How does Bluetooth Work?
Bluetooth technology helps one electronic device communicate with another device wirelessly. Electronic devices can include mobile phones, computers, MP3 players, PDAs, digital cameras and digital printers. While in the past, most devices communicated with others using connections such as cables, today, wireless communication can be achieved using many technologies, including Bluetooth.
The Name Bluetooth
You might be wondering why this technology is called Bluetooth. It gets its name from Harald Bluetooth, who was the king of Denmark in the late 900s. Under his rule, he achieved many important triumphs, including uniting Denmark and Norway and introducing Christianity. Bluetooth is named after this king to show the importance of bringing together different devices and communicating with one another.
The Difficulty of Bringing Various Devices Together
It might seem like basic common sense that one electronic device talks to a similar device, however there are many technical obstacles that must be overcome for proper and effective communication to occur.
When you are trying to get two devices to communicate with one another, there are a many problems that must be solved. First off, you have to take into account many questions such as what is the physical means of communication. Will they use cables, infrared flashes of light, radio waves, etc.
Secondly, even if two devices use the same physical means of communicating (cables), they must need to speak the same language and understand each other and each other's requests. Third, if two devices can connect to one another and talk the same language, they must also set rules on communicating. For instance, if one device sends data too fast, the other device may not be able to comprehend it or store it. These are just some of the most basic problems that communicating devices must first overcome to communicate with each other efficiently and effectively. Bluetooth is a technology that solves these problems and offers devices an efficient way to communicate with each other.
How Bluetooth Communicates with other Bluetooth Devices
In order for a Bluetooth enabled device to communicate with another device, that other device must also include Bluetooth technology.
Bluetooth technology is similar to wireless network technology. For instance, two devices in the vicinity of one another can communicate with one another at high speeds. Bluetooth 1.0 can transfer data at 1 mbps and Bluetooth 2.0 can transfer data at 3 mbps. It should be noted that Bluetooth 2.0 is backward compatible and works with 1.0.
While Bluetooth has the ability to communicate wirelessly with other devices in its vicinity, it does something else that makes this technology extremely attractive. Bluetooth technology does not need any human intervention to communicate. This means that when two Bluetooth devices come into the same vicinity, they both have the ability to recognize one another and to start communicating (sending data) with each other without any human intervention. What exactly can this entail?
Well, if your digital camera has Bluetooth technology, coming near a Bluetooth enabled photo printer can easily transfer digital images from the camera to the printer without connecting any cables. In another scenario, your mobile phone can choose to pick up phone calls when you are on the move or reroute phone calls to your car's audio system when you are driving – meaning you can have a phone conversation with a hands free device.
Bluetooth was Created Primarily for Mobile Users
Since Bluetooth is primarily a mobile technology, the technology itself is extremely small and lightweight. Another characteristic of the technology is that it is inexpensive, usually costing less than $50.
Bluetooth devices consist of an adapter. A Bluetooth adapter can be built into a device or computer or can be in the form of a card or small adapter that connects to a device.
Within this device are instructions in order to communicate (send and receive data) with up to 8 devices concurrently. The power usage of these devices is very small; most use about 1 milliwatt of energy. Because the signal is very weak, it tends not to interfere with other wireless networks operating. In addition, since the signal is weak, the distance in which one Bluetooth device can communicate with another is about 3 meters or 10 feet. These small areas where a Bluetooth network can be active are called PAN (personal area network) or piconets. However, stronger versions are being introduced that use more energy that can communicate with other Bluetooth devices that are up to 30 feet in diameter. It should be noted that Bluetooth signals communicate with each other at the 2.45 GHz frequency. This frequency is much higher than normal radio and TV frequency waves.
Bluetooth Security
Since Bluetooth is able to communicate with practically any other Bluetooth enabled device, security is an important concern. Just like someone can hack into your wireless computer network and create havoc, so is the ability to corrupt and damage files located on a device with Bluetooth technology as well. However, it should be known that Bluetooth does come with several security features that make it safe and efficient to use Bluetooth in almost any environment.
One of the ways that Bluetooth has beefed up security on devices is to offer several security modes, which can be set for the device by the manufacturer. For instance, for a low security device like a photo printer, the printer would be able to communicate with almost any device with little worries about security; however a PDA with Bluetooth might have more stringent Bluetooth security settings and will only be able to talk with pre-approved or established trusted devices. In addition, the user has control over which devices can be seen as trusted devices and which ones should be excluded. This will stop your Bluetooth enabled device from connecting with other, possibly less secure or malicious devices in your vicinity.
