Bluetooth low energy

6.8 Future 6.8.1 UWB for AMP

7 Technical information 7.1 Bluetooth protocol stack 7.1.1 LMP (Link Management Protocol) 7.1.2 L2CAP (Logical Link Control & Adaptation Protocol) 7.1.3 SDP (Service Discovery Protocol) 7.1.4 HCI (Host/Controller Interface) 7.1.5 RFCOMM (Cable replacement protocol) 7.1.6 BNEP (Bluetooth Network Encapsulation Protocol) 7.1.7 AVCTP (Audio/Visual Control Transport Protocol) 7.1.8 AVDTP (Audio/Visual Data Transport Protocol) 7.1.9 Telephone control protocol 7.1.10 Adopted protocols

7.2 Communication and connection 7.3 Baseband Error Correction 7.4 Setting up connections 7.5 Pairing 7.5.1 Security Concerns 7.6 Air interface 8.1 Overview 8.2 Bluejacking 8.3 History of security concerns 8.3.1 2001 8.3.2 2003 8.3.3 2004 8.3.4 2005 8.3.5 2006 8.3.6 2007

8 Security

9 Health concerns 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

[edit] Name and logo

The word Bluetooth is an anglicized version of Old Norse Bltnn or Danish Bltand, the name of the tenth-century king Harald I of Denmark, who united dissonant Danish tribes into a single kingdom. The implication is that Bluetooth does the same with communications protocols, uniting them into one universal standard.[1][2][3] The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Germanic runes (Hagall) and (Berkanan).

[edit] Implementation
Bluetooth uses a radio technology called frequency-hopping spread spectrum, which chops up the data being sent and transmits chunks of it on up to 79 frequencies. In its basic mode, the modulation is Gaussian frequency-shift keying (GFSK). It can achieve a gross data rate of 1 Mb/s. Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, telephones, laptops, personal computers, printers, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles through a secure, globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency bandwidth. The Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The Bluetooth SIG consists of companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics.[4]

[edit] Uses
Bluetooth is a standard and a communications protocol primarily designed for low power consumption, with a short range (power-class-dependent: 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters) based on low-cost transceiver microchips in each device.[5] Bluetooth makes it possible for these devices to communicate with each other when they are in range. Because the devices use a radio (broadcast) communications system, they do not have to be in line of sight of each other.[4]
Clas s Maximum Permitted Range Power (approxim mW (dBm) ate)

Clas 100 mW (20 dBm) s1

~100 meters

Clas 2.5 mW (4 dBm) s2

~10 meters

Clas 1 mW (0 dBm) s3

~1 meter

In most cases the effective range of class 2 devices is extended if they connect to a class 1 transceiver, compared to a pure class 2 network. This is accomplished by the higher sensitivity and transmission power of Class 1 devices.

Version

Data Rate

Version 1.2 1 Mbit/s

Version 2.0 3 Mbit/s + EDR [edit] Bluetooth profiles Main article: Bluetooth profile

In order to use Bluetooth, a device must be compatible with certain Bluetooth profiles. These define the possible applications and uses of the technology.
[edit] List of applications

A typical Bluetooth mobile phone headset.

More prevalent applications of Bluetooth include:


Wireless control of and communication between a mobile phone and a handsfree headset. This was one of the earliest applications to become popular. Wireless networking between PCs in a confined space and where little bandwidth is required. Wireless communication with PC input and output devices, the most common being the mouse, keyboard and printer. Transfer of files, contact details, calendar appointments, and reminders between devices with OBEX. Replacement of traditional wired serial communications in test equipment, GPS receivers, medical equipment, bar code scanners, and traffic control devices.

For controls where infrared was traditionally used. For low bandwidth applications where higher [USB] bandwidth is not required and cable-free connection desired. Sending small advertisements from Bluetooth-enabled advertising hoardings to other, discoverable, Bluetooth devices[citation needed]. Wireless bridge between two Industrial Ethernet (e.g. PROFINET) networks. Two seventh-generation game consoles, Nintendo's Wii[6] and Sony's PlayStation 3, use Bluetooth for their respective wireless controllers. Dial-up internet access on personal computers or PDAs using a data-capable mobile phone as a modem.

[edit] Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 in networking

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have many applications in today's offices, homes, and on the move: setting up networks, printing, or transferring presentations and files from PDAs to computers. Both are versions of unlicensed wireless technology. Wi-Fi is intended for resident equipment and its applications. The category of applications is outlined as WLAN, the wireless local area networks. Wi-Fi is intended as a replacement for cabling for general local area network access in work areas. Bluetooth is intended for non resident equipment and its applications. The category of applications is outlined as the wireless personal area network (WPAN). Bluetooth is a replacement for cabling in a variety of personally carried applications in any ambience. [edit] Bluetooth devices

A Bluetooth USB dongle with a 100 m range.

Bluetooth exists in many products, such as telephones, the Wii, PlayStation 3, Lego Mindstorms NXT and recently in some high definition watches[citation needed], modems and headsets. The technology is useful when transferring information between two or more devices that are near each other in low-bandwidth situations. Bluetooth is commonly used to transfer sound data with telephones (i.e., with a Bluetooth headset) or byte data with hand-held computers (transferring files).

Bluetooth protocols simplify the discovery and setup of services between devices. Bluetooth devices can advertise all of the services they provide. This makes using services easier because more of the security, network address and permission configuration can be automated than with many other network types. [edit] Wi-Fi
Main article: Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a traditional Ethernet network, and requires configuration to set up shared resources, transmit files, and to set up audio links (for example, headsets and hands-free devices). Wi-Fi uses the same radio frequencies as Bluetooth, but with higher power, resulting in a stronger connection. Wi-Fi is sometimes called "wireless Ethernet." This description is accurate, as it also provides an indication of its relative strengths and weaknesses. Wi-Fi requires more setup but is better suited for operating full-scale networks; it enables a faster connection, better range from the base station, and better security than Bluetooth.

[edit] Computer requirements

A typical Bluetooth USB dongle.

An internal notebook Bluetooth card (14364 mm).

A personal computer must have a Bluetooth adapter in order to communicate with other Bluetooth devices (such as mobile phones, mice and keyboards). While some desktop computers

and most recent laptops come with a built-in Bluetooth adapter, others will require an external one in the form of a dongle. Unlike its predecessor, IrDA, which requires a separate adapter for each device, Bluetooth allows multiple devices to communicate with a computer over a single adapter.
[edit] Operating system support For more details on this topic, see Bluetooth stack.

Apple has supported Bluetooth since Mac OS X v10.2 which was released in 2002.[7] For Microsoft platforms, Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later releases have native support for Bluetooth. Previous versions required users to install their Bluetooth adapter's own drivers, which were not directly supported by Microsoft.[8] Microsoft's own Bluetooth dongles (packaged with their Bluetooth computer devices) have no external drivers and thus require at least Windows XP Service Pack 2. Linux has two popular Bluetooth stacks, BlueZ and Affix. The BlueZ[9] stack is included with most Linux kernels and was originally developed by Qualcomm. The Affix stack was developed by Nokia. FreeBSD features Bluetooth support since its 5.0 release. NetBSD features Bluetooth support since its 4.0 release. Its Bluetooth stack has been ported to OpenBSD as well.

[edit] Mobile phone requirements


A mobile phone that is Bluetooth enabled is able to pair with many devices. To ensure the broadest support of feature functionality together with legacy device support, the Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) forum has recently published a recommendations paper, entitled "Bluetooth Local Connectivity"; see external links below to download this paper.

[edit] Specifications and features


The Bluetooth specification was developed in 1994 by Jaap Haartsen and Sven Mattisson, who were working for Ericsson Mobile Platforms in Lund, Sweden.[10] The specification is based on frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology. The specifications were formalized by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The SIG was formally announced on May 20, 1998. Today it has a membership of over 11,000 companies worldwide. It was established by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Toshiba, and Nokia, and later joined by many other companies.
[edit] Bluetooth 1.0 and 1.0B

Versions 1.0 and 1.0B had many problems, and manufacturers had difficulty making their products interoperable. Versions 1.0 and 1.0B also included mandatory Bluetooth hardware device address (BD_ADDR) transmission in the Connecting process (rendering anonymity impossible at the protocol level), which was a major setback for certain services planned for use in Bluetooth environments.
[edit] Bluetooth 1.1 Ratified as IEEE Standard 802.15.1-2002. Many errors found in the 1.0B specifications were fixed. Added support for non-encrypted channels.

Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI).

[edit] Bluetooth 1.2

This version is backward compatible with 1.1 and the major enhancements include the following:
Faster Connection and Discovery Adaptive frequency-hopping spread spectrum (AFH), which improves resistance to radio frequency interference by avoiding the use of crowded frequencies in the hopping sequence. Higher transmission speeds in practice, up to 721 kbit/s, than in 1.1. Extended Synchronous Connections (eSCO), which improve voice quality of audio links by allowing retransmissions of corrupted packets, and may optionally increase audio latency to provide better support for concurrent data transfer. Host Controller Interface (HCI) support for three-wire UART. Ratified as IEEE Standard 802.15.1-2005. Introduced Flow Control and Retransmission Modes for L2CAP.

[edit] Bluetooth 2.0

This version of the Bluetooth specification was released on November 10, 2004. It is backward compatible with the previous version 1.2. The main difference is the introduction of an Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) for faster data transfer. The nominal rate of EDR is about 3 megabits per second, although the practical data transfer rate is 2.1 megabits per second.[11] The additional throughput is obtained by using a different radio technology for transmission of the data. Standard, or Basic Rate, transmission uses Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK) modulation of the radio signal with a gross air data rate of 1 Mbit/s. EDR uses a combination of GFSK and Phase Shift Keying modulation (PSK) with two variants, /4-DQPSK and 8DPSK. These have gross air data rates of 2, and 3 Mbit/s respectively. [12] According to the 2.0 specification, EDR provides the following benefits:
Three times the transmission speed up to 10 times[citation needed] (2.1 Mbit/s) in some cases. Reduced complexity of multiple simultaneous connections due to additional bandwidth. Lower power consumption through a reduced duty cycle.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) published the specification as "Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR" which implies that EDR is an optional feature. Aside from EDR, there are other minor improvements to the 2.0 specification, and products may claim compliance to "Bluetooth 2.0" without supporting the higher data rate. At least one commercial device, the HTC TyTN Pocket PC phone, states "Bluetooth 2.0 without EDR" on its data sheet.[13]
[edit] Bluetooth 2.1

Bluetooth Core Specification Version 2.1 is fully backward compatible with 1.2, and was adopted by the Bluetooth SIG on July 26, 2007.[12] This specification includes the following features:

Extended Inquiry Response (EIR): provides more information during the inquiry procedure to allow better filtering of devices before connection. This information may include the name of the device, a list of services the device supports, the transmission power level used for inquiry responses, and manufacturer defined data. Sniff Subrating: reduces the power consumption when devices are in the sniff low-power mode, especially on links with asymmetric data flows. Human interface devices (HID) are expected to benefit the most, with mouse and keyboard devices increasing their battery life by a factor of 3 to 10.[citation needed] It lets devices decide how long they will wait before sending keepalive messages to one another. Previous Bluetooth implementations featured keep alive message frequencies of up to several times per second. In contrast, the 2.1 specification allows pairs of devices to negotiate this value between them to as infrequently as once every 5 or 10 seconds. Encryption Pause Resume (EPR): enables an encryption key to be changed with less management required by the Bluetooth host. Changing an encryption key must be done for a role switch of an encrypted an ACL link, or every 23.3 hours (one Bluetooth day) encryption is enabled on an ACL link. Before this feature was introduced, when an encryption key is refreshed the Bluetooth host would be notified of a brief gap in encryption while the new key was generated; so the Bluetooth host was required to handle pausing data transfer (however data requiring encryption may already have been sent before the notification that encryption is disabled has been received). With EPR, the Bluetooth host is not notified of the gap, and the Bluetooth controller ensures that no unencrypted data is transferred while they key is refreshed. Secure Simple Pairing (SSP): radically improves the pairing experience for Bluetooth devices, while increasing the use and strength of security. It is expected that this feature will significantly increase the use of Bluetooth.[14] Near Field Communication (NFC) cooperation: automatic creation of secure Bluetooth connections when NFC radio interface is also available. This functionality is part of the Secure Simple Pairing where NFC is one way of exchanging pairing information. For example, a headset should be paired with a Bluetooth 2.1 phone including NFC just by bringing the two devices close to each other (a few centimeters). Another example is automatic uploading of photos from a mobile phone or camera to a digital picture frame just by bringing the phone or camera close to the frame.[15][16]

[edit] Bluetooth 3.0

The 3.0 specification[12] was adopted by the Bluetooth SIG on April 21st, 2009. Its main new feature is AMP (Alternate MAC/PHY), the addition of 802.11 as a high speed transport. Two technologies had been anticipated for AMP: 802.11 and UWB, but UWB is missing from the specification.[17]
Alternate MAC PHY: enables the use of alternative MAC and PHY's for transporting Bluetooth profile data. The Bluetooth Radio is still used for device discovery, initial connection and profile configuration, however when lots of data needs to be sent, the high speed alternate MAC PHY (802.11, typically associated with Wi-Fi) will be used to transport the data. This means that the proven low power connection models of Bluetooth are used when the

system is idle, and the low power per bit radios are used when lots of data needs to be sent. Unicast Connectionless Data: permits service data to be sent without establishing an explicit L2CAP channel. It is intended for use by applications that require low latency between user action and reconnection/transmission of data. This is only appropriate for small amounts of data. Read Encryption Key Size: introduces a standard HCI command for a Bluetooth host to query the encryption key size on an encrypted ACL link. The encryption key size used on a link is required for the SIM Access Profile, so generally Bluetooth controllers provided this feature in a proprietary manner. Now the information is available over the standard HCI interface.

[edit] Bluetooth low energy Main article: Bluetooth low energy

On April 20, 2009, Bluetooth SIG presented the new Bluetooth low energy as an entirely additional protocol stack, compatible with other existing Bluetooth protocol stacks. The preceding naming as 'Wibree' and 'Bluetooth ULP' (Ultra Low Power) has been outdated by the final naming as 'Bluetooth low energy'. On June 12, 2007, Nokia and Bluetooth SIG had announced that Wibree will be a part of the Bluetooth specification, as an ultra-low power Bluetooth technology.[18] Expected use cases include watches displaying Caller ID information, sports sensors monitoring the wearer's heart rate during exercise, and medical devices. The Medical Devices Working Group is also creating a medical devices profile and associated protocols to enable this market. Bluetooth low energy technology is designed for devices to have a battery life of up to one year.
[edit] Future Broadcast Channel: enables Bluetooth information points. This will drive the adoption of Bluetooth into mobile phones, and enable advertising models based around users pulling information from the information points, and not based around the object push model that is used in a limited way today. Topology Management: enables the automatic configuration of the piconet topologies especially in scatternet situations that are becoming more common today. This should all be invisible to users of the technology, while also making the technology just work. QoS improvements: enable audio and video data to be transmitted at a higher quality, especially when best effort traffic is being transmitted in the same piconet.

[edit] UWB for AMP


Main article: Ultra-wideband

The high speed (AMP) feature of Bluetooth 3.0 is based on 802.11, but the AMP mechanism was designed to be usable with other radios as well. It was originally intended for UWB, but the WiMedia Alliance, the body responsible for the flavor of UWB intended for Bluetooth, announced in March 2009 that it was disbanding.

On March 16, 2009, the WiMedia Alliance announced it was entering into technology transfer agreements for the WiMedia Ultra-wideband (UWB) specifications. WiMedia will transfer all current and future specifications, including work on future high speed and power optimized implementations, to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), Wireless USB Promoter Group and the USB Implementers Forum. After the successful completion of the technology transfer, marketing and related administrative items, the WiMedia Alliance will cease operations.[19] Any Bluetooth device will transmit the following information on demand:
Device name. Device class. List of services. Technical information, for example, device features, manufacturer, Bluetooth specification used, clock offset.

Any device may perform an inquiry to find other devices to connect to, and any device can be configured to respond to such inquiries. However, if the device trying to connect knows the address of the device, it always responds to direct connection requests and transmits the information shown in the list above if requested. Use of a device's services may require pairing or acceptance by its owner, but the connection itself can be initiated by any device and held until it goes out of range. Some devices can be connected to only one device at a time, and connecting to them prevents them from connecting to other devices and appearing in inquiries until they disconnect from the other device. Every device has a unique 48-bit address. However these addresses are generally not shown in inquiries. Instead, friendly Bluetooth names are used, which can be set by the user. This name appears when another user scans for devices and in lists of paired devices. Most phones have the Bluetooth name set to the manufacturer and model of the phone by default. Most phones and laptops show only the Bluetooth names and special programs are required to get additional information about remote devices. This can be confusing as, for example, there could be several phones in range named T610 (see Bluejacking).
[edit] Pairing

Pairs of devices may establish a relationship by creating a shared secret known as a link key, this process is known as pairing. If a link key is stored by both devices they are said to be bonded. A device that wants to communicate only with a bonded device can cryptographically authenticate the identity of the other device, and so be sure that it is the same device it previously paired with. Once a link key has been generated, an authenticated ACL link between the devices may be encrypted so that the data that they exchange over the airwaves is protected against eavesdropping. Link keys can be deleted at any time by either device, if done by either device this will implicitly remove the bonding between the devices; so it is possible one of the device to have a link key stored but not be aware that it is no longer bonded to the device associated with the given link key. Bluetooth services generally require either encryption or authentication, as such require pairing before they allow a remote device to use the given service. Some services, such as the Object Push Profile, elect not to explicitly require authentication or encryption so that pairing does not interfere with the user experience associated with the service use-cases.

Pairing mechanisms have changed significantly with the introduction of Secure Simple Pairing in Bluetooth 2.1. The following summarizes the pairing mechanisms:
Legacy pairing: This is the only method available before Bluetooth 2.1. Each device must enter a PIN code, pairing is only successful if both devices enter the same PIN code. Any 16-digit ACSII string may be used as a PIN code, however not all devices may be capable of entering all possible PIN codes. Limited Input Devices: The obvious example of this class of device is a Bluetooth Hands-free headset, which generally have few inputs. These devices usually have a fixed PIN, for example "0000" or "1234", that are hard-coded into the device. Numeric Input Devices: Mobile phones are classic examples of these devices. They allow a user to enter a numeric value up to 16 digits in length. Alpha-numeric Input Devices: PCs and smartphones are examples of these devices. They allow a user to enter full ASCII text as a PIN code. If pairing with a less capable device the user needs to be aware of the input limitations on the other device, there is no mechanism available for a capable device to determine how it should limit the available input a user may use.

Secure Simple Pairing: This is required by Bluetooth 2.1. A Bluetooth 2.1 device may only use legacy pairing to interoperable with a 2.0 or older device. Secure Simple Pairing uses a type of public key cryptography, and has the following modes of operation: Just Works: As implied by the name, this method just works. No user interaction is required; however, a device may prompt the user to confirm the pairing process. This method is typically used by headsets with very limited IO capabilities, and is more secure than the fixed PIN mechanism which is typical for this set of limited devices. This method provides no man in the middle (MITM) protection. Numeric Comparison: If both devices have a display and at least one can accept a binary Yes/No user input, they may use Numeric Comparison. This method displays a 6-digit numeric code on each device. The user should compare the numbers to insure they are identical. If the comparison succeeds, the user(s) should confirm pairing on the device(s) that can accept an input. This method provides MITM protection, assuming the user confirms on both devices and actually performs the comparison properly. Passkey Entry: This method may be used between a device with a display and a device with numeric keypad entry (such as a keyboard), or two devices with numeric keypad entry. In the first case, the display is used to show a 6-digit numeric code to the user, who then enters the code on the keypad. In the second case, the user of each device enters the same 6-digit number. Both cases provide MITM protection. Out of Band (OOB): This method uses an external means of communication (such as NFC) to exchange some information used in the pairing process. Pairing is completed using the Bluetooth radio, but

requires information from the OOB mechanism. This method provides some level of MITM protection, assuming the OOB method used provides MITM.

SSP is considered simple for the following reasons:


In most cases it does not require a user to generate a passkey. For use-cases not requiring MITM, user interaction has been eliminated. For Numeric Comparison, MITM protection can be achieved with a simple Yes/No decision by the user. Using OOB with NFC will enable pairing when devices simply get close, rather than requiring a lengthy discovery process.

[edit] Security Concerns Prior to Bluetooth 2.1, encryption is not required and can be turned off at any time. Moreover, the encryption key is only good for approximately 23.5 hours; using a single encryption key longer than this time allows simple XOR attacks to retrieve the encryption key.
Turning off encryption is required for several normal operations, so it is problematic to detect if encryption is disabled for a valid reason or for a security attack. Bluetooth 2.1 addresses this in the following ways: Encryption is required for all non SDP (Service Discovery Protocol) connections A new Encryption Pause and Resume feature is used for all normal operations requiring encryption to be disabled. This enables easy identification of normal operation from security attacks. The encryption key is required to be refreshed before it expires.

Link keys may be stored on the device file system, not on the Bluetooth chip itself. Many Bluetooth chip manufacturers allow link keys to be stored on the device; however, if the device is removable this means that the link key will move with the device.
[edit] Air interface

The protocol operates in the license-free ISM band at 2.4-2.4835 GHz. To avoid interfering with other protocols that use the 2.45 GHz band, the Bluetooth protocol divides the band into 79 channels (each 1 MHz wide) and changes channels up to 1600 times per second. Implementations with versions 1.1 and 1.2 reach speeds of 723.1 kbit/s. Version 2.0 implementations feature Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and reach 2.1 Mbit/s. Technically, version 2.0 devices have a higher power consumption, but the three times faster rate reduces the transmission times, effectively reducing power consumption to half that of 1.x devices (assuming equal traffic load).

How Bluetooth Operates


Bluetooth networking transmits data via low-power radio waves. It communicates on a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (actually between 2.402 GHz and 2.480 GHz, to be exact). This frequency band has been set aside by international agreement for the use of industrial, scientific and medical devices (ISM).

A number of devices that you may already use take advantage of this same radio-frequency band. Baby monitors, garage-door openers and the newest generation of cordless phones all make use of frequencies in the ISM band. Making sure that Bluetooth and these other devices don't interfere with one another has been a crucial part of the design process. One of the ways Bluetooth devices avoid interfering with other systems is by sending out very weak signals of about 1 milliwatt. By comparison, the most powerful cell phones can transmit a signal of 3 watts. The low power limits the range of a Bluetooth device to about 10 meters (32 feet), cutting the chances of interference between your computer system and your portable telephone or television. Even with the low power, Bluetooth doesn't require line of sight between communicating devices. The walls in your house won't stop a Bluetooth signal, making the standard useful for controlling several devices in different rooms. Bluetooth can connect up to eight devices simultaneously. With all of those devices in the same 10-meter (32-foot) radius, you might think they'd interfere with one another, but it's unlikely. Bluetooth uses a technique called spreadspectrum frequency hopping that makes it rare for more than one device to be transmitting on the same frequency at the same time. In this technique, a device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within a designated range, changing from one to another on a regular basis. In the case of Bluetooth, the transmitters change frequencies 1,600 times every second, meaning that more devices can make full use of a limited slice of the radio spectrum. Since every Bluetooth transmitter uses spread-spectrum transmitting automatically, its unlikely that two transmitters will be on the same frequency at the same time. This same technique minimizes the risk that portable phones or baby monitors will disrupt Bluetooth devices, since any interference on a particular frequency will last only a tiny fraction of a second.

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 user doesn't have to press a button or give a command -- the electronic conversation happens automatically. Once the conversation has occurred, the devices -- whether they're part of a computer system or a stereo -- form a network. Bluetooth systems create a personal-area network (PAN), or piconet, that may fill a room or may encompass no more distance than that between the cell phone on a belt-clip and the headset on your head. Once a piconet is established, the members randomly hop frequencies in unison so they stay in touch with one another and avoid other piconets that may be operating in the same room. Let's check out an example of a Bluetooth-connected system.

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